A PHer's guide to Route 66 part 3 - Missouri
Discussion
Missouri is a big state with plenty of Route 66 lore. St Louis is right on the border and the first place you hit. There were numerous different routs for 66 through the city, but it s a pretty tough town and many of those rods go through dilapidated areas, so my advice is to follow the E-Z guide for the area.
ST LOUIS
St Louis is a big town and I usually stay at the Hilton Arches hotel, very central. There is plenty of night life in the tourist areas such as the landing, and a wide variety of restaurants. You can go up in the Arch,but its a small slot to see out and the view is uninspiring. 66 ran across the Chain of Rocks Bridge, (still standing) but it is closed to automotive traffic.
[IMG]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/RMcG/Roadpics/9411cf7b.jpg[/IMG
Sad update 2022 : Charlie Gitttos has closed due to his passing - his son has opened a new place,Charlie's on the Hill, but I have not tried it yet.
Left this here as a bit of Route 66 history.
In St Louis was one of the great old Italian places where the cops and the nuns go, traditional Italian food. Charlie Gitto's. Proper Italian food, nothing fancy, not expensive. Charlie sits at the bar in his own chair, and the family runs the place. Not to be missed.
Link:http://stlouisrestaurantreview.com/charlie-gittos-downtown-st-louis-mo/
A few miles down the highway lies Uranus Missouri, on Route 66.
Here sits the Uranus Fudge Factory.
We are too early to buy Uranus Fudge or other products but we come by on the way back. The fudge turns out to be excellent and we pick up our free copy of the Uranus Examiner
STANTON
On a recent trip we finally dropped by one of the major sights, Merimac Caverns, a 16 miles deep cave complex, only about a mile and a half being accessible. Discovered by a born promoter, it was the first place to produce bumper stickers and also promotes a highly doubtful story that the caves were the hiding place of Jesse James.Nonetheless, the caves are very impressive.
CUBA
Exploration day. We leave early, with our first stop being the small town of Cuba, Mo through which 66 ran. They have painted just about every available space with murals ,advertising commercial businesses, civil war events, even a tribute to a long ago Mayor. The Route 66 cafe has sadly closed:
The wagon wheel motel sign remains, but the motel is long gone
An old Chevy sits on a service bay of a former gas station nearby
We see the first of many religious messages and admonitions for better behaviour:
Leaving Cuba, we decide to skip the Vacuum Cleaner Museum and stop swearing:
Near to Cuba is the worlds largest Rocking Chair.....
We head back on the soulless interstate past the large Bourbon container, but not for long:
ST LOUIS
St Louis is a big town and I usually stay at the Hilton Arches hotel, very central. There is plenty of night life in the tourist areas such as the landing, and a wide variety of restaurants. You can go up in the Arch,but its a small slot to see out and the view is uninspiring. 66 ran across the Chain of Rocks Bridge, (still standing) but it is closed to automotive traffic.
[IMG]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/RMcG/Roadpics/9411cf7b.jpg[/IMG
Sad update 2022 : Charlie Gitttos has closed due to his passing - his son has opened a new place,Charlie's on the Hill, but I have not tried it yet.
Left this here as a bit of Route 66 history.
In St Louis was one of the great old Italian places where the cops and the nuns go, traditional Italian food. Charlie Gitto's. Proper Italian food, nothing fancy, not expensive. Charlie sits at the bar in his own chair, and the family runs the place. Not to be missed.
Link:http://stlouisrestaurantreview.com/charlie-gittos-downtown-st-louis-mo/
A few miles down the highway lies Uranus Missouri, on Route 66.
Here sits the Uranus Fudge Factory.
We are too early to buy Uranus Fudge or other products but we come by on the way back. The fudge turns out to be excellent and we pick up our free copy of the Uranus Examiner
STANTON
On a recent trip we finally dropped by one of the major sights, Merimac Caverns, a 16 miles deep cave complex, only about a mile and a half being accessible. Discovered by a born promoter, it was the first place to produce bumper stickers and also promotes a highly doubtful story that the caves were the hiding place of Jesse James.Nonetheless, the caves are very impressive.
CUBA
Exploration day. We leave early, with our first stop being the small town of Cuba, Mo through which 66 ran. They have painted just about every available space with murals ,advertising commercial businesses, civil war events, even a tribute to a long ago Mayor. The Route 66 cafe has sadly closed:
The wagon wheel motel sign remains, but the motel is long gone
An old Chevy sits on a service bay of a former gas station nearby
We see the first of many religious messages and admonitions for better behaviour:
Leaving Cuba, we decide to skip the Vacuum Cleaner Museum and stop swearing:
Near to Cuba is the worlds largest Rocking Chair.....
We head back on the soulless interstate past the large Bourbon container, but not for long:
Edited by RDMcG on Sunday 21st May 19:26
Edited by RDMcG on Thursday 3rd February 14:12
ROLLA
Sitting in a diner in the little town of Rolla Missouri, I noticed a ghostly row of Tesla chargers. Wonder how they will be affected by the likelihood of major step back in environmental regulations. The Tesla network is big and we saw charging stations frequently.
