Frankoma Pottery, a historic company with deep roots along Route 66 in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, held its grand opening Saturday in nearby Glenpool, Oklahoma, after years of uncertainty about whether a brick-and-mortar site for the company ever would be revived. According to the Tulsa World, several longtime Frankoma employees were scheduled to attend the event. The … Continue reading Frankoma Pottery Company store opens in Glenpool after long hiatus
Category: Art
Half-Corvette in Joplin is being temporarily removed for restoration
The half-Corvette at Seventh and Main streets (aka Route 66) in Joplin, Missouri, that's served as a photo op for about a decade is being temporarily removed for a face-lift. KSN-TV reports: It will be removed sometime during the week after Thanksgiving — repaired, repainted, and re-installed by the local business, Mafia Paint Shop. The … Continue reading Half-Corvette in Joplin is being temporarily removed for restoration
The man behind the Big Cross in Groom, Texas
The nearly 200-foot-tall cross that stands between Route 66 and Interstate 40 in Groom, Texas, is the vision of one man. According to a recent article by the Boston Globe, that man is Steve Thomas, who recently retired and sold the oil and gas business he operated for about 35 years. He now spends most … Continue reading The man behind the Big Cross in Groom, Texas
Caretaker creating new additions to Elmer Long’s Bottle Tree Ranch
Not only is someone looking after Elmer Long's Bottle Tree Ranch near Oro Grande, California, but he is adding to it three years after the creator's death. According to ABC10 in Los Angeles, Brian McKinsey now serves as caretaker of the Route 66 landmark. The story contains this encouraging excerpt: McKinsey says it’s not uncommon … Continue reading Caretaker creating new additions to Elmer Long’s Bottle Tree Ranch
15-foot pollinator sculpture debuts along Route 66 in Carlinville
A three-piece, 15-foot-tall pollinator sculpture recently was installed along Route 66 in Carlinville, Illinois. The steel sculpture of flowers and a bee stands at the Carlinville Plaza on the city's north side. Make Carlinville Beautiful coordinated the creation and donation of materials for the project. According to an article in the Alton Telegraph, the sculpture … Continue reading 15-foot pollinator sculpture debuts along Route 66 in Carlinville
Cherokee Nation Welcome Center opens near Vinita
The Cherokee Nation earlier this week opened its Anna Mitchell Cultural & Welcome Center on Route 66 in Vinita, Oklahoma. Mitchell is known as one of the Cherokee Nation's pre-eminent pottery artists. She began her ground-breaking experiments with clay from an area less than a mile from the future home of the welcome center. More … Continue reading Cherokee Nation Welcome Center opens near Vinita
Eviction notice served to Jax Welborn’s Route 66 Community Art Gallery, other shops in Waynesville
Jax Welborn's Route 66 Community Art Gallery, Get Your Pics on Route 66 shop and Pics by Jax Studio in Waynesville, Missouri, will close on Oct. 9 after she unexpectedly was served an eviction notice Monday from her landlord. It feels like the sudden death of a loved one," Welborn said on a Facebook post. … Continue reading Eviction notice served to Jax Welborn’s Route 66 Community Art Gallery, other shops in Waynesville
Former University Lodge in Albuquerque reopens as Hotel Zazz boutique lodging
The former University Lodge motel along Route 66 in Albuquerque reopened a few weeks ago after months of renovations -- just in time for the city's fabled Balloon Fiesta -- and has been rechristened as the colorful Hotel Zazz. The Albuquerque Journal recently published a story about Hotel Zazz and owner Sharmin Dharas, who grew … Continue reading Former University Lodge in Albuquerque reopens as Hotel Zazz boutique lodging
A miniaturized version of The Spindle sculpture returns to Berwyn along Route 66
A smaller version of the famous Spindle sculpture that once stood in a shopping center in Berwyn, Illinois, recently was unveiled along that city's alignment of Route 66. Artist Pete Gamen created a 23-foot-tall version of the sculpture and uses fiberglass go-karts instead of cars, according to WBBM. It stands in Paisan’s Pizzeria and Bar … Continue reading A miniaturized version of The Spindle sculpture returns to Berwyn along Route 66
Article reveals more details on Dennis Hopper’s iconic “Double Standard” photo
A recent story in the New Yorker provided a lot more detail about "Double Standard," a now-iconic photograph from inside a car of a Los Angeles gas station at a Route 66 intersection by actor Dennis Hopper during the early 1960s. Here's an Instagram image of the photo on display in London: View this post … Continue reading Article reveals more details on Dennis Hopper’s iconic “Double Standard” photo