There is good news and bad news about traveling Old Route 66 between Glenrio and San Jon in New Mexico. The bad news is a new bridge that would replace another span destroyed by flash flooding in May 2023 won't be finished by Route 66's centennial in 2026. The good news is county road workers … Continue reading Bridge for Old Route 66 between Glenrio and San Jon won’t be ready by 2026, but path is passable
Tag: Tucumcari
Preservation team repairs Wash Lady, Loretta’s Burrito Hut neon signs in Tucumcari
Larry Plath and Johnnie Meier of the New Mexico Route 66 Preservation Team recently repaired neon tubing for the so-called "Wash Lady" at Boulevard Cleaners and Loretta's Burrito Hut, both along Route 66 in Tucumcari, New Mexico. The duo also began repairing the tubing on the Odeon Theatre in Tucumcari, which isn't on Route 66 … Continue reading Preservation team repairs Wash Lady, Loretta’s Burrito Hut neon signs in Tucumcari
Four eateries on or near Route 66 win $50,000 Backing Historic Small Restaurants grants
Four eateries along or near Route 66 will receive $50,000 Backing Historic Small Restaurants grants from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express. The primarily Route 66-based recipients, announced Monday, are: La Cita Restaurant, Tucumcari, New Mexico Doc's Just Off 66, Girard, Illinois La Paloma Mexican Restaurant, La Verne, California A lesser-known fourth … Continue reading Four eateries on or near Route 66 win $50,000 Backing Historic Small Restaurants grants
10 more Route 66 Extraordinary Women micro-grants announced
The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership announced 10 more grant recipients from its Extraordinary Women Micro-Grants Program. Grants of $2,000 were given to: Sarah Ann Lesslie of Cocolita Chocolate Cafe, Flagstaff, Arizona: Purchase two new, single-door refrigerators for the shop, replacing a malfunctioning one. Amy Stephens of the Edmond History Museum, Edmond, Oklahoma: Install new … Continue reading 10 more Route 66 Extraordinary Women micro-grants announced
Rudy Gonzales, last of the old-time sign painters, dies at 90
Rudy Gonzales, who handpainted signs large and small for more than a half-century along Route 66 in New Mexico, died on April 21. He was 90. A rosary and memorial Mass for Gonzales will be held Friday at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Tucumcari, according to his obituary. Route 66 News published a feature about … Continue reading Rudy Gonzales, last of the old-time sign painters, dies at 90
Did another Blue Swallow Motel exist near Shamrock, Texas?
Many, many Route 66 enthusiasts know about the landmark Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Smithsonian Magazine once called the 1939 establishment "the last, best and friendliest of the old-time motels." But the Texas Old Route 66 Association recently went through the files of longtime Texas Route 66er Delbert Trew and found an intriguing … Continue reading Did another Blue Swallow Motel exist near Shamrock, Texas?
Apache Motel sign in Tucumcari taken down; motel’s new owner wants it repaired
The new owner of the closed Apache Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico, took down its neon sign on Thursday, though she didn't plan to do so. Joanne Thompson, who in February acquired the Route 66 motel from her former business partner Wade Dirr, noticed the sign had twisted at an angle. Upon closer inspection, she … Continue reading Apache Motel sign in Tucumcari taken down; motel’s new owner wants it repaired
What in the world is going on with the New Mexico Route 66 Association?
The question in that headline isn't easy to answer right now. Nor is it easy to answer these related questions: Who is in charge of the association? Why are there two Facebook pages for the association? What's happening with the big project in Tucumcari regarding the association and the Fast TV Network? What's happening with … Continue reading What in the world is going on with the New Mexico Route 66 Association?
Obscure 1961 movie offers glimpses of Cedar Hill Grocery east of Tucumcari
An obscure drama from 1961 offers a rare glimpse of the Cedar Hill Grocery and gas station that operated along Route 66 east of Tucumcari, New Mexico. That includes the long-gone neon sign that was on the canopy (seen above). The movie also shows the interior of the business. According to a Wikipedia summary of … Continue reading Obscure 1961 movie offers glimpses of Cedar Hill Grocery east of Tucumcari
Quest to revive 4 Tucumcari businesses earns award from New Mexico Route 66 Association
Robert Moore Jr. and his brother William Cooke have been busy acquiring and cleaning up four long-abandoned businesses along Route 66 in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Though reopening at least three of those businesses is a long way off, those efforts earned the annual Route 66 Heritage Award from the New Mexico Route 66 Association. The … Continue reading Quest to revive 4 Tucumcari businesses earns award from New Mexico Route 66 Association