The Guadalupe County Development Corporation's board plans $730,000 in renovations for the historic Ilfield-Johnson Warehouse in downtown Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Local officials also are applying for a grant from the New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Grant Program to improve business facades along Route 66. Longtime Route 66 News readers probably remember previous efforts to … Continue reading Panel seeks to remodel Ilfeld-Johnson Warehouse, apply for Route 66 grant to boost Santa Rosa
Route 66 closes at Wellston for about a year; shorter detour is available for regular vehicles
Route 66 in Wellston, Oklahoma, is closed for about a year due to an overpass replacement on nearby Interstate 44, but a shorter detour will be available for regular vehicles. According to Roads & Bridges, the $48 million project that began Tuesday aims to widen a section of the Turner Turnpike (aka I-44) from four … Continue reading Route 66 closes at Wellston for about a year; shorter detour is available for regular vehicles
United States ranks as a top-five country for car enthusiasts, thanks in part to Route 66
The California law firm Javaheri & Yahoudai recently conducted a study that ranks which of the countries in the world are the best for car enthusiasts. The good ol' USA didn't rank No. 1 (Canada grabbed the top spot). But it did finish fourth in the study. ' According to CarBuzz.com, the ranking criteria were … Continue reading United States ranks as a top-five country for car enthusiasts, thanks in part to Route 66
Are Muffler Men undergoing a big revival?
The short answer is yes. The Chicago Tribune a few days ago took a look at what one Route 66 advocate, Bill Thomas, called "a bit of a Renaissance" for the fiberglass giants, colloquially known as Muffler Men. The Muffler Men, made primarily by International Fiberglass in Venice, California, during the 1960s to the mid-1970s, … Continue reading Are Muffler Men undergoing a big revival?
Proposed 21-foot-tall statue near Tulsa’s Route 66 prompts some backlash
A proposed 21-foot-tall statue on Cry Baby Hill near Route 66 in Tulsa has sparked some backlash from residents, ranging from the figure itself to an out-of-state artist being selected for the project. The statue is set to be built before Route 66's centennial in 2026 on the hill at 815 S. Riverside Drive. That's … Continue reading Proposed 21-foot-tall statue near Tulsa’s Route 66 prompts some backlash
Great Route 66 Centennial Convergence set for Santa Monica Pier on April 2026
The centennial year of Route 66 is still well over a year away, but an event called the Great Route66 Centennial Convergence has been scheduled for April 30, 2026, at the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. Social media influencer John Binns of Australia, with the handle of Wasteland Firebird, is organizing the event. … Continue reading Great Route 66 Centennial Convergence set for Santa Monica Pier on April 2026
Munger Moss Motel owner says she was conned out of $18,000 from asphalt contractor
The owner of the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Missouri, told a nearby news outlet she was swindled out of $18,000 from a New Hampshire asphalt contractor hired to do a repair job at the property. Shelly Cravens told KYTV of Springfield, Missouri, that she hired Henry Stanley of New Hampshire to smooth out a … Continue reading Munger Moss Motel owner says she was conned out of $18,000 from asphalt contractor
Arizona Route 66 Association gives $25,000 grant for Hotel Beale facade improvements
The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona recently awarded a $25,000 grant for facade improvements to the closed Hotel Beale, a landmark in Kingman, Arizona. Sarah Ferry, president of Kingman Main Street, stated in an email that her organization hired historical architect Bill Otwell and Johnny Stewart of Michael Taylor Architects in Prescott, Arizona, on … Continue reading Arizona Route 66 Association gives $25,000 grant for Hotel Beale facade improvements
Ted Drewes Jr., longtime owner of Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis, dies at 96
Ted Drewes Jr., the longtime proprietor of the iconic Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis, died Monday, according to several media outlets in the St. Louis region. He was 96. Ted Jr. and his son-in-law, Travis Family members confirmed his death Wednesday to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Here's a Buzzfeed video from a few … Continue reading Ted Drewes Jr., longtime owner of Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis, dies at 96
Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Florida will add a Pixar “Cars” area
Disney World's Magic Kingdom near Orlando, Florida, will add a Pixar "Cars" area from the 2006 animated movie inspired by Route 66. According to a recent report by CNET: The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at the Magic Kingdom are being repurposed to insert a new area themed around Pixar's Cars movies. This expansion … Continue reading Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Florida will add a Pixar “Cars” area