Route 66 Podcast

In 1903 a Horatio Nelson Jackson, an eccentric doctor from Vermont, makes a $50 bet that he can be the first person to drive an automobile coast to coast in under 90 days. Despite not even owning a car, having no driving experience, and no road maps to plan the route Jackson heads out within five days of making the wager. The story was first written in the book, Horatio's Drive: America's first road trip, by Dayton Duncan, who would later unite with documentary film maker Ken Burns to create a feature PBS documentary film.

Highlights from the show include:

What makes a really good road trip?

Road tripping basics

Dayton earliest road trip memory

Dayton's first impression of Ken Burns

The Brooklyn Bridge film

The most unusual $50 wager at a California social club

Discovering Horatio Nelson Jackson

Settling on the Winton touring car

The start of the 1903 trip in San Francisco

Documenting the trip

Picking up a 4 legged passenger along the Route

What happens when Jackson asked for directions

Copy cats attempting to cross the continent by auto

Packard Company attempt

Oldsmobile attempt

Winton Car Company asks Jackson to allow sponsorship

Jackson turns down any financial help

Jackson arrives into NYC under his own terms

Packard and Oldsmobile final results

Life after the historic ride

Working alongside Ken Burns

Artifacts at The Smithsonian Museum

Thank you to Route 66 Podcast supporters, including:

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THE MOTHER ROAD AT 100: The Voices of Route 66

A multimedia presentation featuring Route 66 before, during, and after its heyday

During the centennial year of Route 66 schedule a virtual or in person presentation by Route 66 Podcast host, Anthony Arno, highlighting episodes over the past 10 years. An optional trivia option is available, where all attendees can participate to win Route 66 related prizes- either virtually or in person!

Click HERE for more information

The Chain of Rocks Bridge was an active Route 66 passage over the Mississippi River between 1936 - 1966. Although no longer open to vehicular traffic, the Chain of Rocks Bridge allows visitors to walk a 1 mile authentic stretch of Route 66 across the Mississippi.

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno as he talks tih Elizabeth Simmons, from the Great Rivers Greenway about the popularity and almost complete demise of the Chain of Rocks bridge.

Highlights from this episode include:

The Great Rivers Greenway Mission

Earliest bridges to cross the Mississippi River

Physical location of Chain of Rocks Bridge

1936 Route 66 alignment on Chain of Rocks Bridge

Peak bridge years with amusement park

Commercial barge traffic on Mississippi River

Namesake of Chain of Rocks

Chain of Rocks channel

Chouteau Island

Construction of 1953 canal on east side

Castle like structures at Chain of Rock Bridge

Physical dimensions and unusual bend on Chain of Rocks Bridge

Gretchen (bridge keeper volunteer)

Earliest memory of Chain of Rocks Bridge

Involvement as an ambassador at Chain of Rocks Bridge

Typical bridge keeper duties

Personal connection to bridge

Most memorable people on the bridge

Wildlife sightings on Mississippi

Most recent renovations on the bridge

1970 - 1999

Bridge closed to the public and slated for demolition

What ironically saved the Chain of Rocks Bridge from demolition

Reopening as a pedestrian bridge in 1999 with Trialnet

Great Rivers Greenway established in 2000

Future options for Chain of Rocks Bridge

Activities and events at Chain of Rocks Bridge

Other Green Rivers Greenway destinations

Remembering Connie Echols

The Route 66 Podcast pays a special tribute to Connie Echols, who passed away on May 2, 2026, at the age of 76 years old. The Wagon Wheel Motel is the longest, continuously operated motel along Route 66.

The Route 66 Podcast pays a special tribute to Connie Echols, who passed away on May 2, 2026, at the age of 76 years old.

This episode was originally released in 2018 as Connie was nearing her 10th anniversary of owning and operating The Wagon Wheel Motel.

Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Connie about:

Website: The Wagon Wheel Motel

Website: Wagon Wheel Facebook Page

Connie Echols, owner Wagon Wheel Motel

Show highlights:

The Cadillac Ranch is one of the most popular stops along Route 66, and on this very special episode, host Anthony Arno speaks with the only surviving who created the art installation. At 81 years old, Chip not only talks about establishing Ant Farm, the creative group behind the Cadillac Ranch, but two other "unimaginable" projects that honor the automobile.

Join Anthony as he talks with Chip about

MEDIA BURN

GM TRAINING VIDEO

It's our 66th episode, and that's a major milestone in the world of podcasting! In fact, less than 7% of all podcasts ever launched ever make it to thier 66th episode.

