Scenes from the Texas Route 66 Festival

Hundreds of Route 66 enthusiasts from all over America and several foreign countries descended on Shamrock, Texas, over the weekend for the Texas Welcomes the World Route 66 Festival. One longtime roadie said authors and artists stationed in the Shamrock Community Center were pleased with attendance, with several reporting strong sales. A focal point at … Continue reading Scenes from the Texas Route 66 Festival

Wildfire jumps I-40 near Shamrock, closes road for hours

A fast-moving wildfire raced across Interstate 40 near Shamrock, Texas, on Friday, forcing the closing of that highway and Route 66 for hours. According to tweets from the Texas Department of Transportation, state officials closed I-40 at the Oklahoma state line to Shamrock because of the grass fires. They eventually detoured motorists to state highways … Continue reading Wildfire jumps I-40 near Shamrock, closes road for hours

More vintage Route 66 videos from Anthony Reichardt

Anthony Reichardt recently uploaded more videos from Route 66 trips he undertook in a 1959 Cadillac during the early to mid-1990s. The videos contain plenty of historic value because it documents landmarks that have disappeared or changed. Reichardt's dedicated YouTube channel now contains more than 30 videos, and they're still coming. Watching them are worth your time, … Continue reading More vintage Route 66 videos from Anthony Reichardt

Elvis sightings on Route 66

The Marshfield Mail in Missouri published an extensive listing of Elvis Presley sightings and shows in the Show-Me State in 1956 -- the year he came into national prominence. The future King of Rock 'n' Roll's tours brought him to a few Route 66 landmarks that year. According to the newspaper. --- "By May 1956, Elvis was … Continue reading Elvis sightings on Route 66

“How to Make Your Community a Route 66 Destination Hot Spot”

By Emily Priddy Pontiac, Illinois, was struggling in 2008. The nearby Vermilion River overflowed its banks in January. A local prison closed. And the country had fallen into a recession. A year later, about 150 muralists known as the Walldogs gave the community a much-needed boost, Pontiac tourism director Ellie Alexander said during a panel … Continue reading “How to Make Your Community a Route 66 Destination Hot Spot”

A closer look at the U-Drop Inn

The ABC-TV affiliate in Amarillo gave two minutes of air time about the historic U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas. The Route 66 landmark, lovingly restored in 2004, serves as an office for the town's chamber of commerce and as a welcome center for tourists. https://youtu.be/GDuoWrVecTU One thing I didn't know was the U-Drop Inn is … Continue reading A closer look at the U-Drop Inn

More about the U-Drop Inn’s upcoming changes

A few weeks ago, we reported on some upcoming changes with the historic U-Drop Inn gas station and restaurant in Shamrock, Texas, plus more that were hinted. KFDA-TV in Amarillo filed a follow-up story. If the video doesn't embed properly just hit the link. KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo News, Weather, Sports City officials … Continue reading More about the U-Drop Inn’s upcoming changes

Enhancements coming to U-Drop Inn

The historic U-Drop Inn gas station in Shamrock, Texas, will undergo some improvements before tourism season begins, according to a post Monday on its Facebook page. First, the gift shop has moved to the main area next to the café. This unites the two areas and gives us more room to expand, especially in the "Made … Continue reading Enhancements coming to U-Drop Inn

U-Drop Inn neon lights are back on — in LED

The Facebook account of the historic U-Drop Inn gas station in Shamrock, Texas, recently announced the long-awaited installation of LED neon has been completed and the lights are on. According to the page, the neon will be on from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly, although I'm certain the "lights on" time will be adjusted … Continue reading U-Drop Inn neon lights are back on — in LED