Route 66 in the News
Keeping Memories Alive
2008-03-08 09:09:33
ONTARIO, Calif. - This great road came into existence in 1926 and ran through three time zones and eight states.
Route 66 ran diagonally across the country unlike other highways at the time.
Early in its creation, it was known as The Great Diagonal Way.
It ran from Chicago, Illinois through the states of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and ended in Los Angeles California. The 3,940 km (2,448 miles) highway acquired other names as well.
It was initially advertised as The Main Street of America to promote its use.
As its popularity increased, it was the first highway to be completely paved in 1930.
It was nicknamed the Mother Road in John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939.
The novel detailed the migration of people westward from Oklahoma's dust bowl to California and described the problems they faced along the way.
What is it about this piece of real estate that was known by several names and endeared to generations? In 1946 jazz composer and pianist Bobby Troup wrote a song about the road after driving out to California. The refrain from "Get your Kicks on Route 66" is still well-known today.
This beloved road was immortalized by the T.V. show Route 66, that aired from 1960 to 1964, about the motoring adventures of two young men in a Corvette. Truckers loved the road because much of it was fairly flat.
Many lives were touched by this real estate.
Small businesses like restaurants, cafes, service stations, curio shops and custard stands developed and prospered.
The route can probably be credited with the introduction of fast food. The first McDonald's began on Route 66 in San Bernardino, California.
Although the road was officially removed from the U.S. highway system on June 27, 1985, some of it can still be driven today.
My wife and I jumped at the chance to motor along a bit of nostalgia.
The longest remaining stretch of the Mother Road is in Arizona where 159 miles are accessible. Old Route 66 is not always indicated on maps today.
It dead-ends here and there and often joins up with the modern interstate highways.
The advantage in taking Route 66 is that unlike the interstate, it travels right through the heart of quaint towns.
From the New Mexico border we traveled west along historic 66 to the western border of Arizona.
The highway goes through the scenic northern section of the state. Initially we found ourselves in Navajo country and driving past the Painted Cliffs which are picturesque with their colored sand.
While there are a number of trading posts along the way selling jewelry, souvenirs and moccasins, we did find a more interesting trading post about ten miles from the New Mexico boarder.
We had to drive an unpaved road but found the Querino Trading Post (near Ortega) which sells goods to the Navajos rather than to tourists.
The friendly owner was accepting handmade rugs from a few Navajos as payment for their purchases and was willing to sell them to us at a remarkably low price. She even offered to put us in touch with a weaver who would make a rug to order.
Unusual scenery greets the eyes at the Petrified Forest, where trees 225 million-years old are now stone.
Further on the pretty city of Flagstaff has re-named all but a few blocks of Santa Fe Avenue as Route 66.
The Mother Road travels through many hamlets including the isolated spot of Hackberry where a vintage Corvette is parked in front of the Hackberry General Store. The store itself is a veritable museum piece of Route 66 paraphernalia.
The store has been kept as original as possible by its owners, the Pritchards.
The wild burros in the ghost town of Oatman will readily take food from your hands.
It was pure pleasure to observe how well the memory of The Main Street of America is being kept.
In 2008, the World Monuments Fund named Route 66 to its list of 100 most endangered sites. Illinois, Arizona and New Mexico have declared it a National Scenic Byway. There are wonderful good finds along this road.
Make sure you have a camera.
~WellandTribune.ca
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