Join Route 66 host Anthony Arno as he is joined by his wife sharing his thoughts on the podcast along with some other things that listeners never knew about.

To celebrate the centennial of Route 66 in 2026, the very first episode of the year features the life of the Father of Route 66- Cyrus Stevens Avery.

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno as he talks with Susan Croce Kelly, author of Father of Route 66: Cy Avery. More than establishing Route 66, Avery was a proponent of the Good Roads Movement and advocated for paved roads at the introduction of the automobile in America.

Highlights from the show include:

At the age of 81 years old, Gene Waylan is operating the lask known Ku Ku Burger from what was one of 200 locations. How does a Kansas boy pivot from wanting to be a farmer to successfully operating an iconic Route 66 burger joint fo over 50 years?

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno as he talks wth Gene about his 51 year career of flipping burgers along historic Route 66. Highlights from the show include:

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno, as he talks with probably two of the most popular authors of Route 66: Jim Ross and Shellee Graham. Together, Ross and Graham have written over ten different books featuring The Mother Road. Their latest book, Route 66:The first 100 Years, covers the complete history of the road- before, during, and after the popularity of America's Main Street.

Highlights from the show include:

Website: Jim Ross

Website: Shellee Graham

Despite being just a few miles from the end of the route, the Fair Oaks Pharmacy in South Pasadena, CA, is like walking into a time capsule. This 1910 establishment is the only operational compounding pharmacy on Route 66,combining a working pharmacy with a soda fountain bar.

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno as he talks with Brenden Shaniani, partner in the Fair Oaks Soda Fountain about life in a working pharmacy that tried to distant itself from the Walgreens and Rite-Aid type pharmacies.

Highlights from the show include:

Thank you to Route 66 Podcast & Scholarship supporters, including

And from the United Kingdom

Charli Beeton

Route 66 Tours led by Route 66 Podcast host, Anthony Arno

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program through Patreon.

There are many Route 66 museums, but probably one of the most comprehensive and largest museums is the Route 66 Oklahoma Museum. Route 66 Podcast talks with Pat Smith, curator of the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum. The displays are all professionally laid out and are part of the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Pat Smith about the following:

Thank you to Route 66 Podcast & Scholarship supporters, including

And from the United Kingdom

Charli Beeton

Route 66 Tours led by Route 66 Podcast host, Anthony Arno

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program through Patreon.

THE ARISTON CAFE

The Ariston Cafe located in Litchfield, IL, is the longest continously operated family restaraunt along Route 66. Established by Pete Adam, a Greek immigrant who arrived here in America in 1905 at the age of 15.

Hear the whole history of The Ariston Cafe by the founders son, Nick Adam. At 85 years old, Nick tells about how his father arrived here in America with no clear vision and worked in a wide variety of occupations from managing a Boston shoe shining parlor to working in a Colorado mine.

Even before considering the restaraunt business, Pete returned back home to Greece in 1919 to help fight the Greco-Turkish War. After the war, Pete returns back to America and his life would change forever when a complete stranger offers Pete $1000 to open up a Greek diner.

Highlights from the show include:

The arrival of 15 year old Pete Adam to America

Decision to return back to Greece to join the war effort

Pete tries to make it again in America a second time

The Candy Kitchen Days

The Cajon Pass is probably one of the most important sites along Route 66 in southern California. Long before Route 66. was established, the pass was an important route for early settlers, who often had to disassemble thier wagons to cross over the San Gabriel Mountains.

Join host Anthony Arno as he talks wtih local hsitorian, Mark Landis about the evolution of the pass from The Spanish Trail, The John Brown Toll Road, The Old Trails Highway, and eventually Route 66.

Even more impressive is the work of William Bristol, who in 1919 saw the potential of future motorist passing through the region after journeying across the Mojave Desert. Bristol was an entrepreneuar, poet, stone mason, and artesian who established Camp Cajon at the top of the pass, a place for weiry motorist to rest after making the treterous journey across the desert.

Highlights from the show include:

Thank you to Route 66 Podcast & Scholarship supporters, including

And from the United Kingdom

BUSINESS LEVEL SPONSORS

MidPoint 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.

ROUTE 66 TOURS

Route 66 Tours led by Route 66 Podcast host, Anthony Arno

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program through Patreon.

