The latest episode of "Samantha Brown's Places to Love" aired on PBS, where she travels on Route 66 west from Tulsa through the Texas Panhandle to the New Mexico border. Over 25 minutes, she visits Threatt Filling Station in Luther, Oklahoma; First Americans Museum and a neon artist in Oklahoma City; Sid's Diner in El … Continue reading “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love” goes on Route 66 from Tulsa through Texas
Category: Art
Drive-through Route 66 shield in Galena is nearly finished
A large, drive-through Route 66 shield in Galena, Kansas, has been largely completed. Painting on the structure should be finished by this week. According to a recent story by KSNF-TV in nearby Joplin, Missouri, artists Sandra Dawn and David Mason have been painting the shield. They’re painting a scene that embodies the state of Kansas … Continue reading Drive-through Route 66 shield in Galena is nearly finished
Some Weatherford residents irked by teardown of gazebo to make way for Route 66 statue
The teardown of a decades-old gazebo in Weatherford, Oklahoma, to make way for a large, Route 66-themed astronaut statue has blindsided or irritated some residents. KOKH-TV in Oklahoma City interviewed one resident who said the city "out of nowhere" tore down the structure, noting it was an Oklahoma Centennial site in the 1990s. The Weatherford … Continue reading Some Weatherford residents irked by teardown of gazebo to make way for Route 66 statue
National Trust announces latest round of Preserve Route 66 grant recipients
The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced its latest grants from its Preserve Route 66 program totaling $135,835. Among the grants awarded are preservation work on an Albuquerque building where Microsoft started, funds to pursue a National Register of Historic Places listing for the Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, Missouri, and an educational program about … Continue reading National Trust announces latest round of Preserve Route 66 grant recipients
Friends of the Orphan Signs in Albuquerque wins $20,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant
Friends of the Orphan Signs, a nonprofit organization that repurposes abandoned signs into art along Route 66 in Albuquerque, recently received a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper, which reported on the award, said it was one of 19 organizations in New Mexico that received the … Continue reading Friends of the Orphan Signs in Albuquerque wins $20,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant
$92 million sculpture park, art center planned along Route 66 in Edmond
Two nonprofit groups are planning an ambitious 62-acre sculpture park at the northwest corner of Second Street (aka Route 66) and Coltrane Road in Edmond, Oklahoma, by the highway's centennial in fall 2026. The Journal-Record reported that Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park Inc. and Edmond Fine Arts Institute want to raise up to $92 million for … Continue reading $92 million sculpture park, art center planned along Route 66 in Edmond
Puzzle features work of late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire
A new creation by the Hart Puzzles company features a collage of the work of deceased Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. Waldmire's brother Buz flagged the company's offering: The 1,000-piece puzzle can be ordered directly here for $24.99. Bob Waldmire, a self-avowed hippie who also was the unofficial inspiration to Fillmore in the movie “Cars,” died in … Continue reading Puzzle features work of late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire
Route 66 Christmas Tree Farm in Tulsa opens to the public
Part art installation and roadside attraction, the Route 66 Christmas Tree Farm in southwest Tulsa opened to the public last weekend. It is the brainchild of Josh and Amanda Stout, who own an art gallery across the street. Last winter, they put out a call for artificial Christmas trees -- not expecting they would receive … Continue reading Route 66 Christmas Tree Farm in Tulsa opens to the public
Gemini Giant returns to Wilmington with a big welcome-home bash
The Gemini Giant fiberglass statue, which once stood at the closed Launching Pad Drive-In restaurant, returned to Wilmington, Illinois, when it was dedicated Saturday at its new location at South Island Park. The event featured live music, a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, a mobile diner and commemorative memorabilia. The 28-foot-tall Gemini Giant returned to Wilmington with a … Continue reading Gemini Giant returns to Wilmington with a big welcome-home bash
Second round of applications opens for the National Trust’s grants for Route 66 businesses
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has opened its second round of applications for aid from the Preserve Route 66 Legacy Business Grant Fund. The fund provides financial support to businesses to preserve historic places and spur economic development along the Route 66 corridor, with an emphasis on projects that illuminate the narratives of communities whose … Continue reading Second round of applications opens for the National Trust’s grants for Route 66 businesses