Local journalist acquires former Hazelgreen United Methodist Church

A local journalist recently acquired the former Hazelgreen United Methodist Church that stands along Route 66 near Hazelgreen, Missouri. The church not only is known for being right next to the Mother Road, but it also contains a still-working neon cross atop its steeple visible from nearby Interstate 44. The church only is about 1 … Continue reading Local journalist acquires former Hazelgreen United Methodist Church

Fire-damaged Sk8 Liborius in St. Louis makes Missouri Preservation’s Places in Peril list

The fire-scorched Sk8 Liborius, aka St. Liborius Catholic Church, in St. Louis was announced as one of the annual Places in Peril by the Missouri Preservation nonprofit organization. Places in Peril are nominated by concerned individuals and decided upon by a committee of preservation advocates. Missouri Preservation advocates for, educates about and assists in the … Continue reading Fire-damaged Sk8 Liborius in St. Louis makes Missouri Preservation’s Places in Peril list

Organization seeks to reopen Saratoga Motor Hotel in Tulsa as sober-living facility by Christmas

The Wings of Freedom organization, which acquired the Saratoga Motor Hotel in Tulsa in 2020, hopes it will be partially open as a sober-living facility by Christmas. Pastor Dixie Pebworth, director of Wings of Freedom, told KJRH-TV in Tulsa he hopes to have 29 rooms on the west side of the Route 66 motel transformed … Continue reading Organization seeks to reopen Saratoga Motor Hotel in Tulsa as sober-living facility by Christmas

Santa Rosa rescinds decision to place Our Lady of Guadalupe statue on city property

The City of Santa Rosa, New Mexico, last week rescinded an August decision to place an Our Lady of Guadalupe statue on city-owned land in the downtown area. According to reporting by The Communicator (print only) in Santa Rosa, the council reconsidered after the American Civil Liberties Union argued the statue would violate the state … Continue reading Santa Rosa rescinds decision to place Our Lady of Guadalupe statue on city property

Oklahoma church pays tribute this month to Disney-Pixar film “Cars”

A church in a Tulsa suburb recently changed its lobby into a tribute to the Route 66-inspired Disney-Pixar animated film "Cars" from 2006. But you better hurry to see it -- it will be up only a couple of more weeks. Life.Church in south Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, annually changes its lobby to an "At the … Continue reading Oklahoma church pays tribute this month to Disney-Pixar film “Cars”

Fire destroys SK8 Liborius church skate park in St. Louis

A fire late Wednesday gutted the SK8 Liborius Social Club, formerly the historic St. Liborious Catholic Church, in north St. Louis. Drone footage on Thursday morning from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch showed the blaze destroyed everything inside, leaving only the walls standing. No injuries were reported, but the burning embers ignited fires on several other … Continue reading Fire destroys SK8 Liborius church skate park in St. Louis

Former Christian Science church in Tulsa to be converted into a concert venue

A historic church in downtown Tulsa that once was part of the Christian Science denomination will be converted into a modern concert venue and recording studio. GH2 Architects of Tulsa made the announcement this week on Facebook and included artist's renderings of the transformed space: The former First Church of Christ, Scientist at 924 S. … Continue reading Former Christian Science church in Tulsa to be converted into a concert venue

Bristow Historical Society seeks to get ‘little church’ on National Register

The Bristow (Oklahoma) Historical Society seeks to place the St. George's Episcopal Church, aka the city's "little church," on the National Register of Historic Places. The church is at West Seventh Avenue and North Elm Street in Bristow, one block west of Route 66 near the downtown area. Built in 1904, St. George's was the … Continue reading Bristow Historical Society seeks to get ‘little church’ on National Register

Route 66 organization urging historic churches to apply for Sacred Places grants

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership last week put out a news release, recommending historic churches along the Mother Road apply for grants from the National Fund for Sacred Places. The grant helps with training, planning grants, technical assistance, capacity-building support and capital grants of up to $250,000 to congregations of all faiths for rehabilitation … Continue reading Route 66 organization urging historic churches to apply for Sacred Places grants

Yeakley Chapel west of Springfield predates Route 66 by about 40 years

West of Springfield, Missouri, down a rural section of Route 66, Yeakley Chapel boasts a congregation that predates the Mother Road by 60 years and a chapel itself that predates the highway by four decades. KSMU radio, a PBS station in the area, posted a story about the Methodist congregation there, which dates to the … Continue reading Yeakley Chapel west of Springfield predates Route 66 by about 40 years