Meet our 2024 Route 66 Scholarship Recipient, Emma Wheeler

Join Route 66 Podcast host, Anthony Arno, as he talks with Emma Wheeler, the latest winner of a $1000 Route 66 College Scholarship Award.

Emma is currenlty a sophmore at Maryville University, studying secondard education.

Highlights from the show include:

2022 Route 66 Scholarship Program Episode

2020 Route 66 Scholarship Program Episode

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno, as he talks with Joseph Baxter , a dedicated preservationist and volunteer at the Round Barn. It's the only Round Barn along Route 66, but even more impressive is the history of the barn and its builder, William Oder.

Phil Gordon has a unique hobby related to Route 66. As an engineer, he's very careful not to let even his closest acquaintances know that he is passionate about collecting historic Route 66 matchcovers. With a collection beyond 5000 matchcovers, Phil has painstakingly scanned and uploaded his collection online to share with the world and Route 66 fans.

Join The Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno as he talks with Phil about one of the most unusual hobbies as a phillumenist. Highlights include:

Matchbook versus matchcover Collecting

Does the absence of matches in a matchcover collection diminish the value?

Earliest history of matches and matchbook advertising

Most popular configurations of matchbooks

Philuminist by definition

Transition from collecting postcards to match covers

The original 10 matchcovers in Phil's collection

The most coveted Route 66 matchcover: Peach Springs Garage

What do people think of someone who has collected over 5,000 matchcovers?

Developing an organized system for collecting and cataloging Route 66 matchcovers

Motels and lodgings

Cafes and restaurants

Gas stations

Background knowledge needed for collecting matchcovers

Ebay scammers selling matchcovers

Current demand for matchbooks

Rear striker versus front striker matchbooks design changes (1973)

Back striker safety versus rear striker

Discovering unknown Route 66 history through match cover collecting

The ultimate Route 66 matchcover that Phil has spent 20+ years searching for

Scherer's (estimated value $50)

The holy grail of matccovers outside of Route 66: Charles Lindbergh (estimated value several thousand)

The very first advertising: hand written matcbook covers

First commercial matchbook ever printed

Initial interest in posting matchovers online: Whiting brothers

Sharing matchcovers online with the whole world

Step by step process for uploading matchcovers

Popularity of matchbooks today with the decline of smoking

National organization of matchcover collectors

The Route 66 Matchcover Collector - Search wide variety of Route 66 establishments for matchcovers

Phil's Route 66 Website: Personal website containing both postcards and matchcovers

The Devil's Rope (Barbed Wire) Museum along Route 66 in Mclean, TX, is probably one of the most unusual museums along The Mother Road.

Join host Anthony Arno, as he talks with 90 year old curator Delbert Trew all about his museum and collection of over 800 different types of barbed wire. Cited as one of the most important inventions during the Industrial Revolution, the museum features anything and everything related to barbed wire, including art, tools, medicines, books, and use during warfare.

There are many interesting museums along Route 66, but perhaps one of the most interesting is the Devil's Rope Museum with its collection of over 800 examples of barbed wire.

Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Delbert Trew, the 90 year old curator of the Devil's Rope Museum in McLean, TX. Highlights from the show include:

Why visit a barbed wire museum?

McClean's "other" fame to claim- Alfred Rowe

McClean's Mayor Passenger # XXX on the Titanic

McLain's once popular Brassiere Factory

History of the American cowboy

What problem does barbed wire solve?

Origin of Devil's Rope name for barbed wire

Barbed Wire- Rancher or Farmer's best friend?

The most popular wire all visitors must see!

Barbed Wire: Tools, Medicine, Books, Art, Poetry, Wartime

Barbed Wire in song

Modern versions of Barbed Wire

Delbert's initial interest in Barbed Wire

Books published by Delbert on Ranching, Barbed Wire, and other interests

Devil's Rope Museum featuring Route 66 memorabilia

Visiting Devil's Rope Museum

Other Route 66 attractions in McLean, TX

The Route 66 Podcast pays a special tribute to Ramona Lehman, who passed away on August 2, 2023, at the age of 85 years old.

This episode was originally released in 2021 as Ramona celebrated her 50th year operating the Munger Moss Motel.

Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Ramona about

The Rancho Cucamonga Service Station in California opened for business in 1915, eleven years before the birth of Route 66. The station itself was established prior to the westward migration of travelers and automobiles, but did play an important role in supporting the citrus growers in the region with much needed fuel to support heaters throughout the orchids.

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno, as he talks with Anthony Gonzales, President of the Inland Empire California (IECA) and how the local community worked together to restore the only period service station along Route 66 in California.

