The National Trust for Historic Preservation has nominated the Route 66 city of St. Louis as one of its Dozen Distinctive Destinations, it was announced this week.
Such destinations “offer cultural and recreational experiences different from those found at the typical vacation destination. From dynamic downtowns and stunning architecture to cultural diversity and a commitment to historic preservation, sustainability and revitalization, the selected destinations boast a richness of character and exude an authentic sense of place.”
St. Louis was praised for its “historic brick buildings that line St. Louis’ cobblestone streets, proving the city lives up to its iconic status as the ‘Gateway to the West.'”
The dozen are:
- St. Louis
- Cedar Falls, Iowa
- Marquette, Mich.
- Fort Collins, Colo.
- Provincetown, Mass.
- Simsbury, Conn.
- Rockland, Maine
- Chestnut Hill, Pa.
- Huntsville, Ala.
- The Crooked Road in Virginia
- Bastrop, Texas
- Sitka, Alaska
For the first time, online voters will determine which of the 12 destinations will be the 2010 Fan Favorite. Voters can vote as often as they’d like until Feb. 28. The winner will be announced March 1. To top it off, voters are automatically entered to win a two-night stay at any Historic Hotel of America.
To vote, start the process here.
— Dawn Welch, owner of the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Okla., was honored by the Oklahoma Senate with a resolution today, reported the Shawnee News-Star. “Dawn has truly been an ambassador, not only for her community but for our entire state,” said Sen. Harry Coates, R-Seminole. “When the movie ‘Cars’ was released, people came from all over the world just to relive the Route 66 experience and meet the real-life Sally.” Rep. Danny Morgan, who represents Welch’s district, also singled her out for praise, including “putting Oklahoma on the map” for foreign visitors who flock to the restaurant.
— Speaking of “Cars,” here’s the first image released from the Disney-Pixar sequel, “Cars 2,” which will be in theaters in summer 2011. It’s not an actual still from the film, but a production artist’s rendering that was published in Disney’s annual report. It looks like Lightning McQueen is racing near Japan. (Hat tip: AutoBlog and Pixar Planet)
— Carthage, Mo., soon will have a 6,000-pound granite slab installed to show motorists on Highway 96, aka old Route 66, that they are driving by Kellogg Lake Park. According to the Carthage Press, the monument’s wording likely will note the park’s link to Route 66. The park was established in 1953.
— The city council of St. James, Mo., approved an effort by a volunteer group to establish an eight- to 10-mile mountain bike trail in town, according to the St. James Press. The trail will begin on East James Boulevard, which is the old Route 66 alignment through the city.
— Claudia Heller continues her ongoing series in the Pasadena Star-News about old Route 66 in California’s Mojave Desert. The latest entry takes a closer look at the isolated hamlet of Amboy, including a remarkable prank that local schoolkids pulled at nearby Amboy Crater during the 1940s.
— Read this story in The Desert Trail about a man and his dog traveling by bicycle (or hitching rides) from Chicago to San Francisco — much on it on Route 66. Marshall Wayne Lee lost his job and entertained thoughts of suicide. But his Basset hound Antigone helped him reconsider. They are traveling together to California so he can search for work there. He was in Twentynine Palms, Calif., a few days ago. Antigone’s blog is here.
— You may be noting ads between posts on Route 66 News. WordPress.com, which provides much of the infrastructure for this site, and I are beta-testing a revenue-sharing arrangement using AdSense. This pact won’t make me a millionaire, but Route 66 News is actually earning cash for the first time. If nothing else, it’ll help pay a few bills concerning domains and photos.