Route 66 Podcast

There are a few documentaries featuring Route 66, and two of the most popular ones were produced by Katrina Parks.  Parks produced The Harvey Girls: Opportunity Bound in 2014 and her latest release features Route 66: The Untold Story of Women on The Mother Road. Join Anthony Arno as he talks with Parks about her career as a documentary filmmaker, from her first project as a college student to her upcoming projects. Developing an interest in storytelling How a college assignment led Katrina into filming her first documentary, Wrappings Wrappings wins an award through the United Nations Documentary vs. typical Hollywood movies Early work with History Channel A Summer in Vietnam Importance of Research Use of actors in documentaries Past and Future Podcasting Projects Route 66 Documentaries: Fred Harvey & Women of The Mother Road Behind the scenes in preparing a documentary The "Katrina Parks" rule in producing documentaries Recollecting Katrina's first exposure to Route 66 What

In 1967 American entrepreneur and land developer Robert McCulloch proposed purchasing the 136 year old London Bridge on the River Thames from the city of London as a publicity stunt.  His goal was to attract potential land buyers to this remote region that today has a population of 50,000 residents and a wide range of recreational water activities.  Many people thought McCulloch was a bit of an oddball to spend almost $10 million to purchase and reconstruct the historical bridge10,000 miles away from its original construction site, but his hunch paid off.   The London Bridge is the second largest tourist attraction in Arizona, after the Grand Canyon, and not too far from Route 66.   Robert McCulloch  The episode features a talk with both McCulloch's grandson and a leading Lake Havasu tour guide, providing insight into the wisdom of McCulloch who earned an Engineering degree from Princeton University and was a millionaire by the age of 30. While the Lake Havasu London Bridge stood over the River Thames for 1

Ramona Lehman is just as iconic as The Munger Moss Motel and recently celebrated 50 years as the owner and operator of this Missouri Route 66 must see stop along The Mother Road.     Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Ramona about How does an Iowa farm girl wind up on Route 66? Honeymooning along Route 66 Early history of The Munger Moss Motel Origin of the Munger Moss Name Remembering her late husband, Bob Lehman Helping businesses along Route 66 get established The early days when Ramona arrived at The Munger Moss Discovering garages that were once part of the motel Ramona’s room recommendation at The Munger Moss Long term residents at The Munger Moss The Munger Moss: To sell or not to sell? Will the children carry on the Munger Moss tradition? The world famous Munger Moss Neon sign Celebrating 50 years at The Munger Moss Most memorable guests to walk through the door Meeting the original owner many years later – Emmitt Moss Maintaining the Munger Moss sign Constant flow of picture takers along Rou

During the early days of WWII, the Route 66 community of Miami welcomed over 2000 British Cadets as part of a training program to prepare pilots for combat over their homeland of England.   While most of these young cadets returned home to intense fighting and a country already ravaged by war, there were a few that never made it back home to their native soil. They were tragically killed while training in the states and have been forever laid to rest along Route 66 in the community of Miami, Oklahoma.   Laying these young men to rest on foreign soil attracted the attention of a local, Francis Mae Hill, who would over the next 40 years provide both flowers and prayers for these young men.  Mrs. Hill knew the family members would not be able to visit their loved ones, so she voluntarily tended to their graves and promised family members back home that they would not be forgotten.  She often considered the young men her boys, and her last wish was to be buried alongside her boys.  King George VI would later a

Just before the birth of Route 66, the single worst incident of racial violence in American history took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Within 24 hours, more than 35 square blocks in the Greenwood section of Tulsa were burned, causing 10,000 residents in one of the wealthiest black communities in America to instantly become homeless.  Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Dr. Scott Ellsworth, a leading expert on the Tulsa Race Massacre.  Topics include: Earliest knowledge of the Tulsa Race Massacre Urban legends and myths about the riots with stories about the 1921 riots Discovering a rare photograph that would spark an interest in further researching the riot A talk with a survivor who was 16 years at the time WD Williams provides a first hand account Origin of the Greenwood neighborhood Timeline of events beginning at the Drexel Building The Tulsa Tribune reports on the incident Lynch mob assembles outside the courthouse The one spark that caused the attack on Greenwood Race Riot or Race Massacre? Extreme