Highlights from. the show include:

Origin of Rancho Cucamonga name

Early history of Service Station before Route 66 and automobiles

Architect John Klusman and other popular buildings in the area

Building design

The popularity of Ridgefield Oil Company to later become part of ARCO

Origin of Ridgefield sign atop of service station

From peak years to eventual demise

How a billboard company (Lamar Advertising) agrees to support a Route 66 interest with just one condition

IECA established to preserve the station

How Anthony Gonzales became interested

Unexpected surprises upon turning the key to an abandoned gas station

Service station artifacts and future plans

Impressive awards as a result of the restoration progress

Annual Car Show

Other area attractions along Route 66

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno as he talks with Sam Murray, the person behind Gilligan's Route 66 Tours. Gilligan's specializes in providing international tourists a first-class 23 day experience along Route 66, including driving in convertible Ford Mustang's and stays at some of the most iconic Route 66 motels.

Features include Sam Murray talking about

The Joliet Prison, in Joliet IL, is one of the oldest prisons in the United States that housed both criminals and enemies from the Civil War. Popularized by the popular movie, The Blues Brothers, the Joliet Prison permanently closed in 2002 and began drawing national attention about the possibility of being operated as a tourist destination along Route 66.

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno as he talks with Greg Peerbolte, Chief Executive Officer of the Old Joliet Prison Historic Site. Together, they talk about the entire 144 year operational history of the prison, including the on the following topics:

The latest episode features the release of the book, ABC, What Do You See? Rolling Along Route 66 with author Annette Murray and illustrator Joyce Cole.

Don't mistake this book as a simple picture book for pre-schoolers! ABC, What Do You See? Rolling Along Route 66 is full of whimsical illustrations and lyrical language, having true appeal for both young and old fans of Route 66. The book is educational, introducing readers to geography, art, architecture, weather, wildlife and many other wonders waiting to be discovered on the 2,448-mile highway.

Highlights include:

Website: authorannettemurray.com

A 3-part interview, featuring the popular U-Drop Inn (Conoco Tower Station), a 1936 service station and café constructed in 1936 with a very unique art deco style for the Texas panhandle region. The architectural style of the U-Drop Inn would later serve as an inspiration for Romone's automotive body and paint shop in the animated Cars movie.

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno as he speaks with Crystal Hermesmeyer (Shamrock EDC Director), 87 year old Hazel Jannsen (U-Drop Inn ambassador), and Baldo de Leon (U-Drop Inn café entrepreneur).

Featured highlights:

Crystal Hermesmeyer (Shamrock EDC Director)

Hazel Jannsen (U-Drop Inn Ambassador)

Newspaper Account: U-Drop Inn to Offer Public Finest in Foods and 24 hour Service

Baldo de Leon (U-Drop Inn café entrepreneur)

United Kingdom

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Our latest episode features a talk with the Route 66 Podcast Scholarship winners! A very special thanks to everyone who participated including the Patreon members, those who helped promote the program, and applicants who submitted entries. At the middle school level, the winning entry was submitted by a former virtual student of mine, Kiera. Kiera's design (pictured above) includes the outline of a shield containing four Route 66 related images inside. Kiera says that she spent few weeks working on the shield and her first step was listening to past episodes of the podcast for ideas. It was during her research Kiera discovered the Wigwam Motel completely on her own, as the podcast has not yet featured the iconic motel on the show. At the college level, Deanna DeValve was selected to receive a $1000 college scholarship. Deanna is from Catoosa, Oklahoma, which is home of the Blue Whale along Route 66. In addition to attending Oral Roberts University Deanna works part time at the Route 66 Native Arts Alliancein Catoosa. Deanna submitted an original song, Remember, and was able to connect her Cherokee heritage in music and words with the verse below: My native blood calls out to me Don't forget your history I listen to the beckoning And follow where she takes me REMEMBER Other submissions include original and digital artwork, a radio broadcast featuring an interview with Bob "Crocodile" LIle, and an introduction of Missouri Route 66 using American Sign Language (ASL). The scholarship program began in 2020 and this past year was extended to include an award at the college level. While the submissions were very diverse, it is my hope that even more students will submit an entry for the 2022 - 2023 academic year once the program opens up. The overall goal of the scholarship program is to promote the spirit of Route 66 with a younger generation of students who were born long after the highway was decommissioned. I want to thank everyone who helped promote the scholarship program, including many of the local school districts and colleges along the route. PATREON SUPPORTERS As always, thank you to my Patreon supporters who are the ones providing support for the scholarship program. Patreon supporters for The Route 66 Podcast include:

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Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program through Patreon. Patreon members at the Will Rogers level received a 2022 Route 66 wall calendar.

