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Centennial Commission offers incentives to celebrate Route 66 in Missouri

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The Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission is launching several sponsorship opportunities for communities celebrating the Mother Road – Route 66, which originated in Springfield, Missouri in the 1920s. Programs include a special event sponsorship program, signature tour stop design competition and interactive signage program.

The charge of the state-appointed members of the Missouri Route 66 Centennial is to prepare cities across the state of Missouri for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Route 66. Missouri has a lot to celebrate and an unprecedented opportunity leading up to and during the anniversary year (2026) to bring new attention and excitement to the state.

The Commission is planning and sponsoring official Route 66 centennial events, programs, and activities in the state; encouraging the development of programs designed to involve all citizens in activities that commemorate Route 66 centennial events in the state; and to the best of the commission’s ability, make available to the public information on Route 66 centennial events happening throughout the state.

The official celebration website is www.celebratemo66.com. Visit there for regular updates and to share what you would like to see during the centennial.

As part of the festivities, the Commission has launched several programs, including a special event sponsorship program, signature tour stop design competition and interactive signage sponsorship program. Each program has specific criteria and guidelines, found on the website.

Route 66 Centennial Missouri Special Event Sponsorship Program

The special event sponsorship program encourages communities throughout Missouri to celebrate Route 66 and to prepare for events and activities during the centennial year, 2026.

Reimbursable funds are for eligible businesses and organizations whose Route 66-themed events exhibit positive tourism and economic development along Missouri’s Route 66 defined alignments. Qualifying events demonstrate a direct alignement statewide efforts to celebrate the Route 66 Centennial.

“The goal is incentive new or existing events to focus their programming on promoting 100 years of Missouri Route 66 through communities and people; culture and flavor; heritage and history, strife and milestones, architecture and tourism,” said Cora Scott, Missouri Route 66 Centennial Chair.

A selection committee prioritizes sponsorship opportunities or as many unique parties as possible to ensure the highest participation, greatest diversity, and strongest branding for Missouri Route 66.

Annual event sponsorship funding is a part of the Commission’s annual budget, but it is subject to the funding allocations. Therefore, requests limits may vary. For 2024, $250,000 has been budgeted, with a maximum $50,000 allowed for any one application.

For more information, or to apply, visit CelebrateMo66.com.

Route 66 Centennial Missouri Signature Tour Stop Design Competition

The Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission is offering competitive design sponsorships up to $15,000 and for the lucky designs selected – with matching fund sponsorships of up to $125,000 to build these signature stops.

The ten Missouri counties along the Route 66 corridor that qualify include:

St Louis County
Franklin County
Crawford County
Phelps County
Pulaski County
Laclede County
Webster County
Greene County
Lawrence County
Jasper County
The Sponsorship Process & 2024 Timeline:

October 2024

The Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission notified Missouri counties, cities, towns, and CVBs along the historic Route 66 corridor soliciting preliminary ideas for the creation of a Signature Missouri Route 66 Stop in their communities.

The Commission will be offering multiple reimbursable sponsorships of up to $15,000 to help fund an eventual final design plan created by a licensed Missouri architect. Winning locations will be eligible for future construction funds from the Commission that will be available on a matching fund basis.

December

Deadline for preliminary design idea submission is 5 pm CST on Dec. 31, 2024. Preliminary submissions will include the concept and location of your Signature Stop along with a rough estimate of construction cost and potential matching fund partners.

January 2025

The Centennial Commission design and build sponsorship selection committee will choose the design finalists.

February 2025
Design finalist locations will be announced and location will be reimbursed for up to $15,000 to finalize their communities Route 66 Signature Stop.

There can be up to 10 design finalists chosen, but not more than one from each of the 10 Missouri Route 66 corridor counties.

March 2025

Final Design proposals will be due on March 31, 2025 at 5 p.m. CST – Complete with final estimated costs, construction timelines and matching fund commitment. All completed design concepts will become the intellectual property of the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission.

