Yes, they paved the cow path (sort of)
Apparently, the original pioneers moving west called the Northern route through Arizona ‘the 35th parallel road’. This trail was a daunting path between water points and could involve violence or trade with local native Indians (depending on the political climate of the moment).
Then, the road evolved into the ‘Beale Wagon Road’ a better road as miners moved into the area to extract the vast turquoise, silver and gold found in the nearby mountains.
Finally, the road was renamed Route 66 and became a major route in the great depression for refugees fleeing the mid-west to California. Think John Steinbeck’s ‘Grapes of Wrath’. 200,000 people moving west through the desert on bad roads, with breaking down cars (EMF’s = Every morning fix-its), not much money, and hungry children. But, when they got to the California border, they found signs telling them they weren’t welcome and to turn back. It is estimated that only 8% stayed; within a few years, most of the rest returned to the mid-west.
It wasn’t until the prosperity after WWII in the 50’s and 60’s, that Route 66 became a primo tourist route from Chicago to L.A. A railroad runs along the route. Finally, Interstate 40 replaced Route 66 and most of the towns along it’s Arizona length have struggled to remain relevant – lots of ghost towns with a few sections maintained for tourists.
Kingman is in the middle of the longest remaining original section of Hwy 66 (159 miles)!!
Kingman is a great base camp for day trips to a lot of cool places in the area. There is a cute historic downtown with some original buildings, a number of kitchy Route 66 themed places, a decent museum and, a Route 66 Museum at the Visitor Center.
A quirky inclusion in the Visitor Center is an electric car exhibit! I was interested in the different types of steering wheels. In addition to the normal round steering wheel, some cars had a stick (kind of like the steering on a wagon).
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| Old ones |
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| Experimental new ones |
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| Cute ones |
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| So many tiny cars! |
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| Even Willie Nelson's Rolls Royc themed Golf cart |
Color me surprised!!
A street named ‘Andy Devine’ and a big display in the museum should have clued me in – but I didn’t connect with the name until I saw his photo. Oh – that’s Andy Devine!! He was born in Flagstaff, but spent his childhood in Kingman – so they claim him! You would recognize his face and would know him for his odd wheezing voice (the result of a childhood accident).
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| NBC photo by Paul Bailey |
He appeared in over 400 films as a character actor, he moved with ease from ‘B’ westerns to ‘A’ pictures. He played ‘Cookie’ in films with Roy Rogers; was in several movies with John Wayne, including ‘Stagecoach’ and ‘Island in the Sky’.
