Show travel You’ll still get kicks on Route 66 A new book explores the top sights on the USA's legendary heavenly highway TED DREWES CUSTARD FROZEN St Louis “St Louis’ Finest Since 1929” this ice cream stand is a Route 66 institution On summer nights patrons stand 75 deep at the windows ordering cones shakes sodas Hosts and splits Just down the road is Coral Court an Art Deco motel built in 1941 Because of the secluded setting and attached garages the Coral Court evolved into the proverbial “note!! motel" but with class A drive-i- n theater is nearby 6726 Chippewa St Louis Mo 63109 (314) 481-2652 Galena Kan Route GALENA MUSEUM 66 crosses only a dozen miles of Kansas In tiny Galena a fine museum has been fashioned out of a train depot Visitors can view treasures from die town’s glory days when residents made a living from the thousands of Route 66 motorists lena Kan 66739 (316) 783-21- Ga- 92 lillac Hostels: Stanley Mank 3 a millionaire Texan at his shrine just Michael Wallis luthor of "Route 66: The Mother Road" oote 66 Just the name is magic It has forever meant “going somewhere’ A thread ing together a stitch- giant atchwork of Americana this fabled road presents more than just another US ighway Route 66 means lotion and excitement A trip down Route 66 a great idea for travelers dio want to experience a USA There re towns along the old ighway without fax imported waters r fern bars Instead you ncounter authentic motor courts curio tops and cafes where nothing is instant Ixcept the service I Although five interstate super-slato replace the Mother Road ohn Steinbeck's name for Route 66) ie old highway is still there In some tretches it may be only a service road cr fragment that runs off into the weeds till in other parts of the country it truly emains die best way to go UA Route 66 was stamped onto the ublic consciousness in 1926 the year ie highway was christened Starting at ma-bln- es west of Amarillo Chicago’s Grant Park “America’s Main Street" was one of the first paved continuous highways linking East and West More than 2400 miles long it crossed three time zones and eight states: Illinois Missouri Kansas Oklahoma Texas New Mexico Arizona and California — ending at Santa Monica Boulevard in LA People liked to say it began at Lake Michigan and ended at the Pacific The Mother Road lives on like an obstinate maverick in reruns of the classic ’60s TV show Route 66 and in the minds and hearts of countless nostalgia buds historians and just plain folks For 17 yean I’ve been fascinated with its history and sights Here are some worthwhile road side attractions detailed in my new book Route 66: The Mother Road: bs I ri DIXIE TRUCKERS HOME McLean 111 This snug refuge opened in 1928 and still is managed by the same family The Dixie is considered the first real truck stop in Illinois It's also one of the best Try die breasted chicken ham steak or fried mush and eggs No quiche is served There are plans to dedicate a Route 66 Hall of Fame there in June PO Box IB McLean El 61854 (509) 874-2323 WORLD'S LARGEST TOTEM POLE near Fcyil Okla Ed Galloway built this bizarre concrete landmark decades ago Thanks to concerned citizens it was recently restored Chamber Commerce 609 S Pine St Chelsea Okla 74016 (918) 7 f 89-22- 20 CADILLAC RANCH just west of Amarillo Texas After fueling up on a doormatsized steak at Amarillo’s Big Texan Steak Ranch travelers heading west pay tribute to Route 66 at the Cadillac Ranch It’s a Pop Art monument in a wheat field near where die old road once crossed the land within right of Interstate 40 It consists of 10 Cadillacs nose down in the turf tail fins gleaming Created in 1974 by the Ant Farm a counterculture art collective Cadillac Ranch was the brainchild of Stanley Marsh 3 the millionaire who owns the property PO Box 12077 Amarillo Texas 79101 (806) 372-55- phantom Gathering place and watering hole for Hollywood stars on location" in the area the El Rancho displays celebrity photos in its lobby 1000 E 66 Ave Gallup NM 87301 (505) 863-9311 OATMAN Ariz In 1939 after Clark Gable and Carole Lombard married in Kingman Ariz they fled to this rustic burg tucked away in the Black Mountains Visitors still can feed semi-wi- ld burros in the main street In the evening there’s plenty of lively conversation at the Oattnan Hotel the choice of Gable and Lombard Some believe the glamorous couple’s ghosts linger in the honeymoon suite Oatman Hotel PO Box 420 Oattnan Ariz 86433 (602) 7 68-44- 08 THEATER San Bernardino Calif This city always has enjoyed a good relationship with Route 66 Stop for a tour of the stunning California Theater designed by John Paxton Perrine and completed in 1928 In 1935 two months before his death in ah air crash Will Rogers made his last public appearance in the theater Today the theater is fully restored and even boasts air conditioning Convention and Visitors Bureau PO Box 920 San Bernardino Calif 92402 CALIFORNIA Wallis lives in Tulsa near Route 66 His new look (St Martin’s Press is now in bookstores $2995) & 55 Santa Rosa NM Some of the best food on Route 66 is served here A fat man on billboards promotes authentic sourdough biscuits hamburgers made with 100 percent ground beef homemade chili and chkk-en-fristeaks made with tender fresh CLUB CAFE ed meat" 561 Parker Ave Santa Rosa 88435 (505) 472-363- NM am 1760 MILES I O0ESE8T! WATER -- Co I BAGS Numoj jigs 1 HOTEL Gallup NM This tourist palace is a resurrected Route 66 El RANCHO mrvmarm Fs'l!) ggg siVvV’r’ mm 0Ti ft -- 1 JU m- - W-p Americano: Signs show favor of old route USA WEEKEND Uaj 4- 1990 17 |