Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity this week announced seven awards, totaling $3.3 million, through the Route 66 Grant Program. This funding is intended to boost local tourism and attract visitors to Route 66, leading up to the 100th anniversary of the highway in 2026, according to a … Continue reading Illinois announces seven grants for projects along Route 66
Community group buys McLean’s historic water tower for $1, will repaint it
A nonprofit community group has purchased the endangered and historic water tower of McLean, Illinois, for $1. It will repaint the structure and hire an artist to paint a mural on it. The purchase reverses a 4-2 vote by the village board in November to tear the water tower down for almost $34,000. The village … Continue reading Community group buys McLean’s historic water tower for $1, will repaint it
European Route 66 Festival resumes later this year after a six-year hiatus
The European Route 66 Festival will resume late this summer in Prague, Czech Republic, after a six-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival will be from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 on exhibition grounds in the Czech capital. Zdenek Jurasek of the Czech Route 66 Association recently announced the resumption of the festival. … Continue reading European Route 66 Festival resumes later this year after a six-year hiatus
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
Water main breaks cause hardships in Village of Thayer
Repeated water main breaks in the original Route 66 town of Thayer, Illinois, are causing inconvenience or hardships to residents and businesses. According to a story from the State Journal-Register in nearby Springfield, Thayer (population 661) has seen five water main breaks in the last two weeks and 19 in the past year. The culprit … Continue reading Water main breaks cause hardships in Village of Thayer
Route 66 in New Mexico listed on National Geographic’s top travel experiences in 2024
National Geographic recently listed its "20 of the coolest travel adventures in 2024" as part of its annual Best of the World feature, and Route 66 in New Mexico made the list. The iconic magazine stated the list serves as "a celebration — of travel’s power to transform us and our connections with one another." … Continue reading Route 66 in New Mexico listed on National Geographic’s top travel experiences in 2024
New coffee table book, “Howdy Neighbor,” features Route 66 photographs from Southwest
A new coffee table book, titled “Howdy, Neighbor! Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico and Arkansas," features photographs from Route 66 and other destinations in the Southwest. Co-author Stephanie Khattak stated in an email: Featured Route 66 locations include the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Tucumcari, Santa Rosa and Cadillac Ranch and many others. “Howdy, Neighbor!” was … Continue reading New coffee table book, “Howdy Neighbor,” features Route 66 photographs from Southwest
Kingman Office of Tourism launches partnership with ListenUp audio app
The tourism office of Kingman, Arizona, earlier this week announced a partnership with an Arizona-based technology startup, ListenUp, to create a free, multilingual private tour guide of Kingman sites for anyone with an iPhone. A news release from the tourism office provides the details: ListenUp's geospatial audio tour transforms destinations like Kingman into captivating museum-like … Continue reading Kingman Office of Tourism launches partnership with ListenUp audio app
Hemmings publishes a feature on Route 66 artist and researcher Jerry McClanahan
Hemmings.com, an offshoot of the popular magazine devoted to classic cars, recently published a feature on longtime Route 66 artist, author and researcher Jerry McClanahan. McClanahan runs a gallery of his artwork, called McJerry's Route 66 Art Gallery, a short distance from Route 66 in Chandler, Oklahoma, where he regularly welcomes visitors. He recently published … Continue reading Hemmings publishes a feature on Route 66 artist and researcher Jerry McClanahan
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