44. Miami, OK: Final Resting Place for 15 British Training Pilots
Release Date: 10/12/2021
55. Devil's Rope (Barbed Wire) Museum, McLean, TX
Route 66 Podcast
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...
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54. Remembering Ramona Lehman - The Munger Moss Motel (Encore)
Route 66 Podcast
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 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...
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53. Rancho Cucamonga Service Station
Route 66 Podcast
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...
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52. Gilligan's Route 66 Tours
Route 66 Podcast
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 Growing up in New Zealand and his earliest road trips First trip to the US as a youngster Buying an RV and touring Route 66 Origin of Gilligan name for tour company Life as a MX Rally Racer Gilligan's Route 66 Tours Overview...
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51. The Joliet Prison
Route 66 Podcast
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...
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50. BOOK RELEASE: ABC, What Do You See rolling along Route 66?
Route 66 Podcast
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...
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49. The U-Drop Inn Cafe (Shamrock, TX)
Route 66 Podcast
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...
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47. The 2021 Route 66 Scholarship Winners
Route 66 Podcast
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...
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48. KATRINA PARKS: Route 66 Documentary Filmmaker
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...
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46. The original London Bridge relocated to nearby Route 66
Route 66 Podcast
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...
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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
- Origin and network of GAR Cemeteries
- Cemetery Tourism as an upcoming industry
- The US agrees to a proposed program to train British in the US
- The Spartan Flying School
- Keeping the operation top secret in the early days
- A sudden influx of British men with funny accents gathering in Miami- what’s going on?
- How a Route 66 community welcomes 2000 men with open arms
- British adjusting to American life while the war is raging back home
- The final count laid to rest: 15 Cadets and a local woman
- Kenneth Raisbeck: recreating the final flight of for the 70 year old son who he never met
- Annual Remembrance Ceremonies at GAR
- Origin of fatal accidents
- Col Gale Halverson
- The Candy Bomber
- Frantie "Francis" Mae Hill
- Mother of the boys buried in Oklahoma
- Why should we care for British soldiers laid to rest in the US?
- Honoring the British war dead in the states - justification and reasoning
- Everlasting relationships cadets formed with locals
- Local museums honoring the RAF cadets
- Dobson Museum
- NE OK College, Oklahoma
- Other notables buried at GAR Cemetery
- Richard Kelton
- George Coleman
- Elvin and Lovell Mantle
- John Beaver
- Atha Cardin
- Charles Banks Wilson
- William Campbell
- Booger Red
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
with Anthony Arno
Dr. Frances Carter, a real life Rosie the Riveter
Thank you to Route 66 Podcast & Scholarship supporters!
- 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.
- Gilligan's Route 66 Tours featuring tours of Route 66 in Ford Mustang convertibles, stays at historic Route 66 motels, and daily breakfast.
- Jon B - Rhode Island
- Mary Beth Busutil - Florida
- Jim Crabtree - California
- Mike Fort
- Route 66 author and photographer - Shellee Graham and also my guest on Episode # 10 where she talks about her book, Tales from the Coral Court Motel.
- Kristin Haakenson - Washington
- Rich Havlik - Minnesota
- Mary Nicholson - Pennsylvania
- Brian Sawyer - Indiana
United Kingdom
- Charli Beeton
The Netherlands
- Jim Rensen
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:
- Miami City takes over GAR Cemetery
- Miami Municipal Airport
- Bugles across America
- Additional fatalities at other Spartan Flying School locations
- Logistics for visiting the GAR Cemetery
- Personal Background for Nancy
- Child Remembrance Ceremony