Category: Route 66

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New Article in California History journal

The journal California History published an article of mine about the impact of transportation infrastructure disinvestment on Seligman, Arizona. The California connection derives from the state, and particularly Barstow, California, being the primary beneficiary of investments in interstate highways and the modernization of the Santa Fe railroad that led to the bypassing of Seligman, Arizona — a community on Route 66 and a former major hub of maintenance and switching operations for the Santa Fe railroad.

You can access the article here.

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1926-Era Route 66

The photograph below is of a portion of the 1926 alignment of U.S. Route 66 just east of Ash Fork, Arizona. This alignment of the road is several miles north of the post-war alignment that was replaced by I-40.

The road is much narrower than later versions. It has two traffic lanes but the paved portion of the road would have just been wide enough for passenger cars of the era to pass each other. Encountering a truck would have required a drive to pull over to the side of the road to allow it to pass. Pavement is the typical reddish colored macadam of the era. There are no paved shoulders or curbs throughout this section.

Route 66 east of Ash Fork, Arizona
Route 66 east of Ash Fork, Arizona (1926 Alignment)
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Could new legislation lead to a Route 66 economic revival?

Frontier Motel Sign

I wrote an article for The Conversation about Route 66 and the amendment of the National Trails System Act to add Route 66 as a federally recognized historic trail. Federal recognition brings historic preservation and economic development benefits to communities along the route.

Federal recognition will go a long way to allow places like Peach Springs, Arizona to capitalize on their history to rebuild their economies after the interstate bypass decimated them.

This old gas station, for example, qualifies for the National Register of Historic Places. This amendment could help deliver resources to get it listed and preserved.

Abandoned Standard Oil Station in Peach Springs, Arizona
An abandoned Standard Oil gas station in Peach Springs, Arizona

Read the article here: http://theconversation.com/could-new-legislation-lead-to-a-route-66-economic-revival-98601

 

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Route 66 Decertified June 26, 1985 – Significant Consequences for Route 66 Communities

Abandoned Standard Oil Station in Peach Springs, Arizona

On June 26, 1985, highway officials decertified Route 66. The decertification vote ended Route 66 as a federal highway diverting traffic away from remaining segments. This action had significant impacts for communities along the route with many suffering steep economic decline or becoming ghost towns.

 

Abandoned Standard Oil Station in Peach Springs, Arizona
An abandoned Standard Oil gas station in Peach Springs, Arizona

This abandoned gas station is in Peach Springs, AZ. Cars would have been lined up three deep at these pumps before the bypass.

An abandoned building from an auto-camp in Two Guns, Arizona.
An abandoned building from an auto-camp in Two Guns, Arizona.

The community of Two Guns, Arizona, despite getting an exit off of I-40, became a ghost town after Route 66 was decertified. Abandoned building like this former auto-camp are all that is left.

The interstate highway project was viewed by many as a shining example of progress. For many communities in America, however, it ushered in an era of steep decline and even oblivion.