A tribute to a historic bridge, from Poland October 20, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Art, Bridges.add a comment
Artur Pranga, a graphic designer based in Poland, is running a visualization studio named Imitime, used by architects and designers who want to show how a proposal is going to look long before construction begins.
Pranga said he recently was researching historic bridges. He explained in an email what happened next:
When my eyes came across the Rainbow Bridge located on historic Route 66 near Baxter Springs in Kansas I was really stunned with the beauty of the design. My impression was so great that I decided to dedicate my time and efforts into giving some light to the history of that bridge. [...]
I’ve also rendered an illustration showing what the bridge could look like right after its construction.
Here it is:
As you can see, the automobile reflects the period when the Marsh Rainbow Bridge was built in 1923.
Pranga sent the illustration “as a reward for all that useful information you have placed on your website.”
A collection from the road October 20, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music, Photographs.add a comment
Here’s a Route 66-themed slide show of black-and-white images by Mike Severson, whose Flickr account contains plenty of other goodies.
Not all of the photos are from the Mother Road, but the vibe certainly comes from there.
The version of “Route 66″ is by Nat King Cole, who made Bobby Troup’s song famous.
A word from our sponsor … October 19, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, Gas stations.add a comment
Cool Springs Camp, on old Route 66 between Kingman and Oatman, Ariz., is the setting for this Union Wireless commercial:
The premise is a good idea for a cell-phone company … although even the best carriers have dead spots along Route 66 in New Mexico, Arizona, far western Oklahoma and in the east Missouri Ozarks.
A possible solution to a unique problem October 19, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Signs, Towns.4 comments
The city of Miami, Okla., observed an unusual problem regarding Route 66 tourism. Instead of complaining, officials took the initiative and tried to do something about it.
I’ll let the news release from the city (via KOAM-TV) explain:
Route 66 attracts tourists from all over the world. International travelers consider Route 66 to be Classic America. Music celebrities like Paul McCartney and Robert Plant are recent travelers. The problem has been that in the past when traveling the Miami Route 66 section of highway, visitors get the wrong impression that there are no hotels in Miami since our hotel district is located adjacent to I-44 on Steve Owen Boulevard. Most travelers continue on to other Route 66 communities that have hotels located alongside the Route.
So Miami has placed directional signs on lampposts, showing where the city’s “Hotel District” is.
The placement of the signs is meant to correct this misconception and encourage our Route 66 travelers to stay a while in Miami and experience our unique brand of Oklahoma Route 66 culture. Miami has outstanding hotels, restaurants, and attractions like the Coleman Theatre, Motorcycle Museum, original Ribbon Highway, Dobson Museum, and Native American entertainment and gaming.
Even many small towns along Route 66 boast at least one motel along that Mother Road. But Miami, despite a wealth of attractions and an estimated population of 13,000, doesn’t have a single lodging establishment along 66. What’s more curious about the dearth of motels is that a major highway — U.S. 69 — piggybacks on old Route 66 through town.
Instead, the motels are clustered a mile to the east, along Oklahoma Highway 10 and Interstate 44. That’s where that new sign is pointing.
That’s not to say Miami never had motels on 66. Looking over Joe Sonderman’s 66 Postcards site, Miami once boasted Court Mar-Kay, Sooner State Motor Court, Elms Motel, Cherokee Motel, Hotel Miami, and Frontier Motel along the Mother Road. All of them have been wiped out or repurposed. It’s a little sad, really.
As for the other lodging establishments to the east, the Townsman Motel once was a Mid-Century architectural gem. However, flooding from the nearby Neosho River severely damaged the building a few years ago. The motel was rebuilt and renamed, and it bears no resemblance to its old self. The rest of the motels are chains.
Miami’s new sign may keep a few Route 66 travelers overnight. But the allure of motels actually along the historic highway in Vinita or Afton will probably be too strong. On the other hand, it wouldn’t surprise me if a savvy entrepreneur builds a small, retro-styled motel on 66 in Miami someday.
The resiliency of the Eagles October 17, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Sports, Television, Towns.1 comment so far
If you have 20 minutes to spare, I urge you to watch a recent ESPN episode of “Outside the Lines.” It deals with Joplin High School’s football team in the weeks after the tornado that ravaged one-third of the town.
Here’s a trailer for the episode:
If you aren’t moved by the final two minutes of this show, you probably need to have your heart checked.
I suspect “Outside the Lines: Joplin” will earn an Emmy nomination or two in the coming months.
You can watch the full episode here.
Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe earns historic designation October 17, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in History, Restaurants, Television.add a comment
Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe, which has served travelers on Route 66 in Victorville, Calif., since 1947, has been named as a historic point of interest by a history-based fraternal organization, reported the Victorville Daily Press.
E Clampus Vitus, aka The Clampers, a fraternity dedicated to preserving Western heritage, chose the Holland Burger Cafe for the honor and dedicated a plaque on Sunday.
The newspaper provided some background on the restaurant:
In 1979, Emma Jean Gentry, who was a waitress, took over the cafe and turned it into a family business. Brian Gentry was only 13 years old at the time.
When she passed away in 1996, her husband, Richard, continued to run the cafe with his son and his son’s wife, Shawna.
More than six decades later, Brian Gentry is still serving food the same way. Cooks make homemade food and provide a home-style atmosphere for customers, he said.
One of its most popular dishes is the Brian Burger, which is a handpessed patty that includes mild green chili and Swiss-American cheese on Parmesan toast.
The restaurant has been shown in several movies, and was featured on The Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” program. Here’s the DDD segment:
Pontiac bed-and-breakfast wins prestigious honor October 17, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Motels, Web sites.add a comment
Three Roses Bed & Breakfast in Pontiac, Ill., was given the coveted Guest Favorite Award for a second straight year from the BnB Finder online directory.
The Guest Favorite honor is based on guest preferences and independent reviews posted to the site. According to BnB Finder’s news release:
“Guests at the Three Roses Bed & Breakfast gave it high marks for cleanliness and the option to choose your own breakfast from a menu provided by innkeeper Sharon [Hansen],” according to Mary White, founder of BnBFinder and author of the book, Running a Bed & Breakfast For Dummies.
“I am thrilled to win this award again,” said Sharon. “I work very hard to make people feel comfortable, and awards like this tell me I really am doing a pretty good job. The many compliments from my guests are the best rewards I earn from running a B&B.”
Three Roses is the only bed-and-breakfast in a Route 66 town to receive the honor. Indeed, just a handful of establishments were honored in each state. Arizona, in fact, didn’t have any such lodging business make the list.
(Photo courtesy of BnB Finder)