Posted on 05/21/2007 6:53:47 AM PDT by libertarianPA
Cain’t get your kick no more!
Not really. There have been plenty of local and private efforts to save some of the old places. Obviously not all of them can be saved, or should be saved. Some are beyond that. But a lot of towns have turned the interest in Route 66 to their benefit and profit. Litchfield, IL, for example. It was once on 66 — now just off I-55. The locals were smart enough to develop at the interchange. Being the only major stopover between Springfield and St. Louis probably helps, but by developing new businesses to bring tourists into the town, they were also able to promote and preserve the old Route 66 vintage restaurants and motels. The old Ariston Cafe, the Gardens Motel, and the Skyview Drive-In Theater are all going concerns. Other towns along I-55 in Illinois have done the same on a lesser scale.
Route 66 and the colorful old businesses and tourist traps along it probably mean a lot more to those who once traveled the route and patronized the place than, obviously, those who didn’t. But I think that private efforts to preserve and make profitable what remains should be applauded. It’s a great old part of American pop culture that was a lot more interesting than the vanilla stuff that’s replaced it.
By the way — among the many books on Route 66 is one of my favorites: “Images of 66” by David Wickline.
I love Route 66! Can you tell? ;-)
Someone recently bought and renovated one of the wigwam hotels in AZ... might be this one?
Doing the entire length of 66 is on my to do list... when I actually get 3-4 weeks off, I’ll be doing it.
You’ll only find it in bits and pieces. But it’s great fun anyway!
I think I was at this hotel with the teepees when I was 9y.o.
Williams, Arizona has done the same thing. Meanwhile, Ashfork down the hill from it burned down for a second time when it was bypassed, so there isn’t much. But, the land around the town is building up, since a ranch in the area was parceled for very little.
Cool!
Nice pic’s.............
There was that strange incident on Route 66 when Tod Stiles and Buzz Murdock stopped at a gas station. While Tod filled the Corvette tank up, Buzz when to the bathroom where the “incident” occurred. Well, best not to talk about that but Buzz did seem to have a number of those restroom “incidents” along Route 66.
We drove to California when I was young. There, we took the old roads. That was exciting.
Coming home, we took the new roads. Very boring.
No kidding.
bump!
What casino is that?
I better knock it off and get some work done. ;-)
I’ve never been to New Mexico. That really looks pretty.
Somewhere along Route 66 in New Mexico. Not sure.
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