Route 66
&
Communities in Arizona
This site has been "borrowed & modified from
http://www.ctaz.com/~azrt66/funrun.html
The original page was
designed by
an unknown author
Every year, the Association invites you to participate in the
"Annual Route 66 Fun Run."
First held in 1988, the Fun Run has attracted people from all over
the U.S. and many foreign countries. The three-day event, held the
first weekend of May begins in Seligman and travels 140 miles to Topock/Golden
Shores.
The event is open to all street legal vehicles--Buses, bikes,
RV's or roadsters, station wagons or Shelbys --
"Anything with wheels that runs
in 2001!"
|
Holbrook
Holbrook was founded in 1882 and accommodated early settlers and travelers.
Later, the romance of the west attracted many Easterners and tourism became
very important to the local economy. Holbrook had one of the first
Fred Harvey
Restaurants, housed in several old boxcars on a rail siding.
It is reported that the nation's first tourist camp was built in Holbrook.
When Route 66 became the official transcontinental highway, tourism flourished.
After the World War II gas shortage ended and tourism resumed, Holbrook
became an overnight mecca on the high desert. One of the most memorable
Route 66 landmarks is the Wigwam
Village, which first opened in 1950. Today, the village has been
completely renovated and reopened. Visit the Navajo County Courthouse,
built in 1898 and now occupied as a museum of Holbrook's wild and colorful
past. Tour the 1898 one-piece jail that was used until 1976.
Nearby is the Petrified
Forest National Park and to the south, Mogollon Rim Country with tall
pines, lakes and spectacular scenery. Tour the Navajo
Nation to the north; this is Navajo land, with ceremonies, traditions
and outstanding arts and crafts. Visitors may also enjoy the Hubbell
Trading Post, Canyon DeChelly, and White
House Ruins. See the Little Painted Desert and Hopi villages
on the high mesas. The Hopi ceremonies are open to the public.
Services Available:
Gas, food, lodging
and camping are plentiful
For Information Contact:
Holbrook Chamber of Commerce
100 E Arizona St, Holbrook, AZ 86025
(800) 524-2459
Winslow (Harvey House)
Winslow grew from a wagon trail to an Atlantic & Pacific Railway terminal
in 1881. Winslow's growth was rapid and the Fenton Brickyard began producing
millions of red and yellow bricks for schools, homes, churches, sidewalks,
and the old Harvey
House, which was built in the style of a Spanish ranch from the past.
The advent of the automobile further enlarged the town, making Winslow
a major stopping point for travelers along Route 66. Winslow is timeless...in
touch with the past, in tune with the future. Many cafes, trading
posts, motor courts, and garages operated all along the highway, and a
few remain open today. You'll notice reminders of years gone by in
forms very much alive, such as the original railroad depot and other historic
buildings. You may see Native American women in traditional dress
and cowboys right off the range. Explore the sights and attractions
nearby, including the Homolovi
Ruins State Park, the Little Painted Desert and Meteor
Crater.
Services Available:
24 motels, 27 restaurants
2 RV Parks
9 service stations
Camping, boating, fishing
For Information Contact:
Winslow Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 460, Winslow, AZ 86047
(520) 289-2434
Flagstaff
Settled in 1876, Flagstaff was named for the tall pine tree used as a trail
marker for California-bound wagon trains. This trail eventually became
Route 66. For years, scores of Motor Courts and cafes beckoned to
the weary traveler, and many of these have outlasted the coming of the
interstate.
Currently, the downtown area on Route 66 is undergoing a vibrant redevelopment,
and the Santa
Fe Train Depot has been revitalized as a new Visitors Center.
A "must see" is the Museum Club
on Route 66, an old log structure built in 1918. Five living trees
support the building, which now houses a dance hall and music club.
