"At minimum, we'd be talking about photographs of current and past Route 66 landmarks in Jasper County," he said.

Belk is a participant in the Route 66 documentary that will air this fall. Local filming, Belk said, has included the Carthage courthouse, the Boots Motel and local residents such as Bunny Newton in Joplin; Terry James, in Webb City; and Dick Ferguson and Mark Goodman, in Carthage. Goodman and his family restored the 66 Drive-In Theater west of Carthage.

"We get lots of local families, but we also get people who drive the route if they're stopping in the area on the weekend," he said. "And not a day goes by that I can't go down in front and find someone taking pictures, because they know we're the last original 66 drive-in."

About 55 half-hour segments have been recorded that are now being distilled into a program to air in September, said Tom Carter, broadcast manager with Ozarks Public Television. The program will include the history of the road, a road trip from St. Louis to Joplin, and a focus on preservation and the continued interest in the road, he said.

Magical

"There's something magical about that highway. It's different things for different people, but it resonates and crosses borders and cultures."

Source: Tom Carter, broadcast manager, Ozarks Public Television