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 comes first: Website or Documentary?

Women of The Mother Road themes:

Archeology & Anthropology

Boosters & Travelers

Creatives

Entrepreneurs

Family & Business

Politicians

Waitresses & School Teachers

Wartime

Website: Route 66 Women

Website: Route 66 Women Facebook Page

Thank you to Route 66 Podcast & Scholarship supporters!

United Kingdom

The Netherlands

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program through Patreon.

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 130 years, earlier versions of the bridge date back to Roman times and one iteration housed several hundred residents and featured a display of beheaded criminals to at the tollgates.

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

LINKS

Article: Ramona celebrates 50 years on Route 66 (2021)

Article: Bob and Ramona celebrate 45 years on Route 66 (2016)

Website: Munger Moss Motel

Facebook Page: Munger Moss Motel

Video: Munger Moss featured on KYW News (2019)

United Kingdom

The Netherlands

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program through Patreon. Patreon members receive access to an additional 10 minutes of this episode, featuring the following content:

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 award Mrs. Hill The King's Award for Service.

Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Nancy Bro, office manager at the GAR Cemetery in Miami, OK, about the life of these cadets and other notables buried in Miami. Highlights of the conversation include:

SHOW NOTES

LINKS

Website: GAR Cemetery, Miami, OK

Dobson Museum

Raisbeck Story and Flight

THE CANDY BOMBER: Colonel Gail "Hal" Halvorsen

CHARLES BANKS WILSON: Documentary (Notable artist buried at GAR Cemetery)

From the Ozarks and Beyond" Part 1

From the Ozarks and Beyond" Part 2

From the Ozarks and Beyond" Part 3

From the Ozarks and Beyond" Part 4

THE STEM CLASS PODCAST

with Anthony Arno

Dr. Frances Carter, a real life Rosie the Riveter

United Kingdom

The Netherlands

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program through Patreon. Patreon members receive access to an additional 10 minutes of this episode, featuring the following content:

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:

UM Website: Scott Ellsworth

Article: How a Historian Helped Tulsa Confront the Horror of Its Past

Tulsa Memorial Park: Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation

Documentary: Blood on Black Wall Street (The Legacy of the Tulsa Race Massacre)

United Kingdom

The Netherlands

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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

Website: Art of John Pugh

RON ADAMSON

Historic Photo of Ron's Grandfather along Route 66 with Guitar

Website: Ron Adamson

YouTube: Home Footage of statue being created

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:

Website: 66 to Cali

Facebook: 66 to Cali

And from the United Kingdom

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program through Patreon. This episodes Patreon supporters will have access to an additional 25 minutes of conversation with Dan, including Dan discussing:

Congratulations to this months Patreon winner, Kristin Haackenson, from Washington, who has won a bag of Route 66 brand Santa Monica flavored snack mix.

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:

Facebook: The Midpoint Cafe

BUSINESS LEVEL

And from the United Kingdom

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program.

Congratulations to this months Patreon winner, Mary Nicholson, from Pennsylvania, who has won a bag of Route 66 brand snack Sweet & Salty flavored snack mix.

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:

WEBSITE: Windy City Road Warrior

Facebook: Windy City Road Warrior

BUSINESS LEVEL

And from the United Kingdom

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program. All supporters will receive an additional 15 minutes of conversation with David, where he talks about:

Congratulations to this months Patreon winner, Charli Beeton, from the United Kingdom, who has won a copy of The Road Crews Songs from The Mother Road CD. For next month, one lucky Patreon winner will win a bag of Route 66 Chicago Sweet & Salty flavored snack mix.

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:

Lile Art Gallery, Amarillo

Facebook: Lile Art Gallery

Article: Cadillac Ranch

Thank you to Route 66 Podcast & Scholarship supporters, including

BUSINESS LEVEL

And from the United Kingdom

Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program. All supporters will receive an additional 15 minutes of conversation with Croc, where he talks about:

Congratulations to this months Patreon winner, Brian Sawyer from Indiana, who has won a Route 66 wall calendar. Congratulations Brian! For next month, one lucky Patreon winner will win a copy of The Road Crews Songs from The Mother Road CD. You can hear The Road Crew on Episode 14.

