Missouri Press Association
Serving Missouri Newspapers Since 1867
Eight decades after Bobby Troup wrote the song that Nat King Cole made famous, Missouri Press is inviting you to get your kicks on Route 66 at the Association’s convention in Wildwood.
Attendees of the 159th Annual Convention and Trade Show, Sept. 11-13, at the Wildwood Hotel in Wildwood, will get a triple dose of Route 66 nostalgia, history and a preview of plans for the historic 100th anniversary of America’s Mother Road.
It all begins with Thursday night’s Missouri Press Foundation social event at the Historic Big Chief Roadhouse. Located a short distance from the Wildwood Hotel, the roadhouse was established in 1929 and remains one of the last full-service restaurants still operating on the Historic Route 66.
MPA President Peggy Scott said the locations for this year’s activities embody more than just Missouri’s past but also reflect how parts of America were connected and made stronger over the last 100 years.
“One of the things that excites me the most about having our convention in Wildwood is the amount of history this area represents,” Scott said. “Route 66 is iconic not just for Missouri but also for our entire country. So, as we look forward to next year’s anniversary of the highway, combined with America’s semiquincentennial, I’m thrilled to have all of my Missouri Press people come to our area of the state and celebrate the history that our newspapers have been chronicling this entire time.”
Following the Friday breakfast at the convention, attendees will hear from Susan Croce Kelly, who will be speaking about the Route 66 highway and the people who populated the towns along its path through Missouri.
Some may remember Kelly was a speaker at the 2024 convention, and if you don’t, just know she has several ties to newspapers, including working as a reporter at the Springfield News-Leader. An award-winning author, Kelly has written three books, with the most recent recounting the life and times of famed reporter Lucille Morris Upton, and two more on the history of Route 66.
And if you were paying attention to Missouri Press’ newsletters from earlier this year, you might have seen an appeal to provide input on a planned Route 66 story series. Featuring articles written by several different authors, including Kelly, from across the state, the series will launch next year in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of Route 66.
The articles in the series will cover a variety of topics related to the highway, from places of interest along the route to the names made famous by the highway to events that were only made possible because of the road.
One such example, billed as “the zaniest sporting event of all time,” consisted of a 3,423.5-mile footrace from Los Angeles along the whole of US 66 – still only one-third paved – to Chicago and then east to Madison Square Garden in New York. Taking place from March to May of 1928 and relying on promotion from C.C. Pyle, the leading sports promoter of the time, the event was intended to expand Route 66’s renown and when the dust settled, made it the most famous road in the world.
New stories in the series will be made available each month throughout 2026 as part of the road's centennial celebration. MPA members will be able to republish them in print and online with attribution.
A tentative schedule and link to register for MPA’s 159th Annual Convention and Trade Show is available through Missouri Press’ website, mopress.com/convention/. Call the Wildwood Hotel at (636) 733-9100 by Aug. 11 to secure a sleeping room at the MPA rate.