Services Available:
Gas, Food and Lodging
are plentiful
For Information Contact:
Tourist Information
101 W Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
(520) 774-4505 or (800) 842-7293
Williams
The last Route 66 town to be bypassed by I-40, Williams is known as "The
Gateway to the Grand Canyon." The one and one-half mile stretch of
Route 66 through the heart of the small town was once thick with motels,
restaurants and shops.
Today, the little town is still active. The entire downtown area
is listed in the NationalRegister for Historic Places. Route 66 buffs
will appreciate the neon signs of the intact 1940's "Motel Row."
In East Williams is the Kaibab Forest, great hiking, horseback riding and
fishing.
Services Available:
Gas, food, lodging
KOA
and Forest Service
campgrounds available
For Information Contact:
Williams/Forest Service Visitor Center
200 W. Railroad Ave.
Williams, AZ 86046
(520) 635-4061
Ash Fork
Ash Fork began as a stage depot, and grew with the coming of the railroad.
Mining was important to its economy. Route 66 runs the length of
the town and some motels, gas stations and businesses have operated since
the highway's beginning in 1926.
The town has six stone yards and ships beautiful Arizona Flagstone nationwide.
Visit their "Settler's Cemetery," an old west grave site with wooden crosses
and etched sandstone. Nearby attractions are petroglyphs (pre-historic
carvings) in Partridge Creek, and a preserved portion of Beale Wagon Road
Historical Trail.
Services Available:
4 motels,
4 restaurants
2 campgrounds
4 service stations
For Information Contact:
Ash Fork Chamber of Commerce
Ash Fork Commission for Tourism & Economic Development
P.O. Box 494
616 Lewis Avenue
Ash Fork, AZ 86320
(520) 637-2442 or (520) 637-2269
Fax (520) 637-2442
Seligman
Seligman, a railroad town founded in 1886, is situated in the beautiful
Upland Mountains of Northern Arizona. It was at a junction of the
Santa Fe Railroad's main line. Santa Fe established repair facilities
here, including the famous "Harvey
House - Road House."
In the early Route 66 years, Seligman accommodated many travelers with
motor courts galore. Seligman is rich in scenic and historic value.
Today, a visit to this small town is a step back in time, and tourism is
still an important part of the economy. Long-time resident Angel
Delgadillo, the town barber, now retired, is one of the founders of the
Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona and one of the most avid supporters
of Route 66 in the country. Down the street, Angel's brother, Juan
Delgadillo, operates the famous Snow Cap Drive In. Juan supplies
a generous serving of humor along with your food, and a stop here will
certainly be remembered!
Down the street, the Copper
Cart is still serving good food and there's always a gathering of friendly
people about. At the west end of town, Pope's General Store,
steakhouse and motel is another taste of Seligman's hospitality.
If you have ever seen a national TV show or read a book about Route 66,
it is almost certain that you have already been introduced to this fascinating
town and its memorable people. Be sure to pick up a Seligman Walking
Tour Guide at the Visitor's Center.
Services Available:
5 motels, 6 gas stations
2 campgrounds
6 restaurants
For Information Contact:
Seligman Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 65
Seligman, AZ 86337
(520) 422-3939
Grand Canyon Caverns
A grinning green dinosaur welcomes visitors to this long-familiar tourist
attraction. What is now one of the largest registered dry caverns
in the United States was once the bottom of an ancient ocean that covered
the southwest. Discovered in 1927, the caverns offer a forty-five
minute underground guided tour. You will drop twenty-one stories
(3/4 of a mile,) by elevator and walk through a string of caverns, some
the size of football fields, with stalagmites, onyx, flowstone formations
and the largest deposit of Selenite crystals, including helictites.
Services Available:
Privately owned atttraction offers a small museum of mining and ranching;
Restaurant, Motel, Gift Shop
and Campground.
No Gas service
For Information Contact:
Grand Canyon Caverns
PO Box 180
Peach Springs, AZ 86434
(520) 422-3223
Peach Springs
Route 66 crosses the southern boundary of the Hualapai Indian Reservation,
and Peach Springs is the headquarters of the tribe. Peach Springs
was at one time a western terminal of the Santa Fe Railroad, with
a road house, shops, a Harvey House restaurant, and a stage coach line.
