LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — Three hours from Kansas City, Pulaski County is home to 30 miles of the historic Route 66.
In recent months, it’s undergone renovation, and two Lee’s Summit metal artists are behind some of the big changes.
Dave Eames and Ben Wine co-own Fossil Forge Designs and are self-proclaimed fans of The Mother Road, known as Route 66.
They found themselves working a new job just 150 miles southeast to help bring new life to Route 66 in their largest project yet.
“We had an opportunity to create a really cool project for a place down Route 66 in Uranus, Missouri,” Eames said. “It’s a place full of puns and wordplay.”
The artists will tell you it’s a general store near St. Robert, Missouri.
“We have eight total signs going up, a Route 66 badge, six icons along the route and a rocket for Uranus that animates and spells out the word,” Eames said.
The old highway goes right through Missouri, one of eight states as it goes west, from St. Louis to Joplin.
“The heart is still beating on the highway,” Eames said. “It’s just different now than it would have been when it was the primary road to the west.”
But they’re hoping these new signs bring people out to what they call a "classic tourist trap" and fun place to play.
“People will be able to see everything from the St. Louis Arch to the Blue Swallow Motel to a famous motel out in California called Roy’s," Eames said.
These artists will finish the install and a mural this week.
“We hope they take pictures, we hope they take videos, we hope they stand in front of them or park their classic car in front of them,” Eames said.
