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!

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.

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!

Read more

Upcoming Meeting in Leasburg

The July 2009 meeting of the Route 66 Association of Missouri will be held on Saturday, July 11, at Skippy’s Route 66 Restaurant in Leasburg. Lunch will be served at 12:00 pm with the general meeting following. Kenny Killeen, Mayor of Cuba, will be the speaker. Preceding lunch, there will be a board meeting of all 2009 Officers and Board Members at 10:00 am. If you want lunch, download the reservation form here: www.missouri66.org/july_2009_mtg.pdf

You can read more about Skippy’s Route 66 Restaurant in Show Me Route 66 Magazine, Vol 19, N. 1-2, Page 20.

Route 66 Association of Missouri recognizes work of Fran Eickhoff

Bob Gehl presents a Route 66 T-shirt that Fran designed and Fran's award from the Missouri Association to Betty DeLeo of the Cuba History Museum. The memorabilia will be used in an exhibit that honors Fran.

Fanning, MO Members of the Route 66 Association of Missouri, family, and friends met on Saturday, April 25 at The Outpost General Store to recognize member Fran Eickhoff ’s decades of dedication to Route 66 since becoming a charter member in 1990. Frances “Fran” Eickhoff, of Cuba, MO, passed away August 7, 2008 after a battle with cancer.

For many years Fran ran The Route 66 Lounge and greeted Route 66 travelers with her warm smile. She would go on to become an “activist” for preserving and promoting the Mother Road. She made friends not only in Missouri but also all along the road from Chicago to California as she attended Route 66 meetings and festivals. Even when facing the end of her life, one of Fran’s last trips was to the Litchfield, Illinois Route 66 Festival in June 2008 where she was able to visit with some of her Route 66 friends for the last time.

Read More

Cuba Missouri Tourism to Dedicate Plaque in Honor of Fran Eickhoff

From Glenda and Tommy Pike:

“As you all are very much aware, Missouri Route 66, The Route 66 Association of Missouri and all of us as individuals, lost a good friend with the death of Fran Eickhoff, August 7, 2008.

We are very pleased to tell you that Cuba (MO) Tourism is going to place a plaque in Fran’s honor.  This plaque will be placed on the front of the Fanning 66 Outpost General Store (home of the World’s Largest Rocker), just a short distance on Route 66 west of Cuba, at 11:00 AM on Saturday, April 25.   All of Fran’s friends are invited to attend!  Just be there by 11:00 AM!   Fanning 66 Outpost was chosen because the plaque will be placed in a secure location on the porch and out of the weather.  And there is plenty of parking for those wanting to visit the plaque (and Rocker and Store) as they travel Missouri Historic Route 66.

Our thanks go to Dan & Carolyn Sanazaro, owners of Fanning 66 Outpost for providing the location.  Thanks also to Norman DeLeo and Cuba Tourism for their thoughtfulness and work to provide this honor for Fran.

If there would be enough interest, we will find a location that we could have lunch after the presentation. If you can be there and would like to have a very informal group lunch, just send us a return email at furyon66@earthlink.net so we will have an idea of the number.

We do not have every members email in our address book, therefore, please tell anyone you might have contact with in the next week or so–or give them a call.  Fran would be please to be honored in this way.  We hope that you can join us!

Glenda and Tommy Pike”

Metropolis St. Louis Downtown Walking Tours to Resume for 2009 Season

From the Metropolis St. Louis events newsletter:

Date: April 18, 2009
Time: 10:00 AM

Every Saturday 10 a.m. From April-October
$5/Person No Reservations

Uncover the splendor of the architectural masterpieces that have made their home in Downtown St. Louis. Erected in the late 1800’s to the present, these structures were designed by famous architects such as Louis Sullivan, Cass Gilbert, Eero Saarienen, and Phillip Johnson. Experience a journey into the history of St. Louis.

WESTERN
The Western Tour begins at 10 a.m. every Saturday on the sidewalk outside the hotel entrance to Union Station on Market Street. Your tour guide will lead you through the downtown of one of America’s most historic cities. Walk through streets decorated by buildings such as Union Station and City Hall.

EASTERN
The Eastern Tour begins at 10 a.m. every Saturday outside the western entrance to the Old Courthouse, on Broadway between Market and Chestnut, opposite Kiener Plaza. You will learn about the architects, the design, and the history of buildings such as the Old Courthouse, Old Post Office, Wainwright Building, Missouri Athletic Club and many more!

Route 66 Race to Rocker gets blue skies and high fives

First Annual Race to the Rocker

On Saturday April 4, in Missouri, an event took place on Route 66 that shows the spirit of the historic route is alive, well, and taking on new vitality. It was a beautiful day with sun, blue skies, and temperatures approaching 70 degrees. It was high fives all around for racers, planners, and volunteers.

JOG,inc., a local running club, staged its first annual Race to the Rocker. The four-mile race along Route 66 started at Cuba and finished at the Guinness World Record Largest Rocking Chair at the Fanning Outpost General Store with 155 participants pounding out the miles to the finish.

Click here to read more.

Conway Welcome Center Grand Opening

Your are invited to get your kicks on Route 66 and attend the Grand Opening of the new Route-66 themed I-44 Welcome Center. It’s located just West of Conway, Missouri at the 111 mile marker on the Eastbound side.

Date: Monday, May 4, 2009

Tours Available: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Dedication: 1 p.m.

Click here for a pdf file of the invitation.

Next Meeting April 18, 2009

The Route 66 Association of Missouri will hold it’s next meeting on April 18, 2009 at Bradbury Bishop Deli, in Webb City, Missouri. Bradbury Bishop Deli is one block north of Historic Route 66 (Broadway) at 201 North Main.
Lunch will be served at 12:00 pm with the general meeting following. The program will be presented by a representative from Bradbury Bishop Deli and representative of Webb City.

Click here for more information and the lunch registration form.