WINSLOW: Standin' on the Corner Park   Popularized by the famous song, Take It Easy, one of the most famous street corners along Route 66 features a line from a popular song that was written by Jackson Browne.  Today, Winslow, Arizona, contains a small park on a corner of Route 66 featuring both a mural and bronze statue.  Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with both of the artists who have made the Winslow corner one of the most popular stops along Route 66. JOHN PUGH Early interest in art The art of Trompe-l'oeil (Trick the eye) Chico State Mural: Breaking through the Does an opitcal illusion always work Earliest memory of Route 66 The Winslow mural contest Basis of mural design competition 2004 fire Importance of research prior to planning a mural Life expectancy of murals What happens when a mural just ins't working? Murals that have really played trick on people Hermosa Beach mural honoring The Biltmore Hotel Era Bucket list items Standin on the Corner hints Website: Art of John Pugh   RON ADAMSON

Dan Rice operates one of the most famous Route 66 souvenir shops along Route 66, located on The Santa Monica Pier.  Dan is a past president of the California Route 66 Association and was instrumental in placing the famous End of the Trail sign on the Santa Monica Pier.   This is the final episode in a 3 part series featuring The Beginning, The Middle, and The End of Route 66. Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Dan about: Earliest memory of Route 66 Background in Family Therapy Surviving a traumatic brain injury Selling American made Route 66 t-shirts Origin of End of the Trail sign Convincing Santa Monica Pier to erect a historical Route 66 sign Does Route 66 officially end on the Santa Monica Pier? Transitioning from a shop on wheels to a permanent shop on the Pier Early history of the Santa Monica Pier The 1939 Battle for Santa Monica Bay with mobster Tony Cornero Suggested sights for travelers arriving into Santa Monica Pier The Georgian Hotel Where is the original mobile vendor cart that Dan start

This is the second part of a three part series, featuring the beginning, middle, and end of Route 66.   Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno, as he talks with Brenda Bradley, owner of The Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, TX.  Cited as the midway point between Chicago and Santa Monica, The Midpoint Cafe sign outside is probably one of the most popular signs along the route that travelers will stop to take a picture of during their journey along Route 66. Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Brenda about: Earliest memory of Route 66 Working as a waitress at The Midpoint Cafe and later purchasing the cafe One thing that Brenda wishes she knew before purchasing The Midpoint Cafe Welcome to Adrian, TX and nearby towns along Route 66 Early history of The Midpoint Cafe (Zellas’ 1928) References in Cars movie (V-8 Cafe) and previous owners Fran Houser, Dan Purschwitz Origin of Ugly Crust Pies Annual output of updated Ugly Crust Pies (Midpoint Ugly Pie) Most popular flavors of pie that Route 66 customers want The Midp

BEGINNING OF ROUTE 66: Chicago with Windy City Road Warrior Dave Clark David Clark , operates Windy City Road Warrior and offers walking tours of Chicago along Route 66.  The first in a 3 part series features everything you need to know about starting (or ending) a Route 66 tour in Chicago, IL. Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Dave about: Earliest memory of Route 66 Favorite spots along ’66 Importance of urban stretches along the road Early entry into tourism Where does the road begin in Chicago?  Tracking down the official beginning point Is there an end sign in Chicago? Must See Stops in Chicago Restaurants : The Berghoff Lou Mitchells The Castle Gas Station Buckingham Fountain Logistics of starting a Route 66 tour in Chicago Authentic Route 66 Hotels in Chicago The W-Hotel (formerly The Midland Hotel) The Club Quarters Hotel JW Marriott (former bank building) Hyatt Hotel (former Cook County Hospital building) Getting Chicagoans to embrace The Mother Road Traveling original alignments of 66 a

