Several people have posted highlights on YouTube of the raising of the 1957 Belvedere from its 50-year-old vault in Tulsa and the subsequent unveiling later that night.

The raising:

The unveiling:

Here’s an excerpt from last night’s telecast when the car’s wrapping was removed:

Elrond Lawrence sees the parallel to the railroads and Route 66. That’s why a book he’s writing, “Route 66 Railway,” is being published by the Los Angeles Railroad Heritage Foundation.

A story in The Salinas Californian delves into how Lawrence became fascinated with the Mother Road and the rails.

The Web site for Lawrence’s book is here.

Alas, as feared, the 1957 Plymouth Belvedere that was in a vault in downtown Tulsa, Okla., for 50 years was revealed Friday night to be a rust bomb.

Tulsarama organizers five decades ago tried in earnest to protect the vehicle when they lowered it into its below-ground vault, using a concrete sealer, a vacuum-sealed wrap and slathering a rust-inhibitor on the body. But water eventually creeped into the vault and inundated the Belvedere.

The car was in such bad shape, master mechanic Boyd Coddington said it was practically unsalvagable. Still, he said, it had “character,” and deserves to be put on display as is.

But even if the original Tulsarama failed to keep the Belvedere in pristine condition, its stunt generated tons of publicity for Tulsa 50 years later. Thousands of people from all over the U.S. and several foreign countries descended on the town. Many thousands more watched the unearthing and unveiling on the Internet and television. Dozens of media outlets, including the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, followed the story. It was the subject of watercooler conversation for days.

All of this over one car.

Even though the Belvedere didn’t fare well against the ravages of water, the contents of a separate time capsule were nearly pristine. One of the most dramatic moments during the unveiling was when a 48-star American flag (Alaska and Hawaii hadn’t yet become states in 1957) from the capsule was unfurled. It was in near-perfect condition, and the scene brought to mind Francis Scott Key’s famed line from the “The Star Spangled Banner”: “Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there …”

The Tulsa World has a self-produced video from the unveiling ceremony and plenty of other coverage.

KOTV.com has a story about the unveiling and a video.

KTUL also has a story and a video.

Local blogger Michael Bates has posted a set of photos from the unveiling.

Jim’s Garage was in Tulsa all day, checking out the buried car and the more carefully maintained classics.

Here’s a newswire feed of photos from the unveiling.

A 1926-37 alignment of Route 66 between Bernalillo and Algodones, N.M., has been added to the state’s Register of Cultural Properties, reported the Associated Press.

It’s a five-mile stretch of original road that was supplanted by a new alignment of Route 66 that went from Santa Rosa to Albuquerque.

Also, the Flynt Building at 720 Manvel Ave. in Chandler, Okla., was named June 5 to the National Register of Historic Places. Manvel Avenue is right on Route 66.

If you’re in Clinton, Okla., on Thursday for the National Route 66 Festival, you have the opportunity to take part in free workshops at the Frisco Center that morning.

If you’re a novice Route 66er who’s interested in preservation, these sessions probably will be informative. The workshops are free, and no registration is required. Here are the sessions:

8:30 - 9:30 a.m., Local Tools for Protecting Historic Route 66 Properties: The landmarking process and other local methods to protect historic Route 66 properties will be discussed by Johnnie Meier, former president of the New Mexico Route 66 Association and current board member of the American Road Foundation; and John Murphey, National Register coordinator for the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division and chairman of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Federal Advisory Council. Case studies from Albuquerque will be used to illustrate successes and challenges.

9:30 - 10:30 a.m., Route 66 Scenic Byway Designation: Learn how the state and national scenic byway designations that have been established in five of eight Route 66 states are bringing technical expertise, funding, and needed planning to the road. Pamela Lewis, Oklahoma Route 66 Scenic Byway Coordinator, will lead a discussion with representatives from the other designated scenic byways.

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Route 66 Media Workshop: Ever wondered how to work with radio, television, internet, or print, local or national? How to get the word out about Route 66 events and accomplishments? This brief overview will discuss how to work effectively with local media and the preparation of news releases. Presenters include Emily Priddy of the Tulsa World, David Dunaway of the Route 66 Oral History Office and yours truly at Route 66 News.

11:30-11:45 a.m., Hands-on Preservation Primer: Emily Priddy will talk up the importance of local volunteers in working to preserve historic Route 66 properties, and will provide the background and logistical information on the selected motel property in Clinton that she will lead volunteers in working on from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, June 22, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 23 and 24. This project is the first of its kind to be held in conjunction with a major Route 66 event.

Taking a page from Illinois’ tourism bureau, the Arizona Republic newspaper is holding an online contest to select the state’s seven wonders.

There currently are 47 nominees. The number will be reduced each week, until the final seven are standing on July 7.

Route 66 is listed in Heat 2, and La Posada in Winslow is in Heat 4. Route 66 was running a close third, behind the University of Phoenix Stadium and the Sedona’s Chapel of the Holy Cross. La Posada was running a distant seventh.

The first round ends Sunday. Roadies, you know what to do.