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:

This extended version of The Route 66 Podcast is only available to Patreon members and also includes Rich talking in depth about:

Thank you again to everyone who has supported both the podcast and scholarship program through Patreon. The 2020 - 2021 scholarship program is currently being rolled out and please encourage all students in grades K - college to apply. The college award will be $500.

Congratulations to Patreon supporter Rich Havlik from Minnesota, who is the latest Patreon winner! Rich has won a Route 66 wall calendar.

Roamin' Rich Links:

Website: Roamin' Rich

Website: Gary Turner (Gae Parita Service Station)

Website: Missouri Route 66 Association

FB Page: Painted Desert Trading Post

FB Page: John's Modern Cabins

FB Page: Eat-Rite Diner

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:

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 Scholarship program.

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 the Road. The episode features talks about:

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

The final in a three part series featuring The Fred Harvey Company. This episode features a talk with three women who worked for The Fred Harvey Company during the final days of the company, 1958. In addition, episode features a talk with Katy Miller, great, great, great granddaughter of Fred Harvey.

Arizona based entrepreneur Allan Affeldt has successfully proven more than once that he can purchase old, abandoned railroad buildings along Route 66 that has had the Fred Harvey footprint and converted them into historically beautiful hotels in the southwest.

Join Route 66 host Anthony Arno, as he talks with Allan Affeldt, who has dedicated his life to restoring Route 66 buildings successfully proven to grow the local economy beyond what anyone had ever imagined. Allan begins talking about various social causes he promoted as a college student that gained international attention to stumbling upon a dilapidated 1929 hotel in Arizona that was once a Fred Harvey station.

In addition, Allan also talks about his restoration of historic hotels in Las Vegas, NM, including his latest project restoring the 1898 Fred Harvey hotel, La Castanada.

Stephen Fried, author of Appetite for America: Fred Harvey and the Business of Civilizing the American West, talks all about the life of Fred Harvey and how Route 66 would later emerge once the railroad was being replaced by the automobile.

A three part series, highlighting the life and work of 19th Century entrepreneur Fred Harvey. Episodes include talks with the author of the most comprehensive Fred Harvey book ever researched, a businessman who has successfully restored former Harvey House buildings into destination hotels, surviving Fred Harvey employees who were there during the mid-20th Century just prior to the closing of Fred Harvey restaurants, and the great, great, great granddaughter of Fred Harvey- Katy Miller.

The proprietor of The Rock Cafe, Dawn Welch, is a Route 66 icon and was the inspiration for the character Sally Carrera in the CARS movie. The Rock Cafe was constructed in 1936 from leftover sandstone rock that was used to construct Route 66.

Dawn talks all about her oriiginal plans to open a cafe in South America and literally rollerblading into The Rock Cafe after expressing an interest in purchasing the fixtures. From famous patrons visiting the cafe, to rebuilding the cafe after a devastating fire, Dawn tells all about her life since The Rock Cafe.

The original Launching Pad Restaurant opened in 1960 by John Korelc under a different name, and while attending the National Restaurant Convention, Korelc paid $3500 for a fiberglass Muffler Man to draw attention to his restaurant. Korelc had his newly purchased fiberglass giant updated to keep in line with the 1960's space race as an astronaut with helmet and rocket, and renamed the restaurant, as the "Launching Pad". There was a naming contest and the fiberglass giant soon became known as The Gemini Giant which has always been a popular photo opp for many traveling through Wilmington, just 60 miles out of Chicago.

In 2007, the Launching Pad was purchased from Jerry and Sharon Gatties, the owners at the time, by Morey Szczecin, but, after a struggle, the landmark closed again in 2010. In October 2017, it was purchased by Holly Barker and Tully Garrett, who announced plans to restore it "to what it was in its glory days," with the Gemini Giant remaining as a recognized Route 66 landmark.

Both the Launching Pad and the Gemini Giant were inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame in 2000.

Today, we'll be visiting one of the most popular stops along Route 66, known for its wild burros, beautiful mountains and of course Route 66. I'll be talking with Jackie Roland Murray, who wrote a book highlighting the history of Oatman and more.

The Jack Rabbit Trading post is a famous Route 66 curio shop located in Joseph City, Arizona. The trading post is known for its large fiberglass jackrabbit that visitors are often photographed riding out front. In addition, The Jack Rabbit Trading Post popularized the store by placing large HERE IT IS billboards all along Route 66. The Classic CARS film depicts the Jack Rabbit with a Model T Ford in place of a jackrabbit and Lizzie is the store's owner.