Bob Lile , otherwise known as “Croc” owns and operates Lile Art Gallery along 6th Avenue in historic Amarillo, Texas.  He’s known for creating Cadilite jewelry using paint chips from the nearby Cadillac Ranch Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Croc about: His earliest memory of Route 66 Singing in the church choir (and Croc sings a verse for our listeners!) Lifelong scouting role Early interest in painting Life as a car salesman at the family Ford dealership Opening an art gallery later in life Discovering “Cadillte” art made from Cadillac Ranch paint chips Origin of “Croc” nickname Importance of Route 66 Lile Art Gallery, Amarillo Facebook: Lile Art Gallery Article: Cadillac Ranch  Thank you to Route 66 Podcast & Scholarship supporters, including BUSINESS LEVEL Mid Point Cafe, Adrian, TX – Featuring both their ugly crust pie and one of the most popular photo ops along Route 66, located exactly halfway between Chicago and Santa Monica in Adrian, Texas. Gilligan’s Route 66 Tours featuring tours of

Roamin' Rich represents the latest generation of preservationists dedicated to promote and preserve Route 66.  He is the president of the Missouri Route 66 Association, a key member in the Painted Desert Trading Post cooperative, and the person behind most of the shields you see painted on the roadway. Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Roamin' Rich about: His earliest memory of Route 66 The popular nickname Roamin' Rich His first act as a preservationaist Painting Route 66 shields on the road His largest shield ever placed to honor Gary Turner The infamous Chevy hood with Route 66 signatures The Missouri Route 66 Assocition Roamin' Rich and his YouTube channel The unknown fact about Route 66 Most cherished souvenier Painted Desert Trading Post, Gasconade Bridge, and other projects This extended version of The Route 66 Podcast is only available to Patreon members and also includes Rich talking in depth about: How he tried to honor Gary Turner with one of the largest Route 66 shields he ever painted in

At 92 years old, Peter MacDonald is just one of five surviving Navajo Code talkers who played a vital part in World War II during the Battle of Iwo Jima, where 25,000 lives were lost over a period of 6 weeks.  Upon his return home, he was sworn to a vow of secrecy for 23 years until the Marines declassified the mission while working as a Project Engineer on the Polaris Missile Project for Howard Hughes.  MacDonald has also served as a four time Chairman of The Navajo Indian Nation, a position similar to a governor of native American territory. Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with local Route 66 realtor Jacque Kellogg who connects the Navajo Code talkers with a little known motel that sits on Route 66 in Flagstaff, AZ.

The Route 66 Podcast Scholarship winners have been announced, and they are featured on the current episode of The Route 66 Podcast. The program invited students in grades K - 12 to submit original work that promotes and preserves our beloved highway, Route 66.   The program this past year included a total of $175 in awards, and applicants were invited to submit almost any medium that would express their interest in Route 66, including:  Art Work Photographs Crafts   Interviews  Theatrical Performance  Music  Videos  PowerPoint, Prezi, Canva, Google Slides,  Multimedia Presentation You can see the winning entries on our website at Route 66 Podcast.com. In addition, the show introduces the Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Patreon program, where you can support efforts to promote and preserve Route 66.  Patreon supporters can sign up to receive a washable Route 66 face mask, early release of podcasts including extended episodes, promotional materials related to Route 66, and the opportunity to vote in the 2021

Unknown to many, the Bloomington-Normal (Illinois) area along The Mother Road is the birthplace to aerial circus performance in America.  Join host Anthony Arno as he dives deep into circus life along Route 66 with three very special guests, who have committed their lives to aerial circus performance and preservation.  Wayne Wright was a human cannonball, being shot out of a cannon over 1100 times.  Marcus Alouan is the current director of the Gamma Phi Circus, the oldest collegiate circus in America located on Route 66 at Illinois State University, and Maureen Brunsdale, author of The Bloomington-Normal Circus Legacy.