Week of April 7 – 11, 2025 – Optional in-person final design presentations at KY3 Television in Springfield, Missouri. These optional hour-long presentations are available to walk the Commission’s design and build sponsorship selection members through your proposal.

May 1, 2025 – Final build locations will be selected and matching sponsorship dollars will be awarded. A minimum of one and a maximum of two locations will be selected from each of the following groups of Missouri Route 66 Counties:

Southwest Missouri – Jasper, Lawrence and Greene Counties

Central Missouri – Laclede, Phelps, Pulaski and Webster Counties

Eastern Missouri – Crawford, Franklin and St. Louis Counties

Route 66 Centennial Missouri Interactive Shield Sign Sponsorship

The Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission will offer sponsorships up to $15,000 for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of a Large Missouri Route 66 Interactive Shield Sign.

Phase 1 Allocation

The Commission has allocated $150,000 for Phase 1. Additional funding for subsequent phases will be determined at the Commission’s discretion.

Eligibility

The sponsorship program is open to all city departments, county departments, and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) in Missouri that have Route 66 running through their communities.

Recipient Responsibilities

Ongoing Maintenance – The sponsorship recipient shall be responsible for the continuous upkeep of the sign, ensuring it remains well-maintained and in good condition.

Insurance – The recipient shall be responsible for obtaining adequate insurance as required by local jurisdictions and providing the necessary indemnifications for the Centennial Commission.

Location – The sign should be positioned in a highly visible location easily accessible to the public for photography. The Centennial Commission will approve the final location.

Installation – The sign must be installed by 1/1/26. The sponsorship recipient is responsible for all installation costs.

Sign Design

The sign design should be similar to the example provided below. While local modifications are encouraged, the primary objective is to foster a sense of unity and connectivity among the signs across the communities. The final design must be approved by the Centennial Commission.

Considerations

The committee prefers that the signs be distributed across all communities along Route 66. Therefore, it is unlikely that multiple applications from the same geographical area will receive more than one sign in Phase 1.

The committee will review applications quarterly as they are submitted. The program will close once the $150,000 has been fully allocated. The committee’s decision will be final. Funds will be disbursed upon receipt of proof of purchase for the sign.

Application

Sponsorship applications are currently being accepted through March 1, 2025 to qualify for this year’s funding. They will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. The program will close once the $150,000 has been fully allocated. The application will be on the celebratemo66.com/ website.

About the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission:

At the request of the Missouri Legislature, the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission will sponsor official Route 66 centennial programs, and activities in the state to involve all citizens in activities that commemorate the Route 66 Centennial.

Commission Members:

Representative Richard Brown
Dru Buntin
Rich Dinkela
Renee Eichelberger
Phyllis Ferguson
Lyndal Fraker
Lula Mae “Luge” Hardman
Mark Hecquet
Brian McDonough
Kelly O’Malley
Rebecca E. Rupard
Cora Scott (Chair)
Patrick Tuttle
Jacqueline “Jax” Welborn

Missouri marks National Mule Day

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“Boone, George, get up!”

As the pair of 1,500-pound gentle giants begin walking around the College of Veterinary Medicine’s parking lot, their horseshoes clank on the concrete.

The magnificent mules — known for their intelligence, loyalty, work ethic, playful nature and strength — are practicing for an annual tradition: taking first-year veterinary students to class on the first day of school.

Nearby, young mules Rose and Bess call out to express their desire to work, and retirees Tim and Terry closely watch their successors shine in the spotlight.

This is the Missouri mule team, and it’s been a fixture at the University of Missouri since 1984.

In honor of National Mule Day on Oct. 26, here are seven facts about these equine ambassadors and the students who take care of them:

1. Mizzou has three mule teams.
Tim and Terry retired in 2020 after pulling the wagon for 27 years. Boone (named after ragtime pianist and composer John William “Blind” Boone) and George (named after George Washington Carver) are now the main mule team. And Bess (named after Bess Truman, whose husband, former President Harry Truman, was the son of a mule breeder) and Rose (named after Missouri artist Rose O’Neill), are the mule team in training.