The Shell station in Peach Springs dates back to the 1920's and is one
of the continuously operated stations to be found on all of Route 66.
Other buildings of interest are the Hualapai Wildlife Office and the new
Hualapai Lodge, which houses a great restaurant and small gift shop.
Twenty-one miles north of Peach Springs, on unpaved Diamond Creek Road,
is the Colorado River, where primitive camping is available (Tribal permits
are required from the Hualapai River Runners, and may be purchased at the
Hualapai Lodge.) Also, from May to September, river trips down the
mighty Colorado are offered.
Another special attraction is Havasupai Falls. Three miles east
of Peach Springs, turn north and travel 63 miles on the paved road. At
the end is "Hilltop," where a hiking trail leads down to beautiful Havasupai
Falls on Havasupai Tribal Land. The hike is nearly nine miles to
the bottom of the canyon, and the village of Supai. Reservations
are required for camping on the Havasupai Reservation.
Services Available:
Lodging, food and gas
For Information Contact:
Hualapai River Runners
PO Box 246
Peach Springs, AZ 86434
(520) 769-2210
Havasupai Tourist Enterprises
Supai, AZ 86435
(520) 448-2731
Truxton
Encircled by colorful and scenic terrain, this small community's roots
stretch back to the Beale Wagon Trail. Years later, in 1883, the
railroad followed with a water stop for its engines that became known as
Truxton Station. Around 1950, plans were underway to build a new
dam in the lower Colorado River, with the junction near Truxton.
In anticipation of the traffic, Donald Dilts opened the Truxton Cafe and
Clyde McCune built a service station across the street. This was
the official beginning of the town of Truxton. However, plans for
the dam were abandoned and the town maintained itself from travelers passing
through on Route 66. In 1957, the Truxton Cafe and adjacent Motel
were purchased by Ray and Mildred Barker. The Cafe is a favorite
stopping place for many regular travelers of this section of Route 66.
Mildred Barker still operates this friendly cafe and motel, offering some
of the best food to be found on the Route, (including homemade pie,) and
a helping of stories about life along the Main Street of America.
Services Available:
Service station
Grocery store
Bar and Cafe
Valentine
Established in 1898, Valentine is home of the Truxton Canon Agency Bureau
of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior. In May of 1900,
600 acres of land were set aside and an Indian School was built.
The school opened in 1917 and closed about 1937. It was reopened
later and used until 1969. The building still stands today.
Beyond the railroad tracks, the remains of "The Little Red Schoolhouse"
are visible. Built in 1924, it was used by the non-Indian students
who lived in the area.
Hackberry
Present day Hackberry is across Truxton Wash. A portion of the Old
Trails Highway goes through the settlement. Hackberry Elementary
School, painted red and white, can be seen on the edge of town. Built
in 1917, it was in use until early 1994. The old Hackberry General
Store now owned by John and Kerry Pritchard is open as a Visitor Center,
gift shop, picnic area and rest stop.
Valle Vista
VALLE VISTA
The newest community on Route 66 was established in 1972. Valle
Vista boasts an 18-hole golf course, the Valle Vista Development, and a
Country Club. Historic Route 66 from Truxton Wash Bridge continues
with a curve. This piece of highway is alleged by locals to
be "the longest continuous curve on a U.S. Highway," - approximately seven
miles.
Kingman
Access to rail and wagon route helped establish Kingman as a trade and
transportation center. By 1882, Kingman was officially a town.
Route 66 parallels the railroad track, and Kingman has always been a staunch
Route 66 town with many motels, cafes, and service stations.