The Jack Rabbit Trading post is a famous Route 66 curio shop located in Joseph City, Arizona. The trading post is known for its large fiberglass jackrabbit that visitors are often photographed riding out front. In addition, The Jack Rabbit Trading Post popularized the store by placing large HERE IT IS billboards all along Route 66. The Classic CARS film depicts the Jack Rabbit with a Model T Ford in place of a jackrabbit and Lizzie is the store's owner.

The story of Times Beach is not a celebratory one that showcases Route 66. Instead, the story of Times Beach is one that not may people are familiar with, even 35 years later.

Times Beach was a beach community along the Meramec River that hired the services of a local waste hauler, Russel Bliss, to spread used machinery oil over the dirt roads to keep the dust to a minimum. It would later be discovered that the recycled oil would contain one of the deadliest compounds known to man, dioxin.

Listen in as host Anthony Arno talks with the final mayor of Times Beach, Marilyn Leistner, as she talks about her role of supervising the complete distruction of a community of 2000 residents and all personal property.

The Wagon Wheel Motel is the longest continously operated motel along Route 66.

A talk with Mark Linder, who is bicycling Route 66 in honor of his son who passed away at the age of 6.

A talk with Dora XXX, and the upcoming Shamrock Festival in Texas, where 3,000 attendees are expected.

Decades before Route 66 the Mojave Desert Road took travelers miles across the Mojave Desert. Dennis Casebier talks about his original intention of creating a 130 mile hiking trail across the Mojave Desert along one of America's first highway, but realizing that a 4 wheel drive trail would be more practical.

Guest Dennis Casebier founded the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association, and he tells the story about converting an old school house into an area museum to promote the rich history of the Mojave area.

Meramec Caverns is one of the most famous sights along Route 66 and consists of almost 5 miles of a cavern system outside St. Louis, Missouri. Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with the grandson of the founder of the caverns, Les Turulli.

Les talks about how his grandfather came up with the idea of painting the sides of barns along Route 66 to promote the caverns to travelers, far and wide. In addition, as a young boy, Les tells about how he helped his grandfather affix promotional tags onto the bumpers of cars, which eventually gave birth to the bumper sticker.

On March 4, 1928, 199 men lined up in Los Angeles, California, to participate in a 3,400-mile transcontinental footrace to New York City. The Bunion Derby, as the press dubbed the event, was the brainchild of sports promoter Charles C. Pyle. He promised a $25,000 grand prize and claimed the competition would immortalize U.S. Highway Route 66, a 2,400-mile road, mostly unpaved, that subjected the runners to mountains, deserts, mud, and sandstorms, from Los Angeles to Chicago.

Route 66 is sometimes referred to as The Will Rogers Memorial Highway, but not many people know who Will Rogers was. Rogers, Oklahoma's favorite son, was a stage and motion picture actor, vaudeville performer, cowboy, humorist, newspaper columnist, and social commentator who was born and raised along Route 66.

Join Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno, as he talks with Tad Jones, Director of the Will Rogers Memorial Museum all about the life of one of the most beloved personalities of his generation that starred in over 71 movies and was the highest paid entertainer of his time.

The Road Crew – America's Route 66 Band takes the Mother Road to their audiences throughout the world. "We spread the history and stories of Route 66 to every generation through our 'Songs From The Mother Road.' We encourage our audiences to discover America's Main Street for themselves." The band received the first time ever 'Bobby Troup Artistic Recognition Award' from the International Route 66 Association in 2011. The Road Crew – The official musical ambassadors for The Mother Road!

Fort Reno in Oklahoma was once the home to 1300 German Prisoners of War (POW's) during World War II. Originally established in 1874 to protect the Darlington Indian Reservation. Fort Reno was used as a horse training camp for WW I and WW II, and the site was later used to house German soldiers who were captured in Northern Africa during WW II.

Carolyn Barker shares some of the most fascinating (and unknown) stories about the Fort Reno POW camp. While nothing but a water tower remains from the POW camp, there is a cemetery with 62 soldiers who were laid to rest. These solndiers died from war injuries, illnesses, accidents, and even a murder where five POW's were charged and eventually hung.

Carolyn tells a number of very touching stories, including the reaction from German soldiers who honestly believed that New York was entirely leveled during the war and wondered how the city could have been built back so quickly; the loyalty of German soldiers to the local community who assisted local farmers during the war effort, and the repatriation of soldiers who were buried in Oklahoma and later relocated back to their motherland after family members discovered they were laid to rest in Oklahoma.

