The Pasadena (Calif.) Star-News went over to the Ruth and Charles Gilb Arcadia Historical Museum in Arcadia, Calif., and checked out the Route 66 exhibition there.
And it sounds like the folks who put it together did a good job:
On display in the museum’s right-hand corridor are photos, maps and artifacts that trace the historic route, which wound its way from Chicago to Los Angeles, with a stop in Arcadia along the way.
A large portion of the exhibit is dedicated to photographs of storefronts that once lined the path of Route 66 in Arcadia.
Roadside businesses — including Dewey Butler’s corn stand and the Wigwam orange juice stand that stood on Foothill — are represented, along with many art-deco motels and gas stations.
“Most of those buildings are long gone now,” Dunn said.
One of the few exceptions is Rod’s Grill on Huntington Drive. The longtime establishment has been open for business more than 60 years.
Eaton’s Santa Anita Restaurant and Hotel at the corner of Colorado and Michillinda was not so lucky. It closed in 1969, when it was seized by the IRS for $42,000 in unpaid taxes.
But, like the key to room No. 53 at Eaton’s, Dunn said these nostalgic images from the past could unlock lost memories and get visitors talking about what they remember about Route 66.
The exhibit will be there through March 28. So check it out before it’s gone.