Riders on Albuquerque Rapid Transit buses have a chance to glimpse at the city's past with a slideshow of Central Avenue (aka Route 66) and other landmarks from many decades ago to the current day. According to the Albuquerque Journal, the slides show Central Avenue when it was just a dirt road, then in the … Continue reading Then-and-now slideshow of Albuquerque added to Central Avenue buses
Category: History
Great Rivers & Routes video features Doc’s Just off 66 in Girard
The Great Rivers & Routes tourism bureau recently began a "Main Street of America" video series. The first video, which dropped in the last few days, features Doc's Just Off 66 soda fountain and restaurant in downtown Girard, Illinois. The video's hosts, Kevin and Emily, are understandably agog at the historic memorabilia on display at … Continue reading Great Rivers & Routes video features Doc’s Just off 66 in Girard
Oklahoma Route 66 Association puts 30 years of newsletters in online archive
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association recently announced it had placed about 30 years of its quarterly newsletters on an online archive, including its very first issue in 1990. Association President Rhys Martin stated the archive provides "a window into the past to show how far we’ve come.” The newsletters chart the ups and downs over … Continue reading Oklahoma Route 66 Association puts 30 years of newsletters in online archive
Cool Springs Camp is marking the 20th year of its resurrection
Cool Springs Camp between Kingman and Oatman, Arizona, this year is marking the 20th anniversary of its improbable resurrection and reopening. "Improbable" is warranted because the old Route 66 gas station was abandoned for years, then literally blown up in a scene in the 1991 Jean Claude Van Damme movie "Universal Soldier." Here's the scene … Continue reading Cool Springs Camp is marking the 20th year of its resurrection
Fort Reno officers’ quarters gets $50,000 grant to replace windows
The nearly 90-year-old officers' quarters building at the Fort Reno Visitor’s Center and Museum near El Reno, Oklahoma, recently received a $50,000 grant to replace its old windows. The Yukon Progress, based in nearby Yukon, Oklahoma, reported the officers' quarters at the fort initially was built in 1876, and then rebuilt in 1936. The grant … Continue reading Fort Reno officers’ quarters gets $50,000 grant to replace windows
This is the 100th anniversary when a Pasadena diner reputedly introduced the cheeseburger
This month marks the 100th anniversary when a restaurant along future Route 66 in Pasadena, California, reputedly introduced the cheeseburger. The Rite Spot restaurant in the 1500 block of West Colorado Boulevard offered an "Original Hamburger with Cheese" for 15 cents in January 1924, according to the Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau. As the tale … Continue reading This is the 100th anniversary when a Pasadena diner reputedly introduced the cheeseburger
Santa Monica Pier was nearly lost by a storm 41 years ago
The iconic Santa Monica Pier -- the traditional western endpoint for many Route 66 travelers -- nearly was destroyed by a severe storm and some bad decisions by a contractor 41 years ago. That factoid was revealed during a Santa Monica Daily News story about walking tours offered at the 115-year-old pier: Back in the … Continue reading Santa Monica Pier was nearly lost by a storm 41 years ago
National Trust for Historic Preservation wants your Route 66 stories
The National Trust for Historic Preservation seeks to gather a total of 2,026 stories about Route 66 in time for the highway's centennial in 2026. "Route 66 is more than just a road; it's a tapestry of diverse cultures and histories. We want to showcase the people and places that make Route 66 special," the … Continue reading National Trust for Historic Preservation wants your Route 66 stories
Historic Luna Mansion in Los Lunas placed on the market for $1.8 million
The 140-year-old Luna Mansion, located prominently along the original alignment of Route 66 in Los Lunas, New Mexico, has been put up for sale for $1.8 million. According to Albuquerque Business First (subscription required), the 5,400-square-foot mansion at 119 Main St. (aka Route 66) was a restaurant until it closed in 2020 during the COVID-19 … Continue reading Historic Luna Mansion in Los Lunas placed on the market for $1.8 million
Local preservation group wants to turn old El Reno jail into a museum
A local preservation group seeks to convert the old Canadian County Jail in El Reno, Oklahoma, into a museum and education center by 2026, which is Route 66's centennial. According to KOCO-TV in nearby Oklahoma City, the Preservation El Reno group's Jail Restoration Committee wants to restore the 1907 building. The group began leasing the … Continue reading Local preservation group wants to turn old El Reno jail into a museum