Michael Campanelli’s exhibit of photographs of Route 66 sights was dedicated at the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, Ill., on Friday, reports the Pontiac Daily Leader.

Campanelli wanted a permanent place on Route 66 to display his work, and Pontiac successfully wooed the exhibit, thanks to tourism director Ellie Alexander.

“Pontiac just seemed to be the best place to put it,” she said — and already had a place for the photos. Ambrose and Campanelli met in January, Campanelli said Friday it was “pretty remarkable” what city Maintenance Director Milt Hanson and other employees had done since then in readying four rooms on the second story of the fire station-city hall for the exhibit. [...]

The one-year factor in the display of the photographs is because the museum may renew the exhibit or the heritage project may make it into a traveling exhibit.

The Pasadena (Calif.) Star-News reports that the nearby Route 66 town of Glendora could lose $2 million to $3 million a year in redevelopment funds from Los Angeles County, including money earmarked for Route 66.

A judge ruled that Glendora’s redevelopment areas, including the Mother Road, were insufficiently blighted to receive the funds. The city says it will appeal.

The Star-News reported that Glendora’s blight issues included “sewer problems, buildings not in accordance with the safety code, parking lots lacking handicapped spaces, and empty lots where the city says it cannot attract businesses.”

The Midland (Texas) Reporter-Telegram explains how the world-famous Ugly Crust Pies at the Midpoint Cafe on Route 66 in Adrian, Texas, got their name.

The newspaper went straight to the source — pie baker Jo Anne Harwell:

“My grandmother could make a crust that was absolutely a piece of art. Mine are definitely not of that quality. I cannot make them pretty. I keep asking myself how my grandma could make them so perfect. Every time I made a pie I would get this ugly crust.”

One thing in Jo Ann’s defense: her grandmother made only a couple of pies a week. Jo Ann makes five to 10 a day.

“I’m in a hurry and looks don’t matter as long as the taste is good.” She makes the basic pies, such as chocolate, coconut (the biggest seller), pecan and lemon meringue. She also makes some special ones.

“I make a chocolate-peanut butter that is my personal favorite. I created it myself. It’s the one my children request for birthdays. It’s the favorite pie in my family. I also get recipes from people who want me to replicate what their grandmothers or mothers made. So I have a caramel pie, an egg custard pie, and a raisin pie. I make all different kinds of pies.”

I’ll vouch for the chocolate-peanut butter pie. Maybe one of these days I’ll try a few other flavors, if I can bear the thought of tearing myself away from my favorite.

A new business, Route 66 Fudge Shop in Cuba, Mo., has just introduced a new line of candy bars that will help maintain that town’s picturesque murals.

A signature line of Route 66 candy bars (see above) sell for $2 apiece and come in 12 flavors: Rocky Road, Viva Cuba Mural City Bar, Cruisin’ Nut Crunch, Classic Milk Chocolate, Drive Inn Delight, Main Street Mint, Mother Road Marble, Road Side Mocha, Travelin’ Tourist, Two Way Street Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar, White Line Fever, and Turnpike Toffee.

Proceeds from candy-bar sales go to a maintenance fund for Cuba’s amazing murals, which you can see here. If you can’t go to Cuba, you can order the candy bars online here, including box sets.

Marcia Wilson’s Route 66 Fudge Shop, on Route 66 at 705 W. Washington St. in Cuba, opened just before Christmas 2007. The business has an impressive lineup of treats, which you can peruse on its Web site here. The phone number is (573) 202-0027.

UPDATE: Here’s a St. Louis Post-Dispatch story about Route 66 Fudge Shop.