United States Postal Service Going Big on Automotive Stamps for 2026 with Lowrider, Route 66 Options
From Road & Track: The United States Postal Service has long issued a wide variety of stamps highlighting all sorts of aspects of American culture, and car enthusiasm is certainly an inextricable part of that culture. Case in point: the USPS is issuing two new car-inspired stamps for 2026, and the agency is giving us a taste ahead of time.
First up is a set of lowrider stamps set for release in the new year, featuring a blue 1946 Chevrolet Fleetline named “Let the Good Times Roll/Soy Como Soy;” a blue 1958 Chevrolet Impala named “Eight Figures;” a red 1963 Impala named “El Rey;” an orange 1964 Impala named “The Golden Rose;” and a green 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme named “Pocket Change.” The USPS says these lowrider stamps will first arrive in San Diego, and are inspired by the 1940s-era working-class Mexican American/Chicano communities of the American Southwest. The limited-edition stamps were designed by USPS art director Antonio Alcalá using photography from Philip Gordon of Let the Good Times Roll/Soy Como Soy.
El Reno awarded $725K Route 66 grant to build downtown Hub
A rendering of the new El Reno “The Hub” project. (Rendering/City of El Reno)
From The Journal Record: EL RENO — El Reno will use a $725,000 state grant to build “The Hub,” a downtown gathering space designed to keep Route 66 travelers in town longer and support the city’s growing tourism economy.
The Oklahoma Route 66 Commission approved the funding Tuesday after reviewing dozens of applications from communities along the historic highway. The commission distributed roughly $3.3 million statewide during this competitive funding round.
From gas pumps to new beginnings: old Macon filling station reimagined for modern use
From WGXA: MACON-BIBB COUNTY, Ga. — You might have noticed a familiar building in downtown Macon now has a new look. WGXA checked in with the owner to learn more about what’s next for the property and an expert about why preserving this piece of history is so important.
Brent Meyer, owner of 7th Street Salvage, fell in love with the old gas station when renovating Petals Flowers & Market across the street. Then in 2021, he decided to purchase it.
“My dad owned a gas station, so it was always something that I was like gas stations are pretty cool,” Meyer says. “So that was one of the main reasons we got this building with our main intention to really invest in downtown Macon.”
Taking a Historic Road Trip: 1840s Style
Rube and Sons Shell Gas Station. John Margolies, 1976. (John Margolies Roadside America Photograph Archive, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.)
From the Library of Congress: As we begin December, many of us are deep into the holiday travel season. Maybe you’re just back from a Thanksgiving road trip to visit family or planning one for the winter holidays. While I grew up in Connecticut, most of my extended family lived in the Midwest. Every year we piled into our minivan to make the twelve-hour cross-country trek to visit our relatives. My sister and I mastered backseat entertainment while my parents navigated, first using printed maps and then eventually GPS. Thinking about these childhood memories led me to wonder what road trip experiences were like in the past. I turned to the Library of Congress collections and found the digital collection American Notes: Travels in America, 1750 to 1920. This collection includes over 250 books written by individuals travelling through the thirteen colonies and later the United States. Looking through these books, I considered how the authors’ travel compared to modern road trips. Certainly, they couldn’t have stopped for burgers and fries!
Historic sign finds a new home
Can New Jersey Save its Historic Diner Scene Before it’s Too Late? Lawmakers Think So
From Shore News Network: TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey lawmakers are seeking to honor and preserve one of the state’s most beloved traditions — the neighborhood diner — through a new measure that would provide tax relief and recognition to long-running local eateries.
Assembly Bill A6283, known as the “Saving Our Diners and Protecting Our Past Act,”establishes an annual registry for historic diners and restaurants and grants certified establishments key financial incentives, including a sales and use tax exemption and state income and business tax credits for a portion of ingredient costs.