Note: When I talked to a few folks in Kansas who are involved with the route a few months ago – they mentioned this was one of the things they were really focusing their efforts on… and it seemed to pay off!! Congrats on this! It takes the route through Kansas to a whole new level!

The state has designated 13 miles of Route 66 in southern Kansas as a Kansas Historic Byway.

The Kansas Department of Transportation announced the designation Tuesday for the route, which runs through Galena, Riverton and Baxter Springs in Cherokee County before reaching the Oklahoma border.

Scott Shields, a coordinator for the Kansas State Byways program, says the designation encourages visitors and state residents to drive the route and explore communities along the way.

The original Route 66 stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles and was a major pathway for those who migrated west and later for tourists.

Historic Route 66 passes briefly through the State of Kansas on its was between Joplin, Missouri and Miami, Oklahoma. Though Kansas has the shortest stretch of the popular old route between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California, the 13 miles of Route 66 in Kansas are among the best preserved and have many attractions.

©2011 The Republic

Join the fun at the OctoberFest In The Park celebration on Old Route 66 in Galena, Kansas!




The festival will happen on Saturday October the 8th from 10am until 3pm!

Main Street & Route 66
Pappy Litch Park

Vendor Space is Still Available!

The money raised at the festival will go to existing and future preservation projects in town – so please show up and support this if you can!

For more additional information contact Melba Rigg at the Four Women on the Route station.
620.783.1366

The newly released Census numbers show some Southeast Kansas communities have seen a decrease in population. Baxter Springs is one of those communities.
KOAM and FOX 14′s Zach Fletcher spoke to the Chamber of Commerce President, who says the numbers are a wake-up call.

Kansas counties in the KOAM viewing area all saw a decline in population except for Crawford County, which saw an increase of 1.64 %. The city with the biggest decrease in population in Cherokee County is Baxter Springs. It lost more than 450 people since the 2000 census. Those are numbers that shock Baxter Chamber of Commerce President Charlene Hunley.

“Baxter has really seemed to grow in the last five years, tremendously. So I was surprised that the growth has gone the opposite direction.” says Hunley.
Hunley says some people are packing up and moving to the outskirts of Baxter, creating subdivisions outside the city limits.
She says even with the decrease in population, businesses are still coming to Baxter Springs.

“New restaurants that have come into town, we’ve got various other businesses. They may be small, but a small business or a large business is wonderful.” adds Hunley

Hunley says revitalization of the historic downtown area helps bring businesses to Baxter Springs.

Even though the census numbers are down business owner Richard Sanell isn’t discouraged.

“I want to keep a watchful eye of course to make sure we’re still intriguing individuals to make the step. They’ve lived in Joplin for four or five years to give Baxter Springs a thought to move into.” says Sanell

Richard Sanell, owner of cafe on the route says he’s actually seen an increase in business.

“The longer you’re at a place, especially a restaurant the more you get to know the community you grow a reputation. Lets look at Chicken Mary’s and Chicken Annie’s.” adds Sanell

Hunley says in order to make Baxter Springs, grow it will take a community effort.

“I think that’s going to be our main goal is to get our number up and get people in here that want to live in Baxter.” says Hunley.

And with those goals the City of Baxter tries to get people back on Old Route 66.