National Trust places Route 66 on its endangered list

The National Trust for Historic Preservation on Tuesday included Route 66 among its annual 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list and urged Congress to name it as a national historic trail. It was the second time Route 66 made the National Trust's most-endangered list. A smaller part of the Mother Road made the list in … Continue reading National Trust places Route 66 on its endangered list

Donations sought for possible cost-share preservation grants

Roamin' Rich Dinkela this week launched a campaign to raise matching donation dollars for possible cost-share grants from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program to help rehabilitate or stabilize the Painted Desert Trading Post in Arizona and the Gasconade River Bridge in Missouri, plus also offering money or elbow grease to preserve what's left of … Continue reading Donations sought for possible cost-share preservation grants

Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announces 2018 grant season

The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announced this week it is taking applications for its 2018 cost-share grants -- possibly for the last time before the program sunsets next year. Applications for the cost-share grants will be taken through May 10. More details may be found here. The federal program, under the auspices of the … Continue reading Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program announces 2018 grant season

Wilder’s neon sign reinstalled; relighting event set for Saturday

The historic rooftop neon sign at Wilder's Steakhouse in downtown Joplin, Missouri, was reinstalled Thursday after being taken down for several weeks for restoration. The official relighting ceremony for the sign will be at dusk Saturday, April 14. Sunset that day is 7:52 p.m., but it may become dark faster if skies are overcast. Here's a … Continue reading Wilder’s neon sign reinstalled; relighting event set for Saturday

Route 66 motels may help ease housing shortage in some areas

Old motels -- including those on Route 66 -- are being eyed as a solution for a growing housing shortage in parts of the United States. An article in Bisnow.com cites The Sundowner Motel and the Luna Lodge -- both on Route 66 in Albuquerque -- as examples of once-seedy properties recently converted by New … Continue reading Route 66 motels may help ease housing shortage in some areas

Research Route 66 plans online directory, retrospective

Organizers for the Research Route 66 project plan to develop an online research directory and form a retrospective of the group's accomplishments. The group also plans to continue to its social-media outreach through its Facebook page and collaborate with Route 66: The Road Ahead Partnership, according to a news release. The group's annual meeting was … Continue reading Research Route 66 plans online directory, retrospective

Wilder’s Steakhouse rooftop sign removed for restoration

The rooftop neon sign at Wilder's Steakhouse in Joplin, Missouri, was removed Friday for restoration. A relighting ceremony for the sign is scheduled for dusk April 14. According to a news release, the animated neon sign has not operated for least 25 years. The restaurant at 1216 Main St. landed a $24,000 cost-share grant from … Continue reading Wilder’s Steakhouse rooftop sign removed for restoration

Government shutdown closes several sites on or near Route 66

The ongoing shutdown by the U.S. federal government shuttered National Park Service sites on or near Route 66 this weekend, with no resolution in sight. An exception is Grand Canyon National Park, which remains accessible because of a partnership with the state of Arizona. Businesses there that include lodging, restaurants and retail stay open. Within … Continue reading Government shutdown closes several sites on or near Route 66

A look ahead on Route 66 on its 91st birthday

Historic U.S. Highway 66, better known to the rest of the world as Route 66, marked its 91st birthday today. Some debate rages on whether Nov. 11 can be called the Mother Road's birthday. A few sources give it as April 30, which was when road officials in Springfield, Missouri, in 1926 assigned the number … Continue reading A look ahead on Route 66 on its 91st birthday

U.S. senator who shepherded Route 66 legislation dies

Former longtime U.S. senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico, who introduced and shepherded several key pieces of Route 66 legislation, died Wednesday in Albuquerque after setbacks from abdominal surgery. He was 85. Several obituaries about the six-term Republican lauded him for his bipartisanship and his mastery of budget, tax and energy issues until he retired … Continue reading U.S. senator who shepherded Route 66 legislation dies