The mayor of Pontiac, Illinois, reported a few days ago that construction of the Route 66-themed Centennial Plaza near the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum is moving into a more rapid stage. Mayor Kelly Eckhoff in a Facebook post stated: The end of the eight week curing time for the steel structure … Continue reading Construction of Centennial Plaza in Pontiac moves into a swifter phase
Category: Art
Son of Bottle Tree Ranch’s founder is struggling to preserve the Route 66 landmark
The son of the founder of Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch along Route 66 near Oro Grande, California, is "miserable" and struggling to maintain the site in the wake of his father's death. Elliott Long became the caretaker of the Route 66 landmark after its creator and his father, Elmer Long, died of cancer at age … Continue reading Son of Bottle Tree Ranch’s founder is struggling to preserve the Route 66 landmark
Oklahoma Route 66 Association’s official centennial T-shirt features Bob Waldmire artwork
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association recently announced that its 2026 Route 66 centennial T-shirt features artwork from late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. Waldmire, a well-traveled hippie whose intricate pen-and-ink drawings were beloved by the Route 66 community, was also the inspiration for Fillmore the Volkswagen minibus in Disney-Pixar’s 2006 "Cars" film. He was also … Continue reading Oklahoma Route 66 Association’s official centennial T-shirt features Bob Waldmire artwork
Route 66 has a humongous weekend
This past weekend was a huge one for Route 66 -- not just in Springfield, Missouri, but also in Williams, Arizona; Kingman, Arizona; Seligman, Arizona; and Joliet, Illinois. The events came 100 years after officials in Springfield sent a telegram to the federal government, stating they were receptive to the No. 66 for their Chicago-to-Los … Continue reading Route 66 has a humongous weekend
Images from Route 66 featured on today’s Google Doodle
Anyone who visited the Google homepage today saw a series of images that included a Route 66 shield. The Google Doodle celebrates Route 66's centennial. One hundred years ago today, highway officials in Springfield, Missouri, sent a telegram to federal officials, stating No. 66 would be acceptable to designate their Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway. In a post, … Continue reading Images from Route 66 featured on today’s Google Doodle
Giant push-pin art installation dedicated in Wellston
A giant push-pin, part of an art installation, was dedicated a few days ago by state and local officials off Route 66 in Wellston, Oklahoma. The 23-foot-tall push-pin, designed by Joseph O’Connell of Creative Machines and titled "You Are Here," which lights up from inside at night. It is off Exit 158 of Interstate 44, … Continue reading Giant push-pin art installation dedicated in Wellston
Amarillo City Council advances plan for Route 66 interactive mural
The Amarillo City Council recently held a first reading for a resolution that would allow a large, Route 66-themed "story wall" near downtown. The Amarillo Globe-News reported the interactive mural -- titled "66 Stories from Route 66" -- will be on an underpass by Transformation Park to better connect downtown to Sixth Street (aka Route … Continue reading Amarillo City Council advances plan for Route 66 interactive mural
Steel jackrabbit sculpted from a 1953 Chevy Bel Air unveiled in Gallup
Artist Robert Wilson and the City of Gallup, New Mexico, announced the installation of "‘RUN," a large steel sculpture commissioned to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Route 66. Inspired by the design language of 1950s American cars and the speed of the native jackrabbit, Wilson used a plasma torch to deconstruct the body of a … Continue reading Steel jackrabbit sculpted from a 1953 Chevy Bel Air unveiled in Gallup
Route 66 photographer David Schwartz’s work to be featured at gallery in Springfield, Illinois
Visit Springfield and The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space in Springfield, Illinois, announced the addition of "The Road That Takes You" exhibition by David Schwartz, the photographer behind this year's forthcoming Route 66 centennial stamps by the U.S. Postal Service. A ribbon cutting and grand opening is planned for Friday, March 27, at 3 p.m. … Continue reading Route 66 photographer David Schwartz’s work to be featured at gallery in Springfield, Illinois
Restoration begins on Bob Waldmire’s U-Haul truck
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association announced last week that a painted U-Haul truck once owned by the late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire is undergoing restoration. A teacher with the Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma City approached the association during its January meeting and proposed restoring it as a student project. LD’s Wrecker in … Continue reading Restoration begins on Bob Waldmire’s U-Haul truck