For more than three decades Jim Hinckley has been telling people where to go and sharing the adventure.  His passion for Route 66, the back roads of America and the automobiles he has shared through books, feature articles, blog posts, video, Facebook live programs, and presentations.   Published work includes nineteen books on topics as diverse as The Illustrated History of the Checker Cab Manufacturing Company,  Ghost Towns of Route 66, Travel Route 66, The Big Book of Car Culture, and The Route 66 Encyclopedia, and most recently Murder and Mayhem on Route 66.    Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Jim about his extensive book writing career featuring Route 66, and Jim gives personal feedback from some of his most favorite places along Route, his work in his home community of Kingman, AZ, and his early encounter with Jay Leno.

The life sized Blue Whale in Catoosa, OK, is one of the most recognized structures to be found along Route 66.  Hugh Davis built The Blue Whale as an anniversary gift to his wife Zelta back in the 1970's.  At its peak The Blue Whale was. a popular swimming. spot, drawing well over 100 locals on a hot summer day.   Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno, as he talks with Blaine Davis (78 years old)  about his fathers life long work as the director of the Tulsa Zoo, growing up with parents who appreciated the outdoors, and what prompted Hugh to construct The Blue Whale upon retirement despite not having any welding experience or working with cement.   In addition, Linda Hobbs, The Blue Whale gift shop manager and author of a children's book featuring this Oklahoma icon also joins the conversation as she talks about the importance of The Blue Whale, what it was like working with Hugh, and why Route 66 is so important for the younger generation of children who visit this popular Mother Road destination.      

Perhaps one of the most popular motels along Route 66, The Blue Swallow Motel has been in operation since 1941 and still provides patrons with private garages for their vehicles.  Originally received as a wedding gift from her fiance, Lillian Redman ran the motel for over 40 years before stepping back from the hospitality business in her late 80's.  Since that time, there have been other owners, but Kevin and Nancy Mueller have maintained the true character of The Blue Swallow since 2011 that would have made Lillian proud. Named by Smithsonian Magazine as "the last, best and friendliest of the old-time motels", The Blue Swallow Motel has caught the attention of everyone from Pixar films to Bob Dylan.   Featured in the classic movie Cars, The Blue Swallow's neon is a wink in the movie to The Cozy Cone Motel, which displays in neon, "100% Refrigerated Air" slogan. Join The Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno as he talks with Kevin Mueller about maintaining and operating one of the most popular destinations along

Long before the glory days of Route 66, the Route 66 town of Dwight, IL,  was the center of the world thanks to a Civil War surgeon who established the world's first treatment center for alcohol and drug addiction.  Dr. Keeley's method involved having patients ingest flecks of gold dust, which was very secretive at the time.  Join Dr. Timothy Hickman, from Lancaster University (United Kingdom) as he talks with Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno all about a little known treatment center that continued to exist well into the glory days of Route 66. By the 1900, Dr. Keeley was perhaps the most famous physician in the world that people loved to hate because of his methodology.  Many thought that he was a real "quack," but he was certainly a pioneer in treating addictions with over 200 treatment centers around the world by the beginning of the 20th Century. Don't miss one of those episodes about Route 66 that truly contains a bizarre but true story about life along The Mother Road.  

The El Vado, a 1937 Route 66 Motel,  was recently purchased by Chadd Rennaker and not only restored the motel to its original charm,  but he also converted select rooms into a gathering space for area merchants.  The result is a Route 66 destination that allows travelers not only a place to stay, but also a place to sample the local food and crafts from the regions.   Join Route 66 host Anthony Arno as he talks with Chadd about restoring the El Vado Motel in Albuquerque, NM.

Tom Peters is the Dean of Library Services at Missouri State University, and an oral historian.  Join Route 66 host Anthony Arno as he talks with Tom about his series of interview with twenty two individuals directly associated with the trucking industry along Route 66. Tom talks about the the importance of trucking