Route 66 Podcast The Mother Road

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
Trading Posts   

 
Full length matchcovers designs 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
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 Discovering garages that were once part of the motel Ramona’s room recommendation at The Munger Moss Long term residents at The Munger Moss The Munger Moss: To sell or not to sell? Will the children carry on the Munger Moss tradition? The world famous Munger Moss Neon sign Celebrating 50 years at The Munger Moss Most memorable guests to walk through the door Meeting the original owner many years later – Emmitt Moss Maintaining the Munger Moss sign Constant flow of picture takers along Route 66 Most popular Munger Moss items for sale in the lobby Bob Lehman’s prized toy collection The biggest challenge in 50 years at The Munger Moss The very first in-ground pool in Lebanon, Missouri arrives at The Munger Moss Ramona’s last vacation Preserving Route 66 for future generations Is Ramona as famous locally as she is with Route 66 travelers? Ramona’s Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren visiting at The Munger Moss Sales pitch for The Munger Moss 2021 Next item on Ramona’s Bucket list A Ramona Lehman Revelation: Where hasn’t she been along Route 66?  (The answer WILL surprise you!) Long Live Route 66  

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
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 Logistics of a typical tour  

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:
Early history and construction during the Civil War William Boyington - noted Chicago architect Daily life at Joliet Prison Special holidays at Joliet Prison Joliet Prison as a manufacturing center  Popular wardens at Joliet Prison Did Chicken Joe Campbell really murder the warden's wife? Ida B. Wells, Civil Rights advocate and founder of the NAACP,  visits Joliet in support for Campbell's fair trial Notorious inmates at Joliet through the years 1 year sentence at Joliet for stealing the body of President Lincoln Prison tourism Attempted escapes at Joliet The most unusual inmate who tried to break into Joliet Turning the ruins of Joliet into art The Blues Brothers at Joliet Female inmates