An original Route 66 trading post is still in operation here.
Devil's Elbow:
There is normally a picturesque Inn here and an historic Bridge I the Piney River Bridge. In Spring of 2017 the areas was devastated by floods and the Inn is now closed : (new pic below)
|https://thumbsnap.com/DouAFzz2[/url]
NEWBURG John's modern cabins.
l
Late in the afternoon I hit Newburg MO, maybe 100 miles South of St Louis. Here, on a completely abandoned stretch of old 66, closed at both ends, sit the remains of John's Modern Cabins, slowly rotting away. They will be gone in the not too distant future. Yet, once, the was an infamous Juke Joint, where the segregated black people came to drink, hook up and play music. From 1935 to 1965 it operated, the cabins with no plumbing and a single outhouse at the back. It has no markers beyond a small plaque requesting that it not be vandalized. Standing there in the cool evening sunlight and looking at the silent remains, it is hard to imagine those bad old times before people finally gained civil rights A little of the neon from 1951 still clings to the sign which is standing to this day.
Here is a short video of John's:
http://route66news.com/2012/04/11/a-visit-to-johns...
LEBANON
In Lebanon MO, the Munger Moss Motel offers authentic 1950s clean, very basic accommodation. For $53 a night you want Cappuccino?. Originally it was constructed as a motor court, a semi circle of cabins, each with an individual garage for your car
. The place was modernized in the fifties and the owner is more than willing to discuss the history in the Motel office which sports a large collection of old tin toys. Nearby is an original general store which had not opened on my early departture. Food is not exactly Haute Cuisine in the area, but there is a very good catfish BBQ place within ten minutes. Like many of this type of restaurant alcohol is not served.
[IMG]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/RMcG/Roadpics/0416c908.jpg[/IMG
PARIS SPRINGS
66 curved through the tiny crossroads of Paris Springs Mo. Here lived Gary Turner, who recreated the Gay Parita gas station that had burned down many years ago. He steps off his old Ford model N tractor and offered us a Route 66 Root beer. He was a mine of 66 lore and gave us a tour of his garage and the gas station. Sadly Garry passed away in 2015, but his gas station lives on. 2016 update: Gary's daughter has now take over the running of the Gas station and n ow welcomes visitors just as before.
He gets all sorts of visitors:
There are strips of 66 that still have the original Portland cement and are utterly unchanged from the beginning, such as this one:
Sitting in a diner in the little town of Rolla Missouri, I noticed a ghostly row of Tesla chargers. Wonder how they will be affected by the likelihood of major step back in environmental regulations. The Tesla network is big and we saw charging stations frequently.
An original Route 66 trading post is still in operation here.
Devil's Elbow:
There is normally a picturesque Inn here and an historic Bridge I the Piney River Bridge. In Spring of 2017 the areas was devastated by floods and the Inn is now closed : (new pic below)
|https://thumbsnap.com/DouAFzz2[/url]NEWBURG John's modern cabins.
l
Late in the afternoon I hit Newburg MO, maybe 100 miles South of St Louis. Here, on a completely abandoned stretch of old 66, closed at both ends, sit the remains of John's Modern Cabins, slowly rotting away. They will be gone in the not too distant future. Yet, once, the was an infamous Juke Joint, where the segregated black people came to drink, hook up and play music. From 1935 to 1965 it operated, the cabins with no plumbing and a single outhouse at the back. It has no markers beyond a small plaque requesting that it not be vandalized. Standing there in the cool evening sunlight and looking at the silent remains, it is hard to imagine those bad old times before people finally gained civil rights A little of the neon from 1951 still clings to the sign which is standing to this day.
Here is a short video of John's:
http://route66news.com/2012/04/11/a-visit-to-johns...
LEBANON
In Lebanon MO, the Munger Moss Motel offers authentic 1950s clean, very basic accommodation. For $53 a night you want Cappuccino?. Originally it was constructed as a motor court, a semi circle of cabins, each with an individual garage for your car
. The place was modernized in the fifties and the owner is more than willing to discuss the history in the Motel office which sports a large collection of old tin toys. Nearby is an original general store which had not opened on my early departture. Food is not exactly Haute Cuisine in the area, but there is a very good catfish BBQ place within ten minutes. Like many of this type of restaurant alcohol is not served.[IMG]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/RMcG/Roadpics/0416c908.jpg[/IMG
PARIS SPRINGS
66 curved through the tiny crossroads of Paris Springs Mo. Here lived Gary Turner, who recreated the Gay Parita gas station that had burned down many years ago. He steps off his old Ford model N tractor and offered us a Route 66 Root beer. He was a mine of 66 lore and gave us a tour of his garage and the gas station. Sadly Garry passed away in 2015, but his gas station lives on. 2016 update: Gary's daughter has now take over the running of the Gas station and n ow welcomes visitors just as before.
He gets all sorts of visitors:
There are strips of 66 that still have the original Portland cement and are utterly unchanged from the beginning, such as this one:
Edited by RDMcG on Sunday 21st May 19:38
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