Joel Baker of American Giants Museum to be keynote speaker at Miles of Possibility Conference

Joel Baker, founder of the American Giants Museum in Atlanta, Illinois, will be the keynote speaker during the Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference at the historic Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Illinois. The conference's theme, naturally, will be "Giants of Route 66." It will run from Oct. 31 through Nov. 3. Baker is the nation’s … Continue reading Joel Baker of American Giants Museum to be keynote speaker at Miles of Possibility Conference

Then-and-now slideshow of Albuquerque added to Central Avenue buses

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

Joe Sonderman’s “Route 66 Then and Now” book finds an unexpected second life

Thanks to an out-of-the-blue feature by a British newspaper, Joe Sonderman's "Route 66 Then and Now" book suddenly has found new interest nearly four years after its publication. Sonderman's "Route 66 Then and Now" (Amazon link) was published by London-based Pavilion Books in May 2018. The book compares old images of Route 66 to what … Continue reading Joe Sonderman’s “Route 66 Then and Now” book finds an unexpected second life

Researcher finds a photo of the precursor of John’s Modern Cabins

Joe Sonderman, a researcher of Route 66 in Missouri and other states, found a rare image of the roadside business that later became John's Modern Cabins near Newburg, Missouri. The image is above. Sonderman wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday: This is the oldest photo I have ever seen of the spot that became … Continue reading Researcher finds a photo of the precursor of John’s Modern Cabins

Book review: “Route 66: Then and Now”

Call it a cousin to the "Route 66 Lost and Found." Author Joe Sonderman in a Facebook post in January acknowledged that influence from Russell Olsen's books. Those "Lost and Found" books (now compiled into one volume) showed decades-old images of Route 66 landmarks and newer photos -- both often taken from the same angle … Continue reading Book review: “Route 66: Then and Now”

Meramec River Bridge appears to get a reprieve

The endangered Meramec River Bridge at Route 66 State Park near Eureka, Missouri, appears to have earned a reprieve from the wrecking ball. The Route 66 bridge that spanned the Meramec River at the now-ghost town of Times Beach was slated to be demolished by the Missouri Department of Transportation sometime in 2017 unless an entity raised … Continue reading Meramec River Bridge appears to get a reprieve

Book review: “Route 66 Roadside Signs and Advertisements”

"Route 66 Roadside Signs and Advertisements" leaves little doubt it exists primarily as an image-driven book. After all, you have to show all these neon signs, banners and billboards that made an indelible impression on generations of Route 66 travelers and contributed to the road's colorful history. The book contains hundreds of photographs by Route 66 … Continue reading Book review: “Route 66 Roadside Signs and Advertisements”

“Route 66 in Illinois”

The "Route 66 in Illinois" presentation by Joe Sonderman and Cheryl Eichar Jett -- who co-wrote a book by the same name -- during the Miles of Possibility conference in Edwardsville, Illinois, contained a few tidbits of information even veteran roadies might not have known, such as: An explosion in 1942 at the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant … Continue reading “Route 66 in Illinois”