Angels of the road January 22, 2007
Posted by Ron in Businesses, Road trips, Vehicles.add a comment
Peter Shelton of the Telluride Watch tells the tale of selfless mechanics on Route 66 who helped get his broken-down vehicle running again — one time in Holbrook, Ariz.; the other time in Victorville, Calif. It’s a good read.
Bent Door has a new Web site January 22, 2007
Posted by Ron in Businesses, Preservation, Web sites.add a comment
Ramona Kiewert, the new co-owner with her husband Roy of the historic Bent Door in Adrian, Texas, e-mailed me to inform everyone that they moved the Bent Door’s Web site to a new URL on WordPress.com, which is blog-hosting site and home to Route 66 News.
The new URL is here.
So please update your bookmarks if you listed it.
There is just one post on the Bent Door site so far, but it has this information:
The Bent Door will be a 1950s diner/malt shop with a patio out back for outside dining. We will also include a souvenir shop and grocery store. The World War II control tower area will feature Texas tourist information. We are hoping to encourage travelers on Interstate 40 to stop in Adrian for a spell.
The garage will house some history of Route 66, from the original dirt trail, to the Mother Road, and it’s current state. Route 66 has a place in everyone’s heart, with hope for a better future just down the road.
On the other hand, maybe that best future is right here in Adrian, Texas: Midpoint on Route 66.
Our present home is in Nacogdoches, Texas, and with Roy on the road much of the time (he’s a long-haul trucker) our work days will have to be long and hard when we get to Adrian. We plan on opening June 1, 2007, and will schedule a grand opening celebration later in the summer of 2007. Check in here often for updates on our progress!
Historic hotel reverts to city ownership January 22, 2007
Posted by Ron in Motels, Preservation.5 comments
The Eagle Hotel in Wilmington, Ill., described as the oldest hotel on all of Historic Route 66, has reverted to city ownership after its holder wasn’t able to reopen it by a Jan. 15 deadline, according to the Daily Journal.
The hotel, built in 1836, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also was listed as one of the most endangered historic sites.
William Scales of Ottawa bought the building from the city in 2001 and planned to convert it into a French country restaraunt, with a bed-and-breakfast upstairs. However, Scales didn’t get it open by the city-imposed January 2007 deadline.
The city is now evaluating options for the hotel.
UPDATE: The city won’t be taking over the hotel after all. You can read the story about that here.