Today, the I-40 Business Loop runs straight through Kingman, and is
still a major stop for travelers. The old downtown area on Route
66 has not changed much over the years, and a brief tour of Andy Devine
Ave and Beale Street will give you a glimpse of the past. Be sure
to visit the Old Courthouse (where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard were
married.) Locomotive Park is home to "Old Steam Engine #3759,
which was donated by the Santa Fe Railroad. The Mohave Museum of History
and Arts also provides an exciting look into the past.
Downtown also has the Beale Hotel that was once home to Andy Devine,
the famous movie personality. The office and gift shop of the Historic
Route 66 Association of Arizona is located at the Powerhouse Visitor Center
(on Route 66.) The building is on the National Register of Historic
Places and has recently been renovated. The Powerhouse Visitor Center is
also the home for the Tourist Information Desk, Memory Lane Diner, Powerhouse
Hobby Shop, and the Kingman Area Chamber of Commerce..
Kingman is centrally located for many interesting side trips on your
Route 66 tour: Lake Havasu City (home of the London Bridge,); Laughlin,
Nevada, the impressive little town of casinos on the Colorado River; and
Hoover Dam. Las Vegas is only 100 miles away.
Services Available:
Service and accommodations
are plentiful.
Campgrounds available
For Information Contact:
Kingman Area Tourist Information
PO Box 1150, Kingman, AZ 86402
(520) 753-6106
Oatman
At an elevation of 2,400 feet in the Black Mountains, Oatman was once the
last stop in Arizona before entering the dreaded Mohave Desert in California.
Oatman was founded in 1906 as a commercial center for nearby mining
camps, and was at one time considered to be the richest gold mining district
in the state of Arizona. There was once a time in the not-so-distant
past that the combination of mining and endless traffic on Route 66 made
Oatman a boomtown. In 1953, Route 66 was rerouted through Yucca as
the traffic had become too much for the steep, winding road.
Today, the town's one street is lined with historic buildings and boardwalks.
In the middle of town is the Historic Oatman Hotel, a unique, double-walled,
adobe two-story building. On the weekend, locals dressed up as deperadoes
stage gunfights for the camera-toting tourists.
While in Oatman, be sure to meet some of the town's "wild burros."
Descendants of the work animals of the mines, these burros have found paradise.
They nuzzle along for handouts, wandering all over Main Street, posing
for pictures and stopping traffic. These born hustlers are experts
at playing the tourist game.
Services Available:
4 restaurants
Lodging is limited
No gasoline
For Information Contact:
Oatman Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 423
Oatman, AZ 86433
(520) 768-6222
Topock/Golden Shores
Topock is a little desert settlement that sits on the east bank of the
Colorado River. If you are headed West, it is the last Arizona town
on the old highway, or the first heading East.
The Route 66 River Bridge once carried travelers across the Colorado
River toward Needles, California, and a long trek across the dreaded Mohave
Desert. This old, arched steel bridge now supports pipeline, and
travelers cross the river on I-40.
The nearby community of Golden Shores has merged with Topock as one
friendly community attracting family and retirement living. Historic
Route 66 runs through this community after a nostalgic and scenic
22-mile drive from Oatman. Some books used to advise travelers that
the portion of Route 66 between Oatman and Topock/Golden Shores was not
recommended for travel. This is no longer the case. Through
the efforts of the people of these communities, this portion of Route 66
has been completely resurfaced, is maintained, and provides a scenic and
delightful drive. The Federal Bureau of Land Management has dedicated
this section of highway from Topock/Golden Shores through Oatman to McConnico
(west of Kingman,) as a Historic National Back Country Byway." This
truly signifies the importance and scenic value of this fascinating stretch
of the original Route 66.
The Havasu Wildlife
Refuge is located just off of Route 66, and the Colorado River at Topock
provides unlimited opportunities for water sports and recreation.
Services Available:
5 restaurants, 2 gas stations
Campground on Wildlife Refuge
No motels
For Information Contact:
Topock/GoldenShores Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 663, Topock, AZ 86436
(520) 768-1110
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