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News.bytesNews.bytes Extra, issue 286

Route 66 partnership aims to restore historic Route 66 landmark 

The California Route 66 Preservation Foundation, in association with the Bureau of Land Management's California Desert District, has announced a partnership with Albert Okura, owner of Roy’s Motel, Café and gas station in Amboy, California to save and restore one of America’s most endangered historic places.
 
The partnership was unveiled on Thursday, June 14, at Amboy to coincide with a simultaneous announcement by the National Trust for Historic Preservation that names Historic Route 66 motels as one of America’s "11 Most Endangered" historic resources. Representatives of the BLM, California Route 66 Preservation Foundation, and County of San Bernardino toured the Amboy facilities with Mr. Okura after the announcement.  (text continues below)
 
The very recognizable sign for Roy's, along historic Route 66 in Amboy:
Historic Roy's Diner, sign and motel along Route 66 in Amboy, California 
 
"Roy’s Motel, café and gas station are perhaps most beloved and considered particularly important relative to other Route 66 properties because of the remote desert location." says Glen Duncan, Route 66 Preservation Foundation president and author of Route 66 in California. "Traveling east or west, it was and still is a long way to go for gasoline, a bed or something to eat. Roy’s was a godsend for travelers."
 
The World Monuments Fund (WMF) recently announced its 2008 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites which included the entire 2,448 mile long Route 66.

A glimpse inside Roy's Diner:
Inside Roy's Diner

Al Okuna poses in front of the Roy's sign
Al Okuna poses in front of the Roy's sign

- S. Razo, 6/16/07

More Route 66 links:

Roy's appeared in a recent BLM California Funny.bytesRoute 66 road sign from the Funny.bytes episodeROUTE 66: THE (CARTOON) ADVENTURE: Take a cartoon drive along America's Mother Road, with our two road adventurers, in this edition of BLM California "Funny.bytes."
Funny.bytes is an occasional look at the lighter side of BLM issues.
Note: this link will work in browsers that have the Macromedia/Adobe "Flash" plug-in -- which should be most browsers.
Warning: soundtrack: you may want to adjust the volume on your computer.

Route 66 Preservation Foundation - BLM's partner in this endeavor.  "Our mission is to develop resources for the preservation and benefit of the Route 66 corridor and its community."

"Route 66 revisited" (Reuters, 5/25/07) -  "Reuters correspondents Nick Carey and James Kelleher travel through America in a vintage Porsche, tracing the path of old Route 66." Includes entries and photos for sights along the way.

"Roadside poetry lives on" (Reuters, 5/15/07)
"Train approaching/Whistle squealing/ Pause!/Avoid that/Rundown feeling....Between Kingman and Seligman, old Route 66 re-emerges gloriously intact, winding through Arizona’s high desert, past the Hualapai Indian Nation’s tribal lands on the southern edge of the Grand Canyon. Alongside this stretch of highway, every few miles or so, are cheerful reminders of a roadside advertising campaign that used the old highway as its medium — and whose life roughly coincided with Route 66’s glory days."

"California's historic Route 66; An action plan for 'America's Main Street" (PDF file, 345 kilobytes, 32 pages - BLM California, Needles Field Office)
A significant portion of Route 66 in California’s Mojave Desert traverses public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and the BLM has been working with other groups on preservation plans. This plan resulted from public workshops in the year 2000.

National Historic Route 66 Federation - "A nonprofit organization dedictated to preserving Route 66 across the country." Includes links to Route 66 history, photos, vintage postcards and more.

BLM California News.bytes, Issue 286

 
Last updated: 08-13-2007