The National Trust for Historic Preservation is proud to announce the latest selections for their Route 66 Legacy Business Grant Program, part of their ongoing Preserve Route 66 initiative. Twenty-five grants were awarded in all eight states that Historic Route 66 goes through for a total of $227,323.

“Small, local businesses are the lifeblood of Route 66,” said Rhys Martin, manager of the Preserve Route 66 program. “It’s known as the Main Street of America for a good reason! With this grant, the Trust is helping these small businesses preserve their historic properties or enhance their legacy on this highway that attracts visitors from all over the world.”

Route 66, arguably the most famous road in the world, starts in Chicago, Illinois and weaves through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending at the Pacific Ocean in California. Although the highway was officially removed from the US Highway system in 1985, its legendary status has only grown in the last several decades. With the Centennial of the road’s designation coming in 2026, the time is right to for small businesses to prepare for the anticipated boost in commerce and tourist activity.

More than two dozen projects were selected for this round of grants, including brick-and-mortar restoration work at sites like the Blue Dome Filling Station in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the Pecos River Rabins in Pecos, New Mexico along with painting projects such as a commemorative mural at Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner in Kingman, Arizona.

Below is a full list of awarded projects and dollar amounts:

• $10,000 to O’Brien Tier & Service Center in Granite City, Illinois for building repair and roof work.
• $10,000 to the Acres Inn in Pontiac, Illinois for accessibility updates and façade improvements.
• $5,875 to Mel-O-Cream Donuts in Springfield, Illinois for a roadside attraction installation.
• $10,000 to Plaid Coffee Roasters in Edwardsville, Illinois for building restoration and paint, including a mural.
• $10,000 to Craig Winslow Studio in Portland, Oregon for Phase II of the Light Capsule Project related to Ghost Signs along Illinois’ Route 66 corridor.
• $3,458 to Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis, Missouri for sign restoration and banner installation.
• $10,000 to the Shamrock Court motel in Sullivan, Missouri for final renovations to reopen to the traveling public.
• $10,000 to the Downtown Service Station in Waynesville, Missouri for lighting replacement.
• $5,350 to Spencer Station in Spencer, Missouri for tuckpointing and structural wall repair.
• $10,000 to Grizzly Contracting & Supply in Galena, Kansas for façade restoration of the former Front Street Garage.
• $10,000 to The Frozen Elephant in Miami, Oklahoma for concrete and façade repair at the historic Marathon Filling Station.
• $10,000 to the Western Motel in Vinita, Oklahoma for paint and Centennial mural installation.
• $10,000 to the Blue Dome Filling Station in Tulsa, Oklahoma for façade restoration.
• $10,000 to Zero Tolerance Coffee and Cacao in Oklahoma City for a storytelling project tied to Cherokee heritage and Native veterans.
• $10,000 to Hair Expressions Studios in Yukon, Oklahoma for building restoration.
• $9,638 to Jericho Tourist Courts in Jericho, Texas for building restoration and preservation.
• $10,000 to Pecos River Cabins in Pecos, New Mexico for building restoration.
• $10,000 to the El Chante: Casa de Cultura in Albuquerque, New Mexico for exterior painting and stucco restoration of the John Milne home.
• $10,000 to the Winslow Theater in Winslow, Arizona for painting and interior restoration.
• $10,000 to Motel Du Beau in Flagstaff, Arizona for neon sign restoration.
• $10,000 to Westside Lilo’s in Seligman, Arizona for flooring replacement.
• $10,000 to Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner in Kingman, Arizona for paint and Centennial mural installation.
• $10,000 to Villain Custom Cycles in Pasadena, California for a Route 66 community mural.
• $3,000 to Econoprint in Pasadena, California for painting and exterior restoration.
• $10,000 to Mel’s Drive In in Santa Monica, California for a centennial signage project.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has long advocated for the preservation of Route 66, naming it to their 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2018 and advocating for the highway to be added to the country’s National Historic Trail system. The Legacy Business Grant program has been active since 2024 with another grant round expected to be announced later this year.

For more information on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preserve Route 66 initiative, visit preserveroute66.org.

For more questions or interview requests, please contact: Rhys Martin, Preserve Route 66 Manager, rmartin@savingplaces.org.