Tom Coffin remembers as a child being asked by his teacher to create drawings to help decorate his classroom for holidays and other special events. From there, he eventually wound up in NYC where he worked for the NYC Historic Landmark Commission where he restored historic buildings, such as The Pierre, Carneige Hall, and the Smithsonian Museum for the American Indian.

Wanting to return back to the southwest, Tom entered a Route 66 competition to design a Route 66 monument as part of the state of New Mexico Highway Commission. Tom tells all about the process from design, creating a miniature model for the selection committee, to taking up residence in Tucumcari to physically build the monument.

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The Coral Court Motel can undeniably be grouped with The Munger Moss and Blue Swallow, as an iconic Route 66 landmark motels. However, The Coral Court Motel is long gone from the suburbs of St. Louis.

John Carr opened The Coral Court in 1942, during the US World War II mobilization effort. The motel had an unusual art deco design and each room had an adjacent garage for travelers to park their automobile.

The Route 66 News website at www.Route66News is a clearinghouse of news and historic events taking place along The Mother Road. Join The Route 66 Podcast host Anthony Arno as he interviews the curator of Route 66 News, Ron Warnick.

Ron has been publishing Route 66 news on almost a daily basis since October 9, 2005! Listen in as Ron tells about:

Ron has lived on or near the Mother Road his entire life and remains dedicated to providing up to date information about Route 66. He's participated in preservation projects from Illinois to Texas when it comes to America's Main Street. Ron has traveled the entire length of the highway at least three times.

Are you a dedicated fan of Route 66? What makes you think so? Do you have tons of Route 66 memorobilia in your home? A wide assortment of Route 66 t-shirts? Something special that screams out Route 66 on your car?

Join host Anthony Arno on The Route 66 Podcast as he interviews the ultimate Route 66 fan, Ron Jones. Ron has over 150 tattoos on his body dedicated to Route 66.

Ron will tell the many stories about his tattoos, including a very special one that honors the work of Laurel Kane of Afton Station.

Burma-Shave was a popular brand of brushless shaving cream, made famous by a brilliant advertising campaign that featured a series of witty rhyming poems appearing in a sequence of roadside signs that would entertain the motorist driving down the road.

In this episode of The Route 66 Podcast, Anthony Arno interviews Clinton B. Odell, grandson of the founder of Burma-Shave. This episode begins with over twenty Burma-Shave jingles professionally recorded to give the listener a brief background of some of the earliest jingles, the most humorous, those promoting road safety, and even those that were released during the war years to unite the country.

Mr. Odell talks about the creation of the Burma-Shave company, which was originally created as a liniment product for burn victims. When the founder switched products in 1925 to brushless shaving cream, he gave his son $200 to create a marketing campaign. The result was the Burma-Shave rhyming campaign.

Clinton talks about his his father, Alan Odell, who came up with the Burma-Shave campaign.

As a high school teenager in 1958, he entered a talent show and played Jerry Lee Lewis' Great Balls of Fire. The unexpected happened.... he won and didn't know how to play any other songs.

One year later, he would call Buddy Holly's manager and ask for an audition without even having an original song to play. The unexpected happened, he got the audition and wrote the song in the back of the car on his way to the audition.

Join host Anthony Arno talk with Route 66 legend George Tomsco, founder of the Fireballs. According to Dick Clark, the Fireballs created the Surf Sound, a term that Tomsco never had even heard of.

George talks about his earliest memories along Route 66, letting fate guide his musical career, his reaction to Buddy Holly unknowingly play his guitar, having the number one song in America just before the Beatles arrived, and his latest musical pursuits.

Dylan Wallace just graduated high school in Wilmington, IL, and he's literally made a mark along Route 66 by painting a shield on the side of Two Hounds Antique Shop along Route 66.

Author, Route 66 historian, and the voice of Sheriff or Radiator Springs in the Pixar movie Cars. The very first episode of The Route 66 Podcast features an interview with the biggest advocate of The Mother Road.

Michael talks about his earliest memories of Route 66, the many changes that the road has endured, his work with helping Pixar create a movie about Route 66, and many of the other books that he's written about western life.

The Route 66 Podcast featuring your host, Anthony Arno. In this premiere episode, Anthony tells about his teaching background and how his students bicycled 2000 miles in the back of the classroom while learning all about Route 66.