2. Mizzou’s mules are well taken care of thanks to the Missouri Method.
At Mizzou, students don’t just learn in the classroom. Opportunities such as the Mule Club provide hands-on experience, a learning philosophy known as the Missouri Method. The club’s executive board provides the mules with daily care throughout all four seasons of the year. The care includes daily feeding, grooming and supervised play time in the pasture behind the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Large mules mean large diets. Each mule eats between 20 and 35 pounds of hay each day. They also drink between five and 20 gallons of water daily depending on the temperature.

Grooming all six mules takes nearly 40 minutes, and up to an hour if the mules played in the mud the day before. Every day, the mules are brushed, sprayed with fly prevention and checked for any bumps or scrapes. Their hooves are cleaned out daily as well.

3. The Mizzou mules have a busy schedule.
As the outreach arm of the College of Veterinary Medicine and goodwill ambassador for Mizzou, the mule team often attends public events, such as the college’s Alumni Weekend, Tim and Terry’s Tailgate (the Mule Club’s annual student recruitment event) and the Mizzou Homecoming Parade. You might also catch them traveling across campus on a Saturday or Sunday morning — getting in some exercise and greeting eager onlookers.

4. They aren’t camera-shy.
Mizzou’s mules love attention. Although their favorite displays of affection are nose rubs and inner ear scratches, they’ll happily pose for pictures with fans of all ages.

5. Not every mule is cut out for Mizzou’s mule team.
In order to be considered for Mizzou’s mule team, a mule has to be a cross between a draft horse and a mammoth donkey, as that specific cross creates what is known as a Missouri Mule. On the outside, they must be physically sound, strong and healthy. On the inside, they must also have the right personality — they can’t be afraid of traffic and new sights and sounds, for instance. Mizzou’s mules must also be good around people and pets.

Fun facts about mules

Mules are the official state animal of Missouri

In the 1800s, Missouri farmers were the first to take female horses and breed them with male donkeys to create the massive draft mules. They were prized animals of pioneers, traders and farmers when the American West was being settled after the Louisiana Purchase. Their vigor, strength, steadiness, force and work ethic were often the difference between profit and loss — or even life and death.

Mules are a hidden icon in Mizzou’s logo

If you look closely at the iconic block MU logo, you will notice the head of the mule is in between the ‘M’ and the ‘U’. Once you see it, you’ll never unsee it.

MDC community forester says fall color to peak this week in southeast Missouri

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With temperatures taking a cooler seasonal swing, Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Community Forester Jennifer Behnken says fall colors are making their arrival this week.

“Sycamore and Eastern cottonwood trees are maneuvering their sunshine yellows to the brighter side of life,” she said. “Hackberry and Mulberry trees are also adding to the golden glows.”

Behnken said sugar maples are becoming more apparent, with some changing colors slower compared to others with their colors displayed “full blast.”

“Sumacs are radiating from the roadsides and field edges, along with Virginia creeper and poison ivy sharing the scene in their scarlet glory,” she said.

Hickory trees are still on the verge of turning their fall shades, said Behnken, “but they soon will be joining their blonde-colored comrades in the next week.”

And be sure to keep an eye on the red maples, she said, “as they continue to dazzle, leaving behind their own gifts for humans and wildlife to enjoy.”

Behnken said sassafras and black gum complement the scarlet spectrum along with black oak, cherrybark oak, and Chinquapin oak sporting both tawny and tan tones.

More oak species are also likely to follow, she said, if current weather conditions continue.

Behnken suggests these locations for exploring fall color views:

Castor River Conservation Area
Current River Conservation Area
University Forest Conservation Area
Pickle Spring Natural Area
Hickory Canyons Natural Area
Amidon Conservation Area
Millstream Gardens Conservation Area
Hawn State Park
“Regardless of whatever activity takes you to the great outdoors, take time to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air, and reap the benefits of being in nature wherever fall color views can be seen,” said Behnken.

Fall color updates for across Missouri can be found online at mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/fall-color.