Welcome to the Route 66 Association of Missouri Blog

Welcome to our blog for news of what is going on in our association and all over Route 66. Opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual posters and may not represent the views of the Route 66 Association of Missouri. Please also visit our web site!

Upcoming Meeting in Rolla

The next meeting of the Route 66 Association of Missouri will be on Saturday, January 16, at Matt’s Steakhouse, 12200 Dillon Outer Road, Rolla, MO 65401. Lunch will be served at 12:00 P.M. with the general meeting following.

Click here for more information and the lunch registration form.

Meeting guests will be representatives from the Missouri Department of Transportation, who will discuss the Old Route 66 Bridge over the Meramec River at Route 66 State Park. Bring your questions and comments. Other meeting guests will be Jerany Jackson and Spencer Jones from Great River Engineering, who will give an update and answer questions on the Corridor Management Plan.

Route 66 State Park Bridge Endangered

As reported by Bliss:

“I attended a quarterly meeting of the Route 66 Association of Missouri yesterday and learned that the old 66 bridge across the Meramec River at Route 66 State Park in Eureka, MO (formerly the Times Beach 66 bridge) is slated for *swift and complete* demolition. Period.

There was some discussion about what could be done to stall or prevent the bridge’s removal and at this point I don’t have a *specific* contact and can only suggest emails or letters of protest to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). Contact is: http://modot.org

A representative from the National Park Service was in attendance and, as I recall, said something to the effect that the swift action is due to available money to MoDOT being nearly expired. (Could be wrong about that, however, so don’t hold me to it.) You might be able to get more info from: http://www.cr.nps.gov/rt66 or IM Rt66(at)nps.gov

Perhaps nothing will prevent the permanent bridge removal (no replacement) but this group is powerful and as such our pleas and protests might help to save the bridge, which I’m confident could still be used as a beautiful and historical pedestrian crossing. Nearly anything is possible……..Bliss”

Here is the MoDOT press release about the bridge closing: MoDOT permanently closes Old Route 66 Bridge

Relighting Ceremony at the Sunset Motel

Sunset Motel Neon Sign Relit After Restoration

The evening of Saturday, November 14, 2009 was very special for members of the Route 66 Association of Missouri. Following our meeting in St. Clair, a festive gathering was held on the grounds of the Sunset Motel in nearby Villa Ridge to celebrate the relighting of the outstanding sign, which had been dark for approximately 30 years.

Just under half of the money to restore the sign and reroof the motel, refurbish dormers, cornice, fascia and soffits, and replace the neon on the gables was granted by the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, with the owners picking up the rest of the tab. Kaisa Barthuli, deputy manager, was on hand to present a plaque to the proud owners. Work on the motel building continues and is expected to be completed in a month or two. In recent history, the motel had been rented as apartments, and when it reopens the owners plan to reserve half of the rooms for Route 66 travelers.

Exactly one year ago, members of the Route 66 Association of Missouri had attended the relighting of the Donut Drive-in sign in St. Louis, another day where we were blessed with exceptionally mild weather for celebrating a momentous occasion in the history of Route 66. In both projects, the property owners were assisted with their grant applications by members of the Route 66 Association of Missouri Neon Preservation Committee. We invite you to help us keep this streak going!

Route 66 Association of Missouri Welcomes New Business Members

We welcome the following new business members and thank them for their support:

McGraphics – Cuba

Yacovelli’s Restaurant – Florissant

Please patronize the business members that support what we do. Here is a link to the complete list: Route 66 Association of Missouri Business Members

Corridor Management Plan for the Missouri Historic Route 66 Byway

The Route 66 Association of Missouri was awarded a National Byway grant in 2006, and entered into a contract with Great River Engineering to proceed with a Corridor Management Plan (CMP) on July 29, 2009, and work began under the guidance of The Missouri Department of Transportation. This will be a yearlong effort and will include public meetings in each Route 66 County. Great River Engineering has developed a web site specific to this CMP – http://Route66.greatrivereng.com. PLEASE take time to look at this site and register so you may get updates and news on the progress of the CMP. The public meeting dates will also be published there and it will be important that you attend. For questions or to volunteer your knowledge and help with this Association project, contact: Tommy Pike, 417-865-1318 or Jerany Jackson at (417) 886-7171.

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Upcoming Meeting in St. Clair

Sunset Motel Sign, Villa Ridge, MO

The next meeting of the Route 66 Association of Missouri will be on Saturday, November 14, at Elks Lodge 2651 at 35 East North St., St. Clair, MO 63077. Lunch will be served at 12:00 P.M. with the general meeting following.

Click here for more information and the lunch registration form.

Meeting guests will be Kaisa Barthuli, Acting Program Manager and John Murphey, Cultural Resources Specialist, with the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, Santa Fe, NM. Kaisa and John will provide Route 66 updates.

We encourage you to stay in the vicinity of St. Clair after the meeting, as it is now expected that the long-awaited “Official Re-lighting” of the newly restored neon sign at the Sunset Motel (just 10 miles east of St. Clair located just west of the old Diamonds (Tri-County) restaurant at Villa Ridge) will occur later that Saturday afternoon – with the festivities there beginning about 4:45 – 5:00 PM. Details will be given during the meeting.

Route 66 Association of Missouri Welcomes New Business Members

We welcome the following new business members and thank them for their support:

Branson Lock – Branson

Stone’s Throw Dinner Theatre – Carthage

Britton Funeral Home – Cuba

A Miner Indulgence Bed & Breakfast – Rolla

St. James Tourist Information Center – St. James

Great River Engineering of Springfield, Inc. – Springfield

Tour & Convention Consultants of the Ozarks – Springfield

Twin Motorcycle & Tattoo – Springfield

H&R Block – Abilene, Kansas

Please patronize the business members that support what we do. Here is a link to the complete list: Route 66 Association of Missouri Business Members

Program Announced for St. Louis Route 66 Festival

Celebrate the Mother Road at the second annual St. Louis Route 66 Festival to be held Saturday, October 3, at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, 10950 Riverview Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63137.   The event offers an afternoon of FREE fun and activities on both the Missouri and Illinois sides of the Bridge from 11:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Classic cars will span the length of the bridge. “A honk-off will start the festivities,” said Laura Cohen,  Confluence Partnership Director. “The signal will be ladies and gentlemen, honk your horns!” Visitors will be able to vote for the Fan Favorite Award, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Come visit The Route 66 Association of Missouri’s booth at the Festival!

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Wagon Wheel Motel Under New Ownership

Cuba, MO The Wagon Wheel Motel, 901 East Washington, a continuously operating Rt. 66 Motel since the 1930s, has a new owner.

On September 15, ownership passed from the heirs of previous owners, Pauline and Harold Armstrong, to Connie Echols, owner of another Cuba Route 66 business The Wildflower, a florist and gift shop. Echols looks forward to her role as an owner of the historic motel and returning it to its former glory. Echols plans a renovation and modernization of the motel while maintaining its historic integrity.

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Route 66 Association of Missouri Welcome’s New Business Members

We welcome the following new business members and thank them for their support:

Schaefer Autobody Centers – Crestwood

Flying A Motorsports – Cuba

Country Caboose – Joplin

Diana’s Diner – St. James

Route 66 Fudge Shop & Specialized Chocolates – St. James

Vacuum Cleaner Museum and Factory Outlet – St. James

Luttrell Auction & Music Barn – Springfield

Route 66 Hot Dogs – Springfield

Culver’s Route 66 – Webb City

Cheques in the Mail, Inc. – Las Vegas, NV

Please patronize the business members that support what we do. Here is a link to the complete list: Route 66 Association of Missouri Business Members