FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE A gathering of authors, artists, collectors and associations affiliated with Route 66 will be at the Old Glass Place, 501 E. St. Louis 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 15 and Sunday, Aug. 16. These folks will have displays with information about their products and services and will have their wares for sale. Birthplace of Route 66 Festival attendees are invited to come visit with them about Route 66 and see what they have to offer. Authors
• Jim Ross, Arcadia, Oklahoma
Ross, along with Jerry McClanahan and Shellee Graham, is the author of "Route 66 Sightings." Spanning 30 years, this gorgeous coffee table book is the culmination of their individual and collective efforts as writers, photographers and Route 66 historians. Other works include "Oklahoma Route 66," and "Route 66 in Oklahoma," with Joe Sonderman. • Shellee Graham, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Graham, who collaborated with Jim Ross and Jerry McClanahan for "Route 66 Sightings," is also a designer and photographer and the author of "Tales from the Coral Court," which earned her Route 66 Magazine's 2002 Book of the Year Award and inspired the documentary film "Built for Speed: the Coral Court Motel." • Cheryl Eichar Jett, Edwardsville, Illinois • Betty Inman Shortt, Springfield, Missouri
Shortt is a local author who has just written a children"s book "The Weird Adventures of the Inman Twins" based around the Springfield, Missouri, area of Route 66 in 1957. • Joe Sonderman, St. Louis, Missouri
Sonderman, who collaborated with Jim Ross on "Route 66 in Oklahoma," is also the author of "Postcards from Route 66," "Route 66 in Texas," "Route 66 in St. Louis," "Route 66 in the Missouri Ozarks," "Route 66 in New Mexico," "Route 66 in Arizona," and "Route 66 in Illinois." • Susan Croce Kelly, Gravois Mills, Missouri
Kelly isthe author of "Father of Route 66: The Story of Cy Avery" and "Route 66: The Highway and Its People." Catch Susan 7-8:45 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13 at the Library Station for "The Road That Runs Through Everyone's Life: An Evening with Route 66 Author Susan Croce Kelly." • Jerry McClanahan, Chandler, Oklahoma
McClanahan, who collaborated with Shellee Graham and Jim Ross for "Route 66 Sightings," is also the author of "Route 66: EZ66 Guide for Travelers." Artists
• Bob "Croc" Lile, Amarillo, Texas
Lile is a Route 66 preservationist and artist and owns Lile Art Gallery in Amarillo, where he paints and makes makes art jewelry out of paint chips off the cars at Cadillac Ranch and is a Route 66 tour guide for “Gilligans Route 66 Tours” out of New Zealand.
• David Eslick, Springfield, Missouri
Eslick is a Route 66 preservationist, photographer and Route 66 T-shirt designer. He is also the co-chairman of the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival. • K.C. Keefer and Nancy Barlow, Denver, Colorado
Filmmakers Keefer and Barlow spend countless hours interviewing and filming the people of Route 66 for their project "Genuine Life: American Stories from Route 66." • The Road Crew, Nashville, Tennessee
The Road Crew, America's Route 66 band, "is dedicated to the preservation of the most famous highway in the world, Route 66. The Road Crew takes Route 66 to their audiences throughout the world. They spread the history and stories of Route 66 to every generation through their 'Songs From The Mother Road with their rockabilly beat. The band will release their new CD, "Under The Neon," at the Birthplace Of Route 66 Festival. Collectors
• Mike Ward, Mesa, Arizona (maps, postcards)
• Steve Rider, New York (signs, postcards)
• Powers Museum, Carthage, Missouri
Since 1988, the Powers Museum has been serving Carthage and the region as a local history museum with annual rotating annual exhibits from the post-Civil War period to the 20th century. Traveling exhibits and special programs related to Missouri or Ozark regional themes are presented, too. Associations
• Route 66 Association of Missouri
The Route 66 Association of Missouri originated from the efforts of dedicated volunteers who in the fall of 1989 realized Historic 66 in Missouri deserved the recognition and preservation. The association became a reality in early 1990 when it began officially with more Charter Members than any other state Route 66 Association. Today, Association members reside in over 30 states plus internationally. • Missouri Division of Tourism Conway I-44 Route 66 Visitors Center
Route 66 travelers can enjoy a classic Route 66 motif and access staffers who provide information about the immediate area, the entire Show-Me State and its myriad attractions. Additionally, the centers offer clean restrooms, vending machines for those who need a quick snack or beverage, and travel brochures and maps. • Kansas Historic Route 66 Association
Promoting, preserving and protecting the 13.2 miles of Route 66 in Kansas. • Oklahoma Route 66 Association
The Oklahoma Route 66 Association is a not-for-profit organization made up of volunteers who are dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Route 66. They serve as the non-governmental body that coordinates the statewide economic development, enhancement, improvement, preservation, and recognition of U.S. Route 66 in Oklahoma. In keeping with their mandate, they generate whatever finances and pressures we can to save Route 66 landmarks from decay or destruction. • Old Route 66 Association of Texas
The Route 66 Association of Texas is comprised of "Roadies" dedicated to making your travel on Route 66 through the great state of Texas the best experience possible. They are made up of local communities, businesses and individuals who want to provide the traveler with up-to-date information and activities you will not want to miss. • National Park Service's Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, Santa Fe, New Mexico
In recognition of the significance of Route 66 to America’s heritage, Congress passed an act in 1999 to create the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. Administered by the National Park Service, the program was established in 2001 and is dedicated to preserving the special places and stories of the historic highway. The program collaborates with private, nonprofit, and government partners to identify, prioritize, and address priority preservation needs of Route 66. The program provides cost-share grants to help preserve the most significant and representative historic sites dating to the route’s period of significance (1926-1985). It also assists preservation planning, research, and educational initiatives, and serves as a clearinghouse for preservation information and technical assistance. Since 2001, over 100 projects have received cost-share grant assistance across the route. ### For more information, contact: Cora Scott, Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement, 417-864-1009 (office) | 417-380-3352 (cell), [email protected]