ROUTE June / July 2019

ROUTE THE MAGAZINE THAT CELEBRATES ROAD TRAVEL, VINTAGE AMERICANA AND ROUTE 66

Magazine

End of an Era in Arizona

One Man’s Dream Ed Galloway’s Totems

June/July 2019 $5.99

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THERE’S A NEW GIANT IN TOWN ON ROUTE 66 WITH FILMMAKER JOHN PAGET THE LEGEND OF TWO GUNS IN PICTURES ROUTE Magazine i

With more than 300 days of sunshine a year – and a unique mix of tranquil waters, rugged mountains, and tons of fun – it’s hard to stay inside. Discover Lake Havasu City – just a short drive from Route 66 – and play like you mean it.Ž

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FROM THE CHISHOLM TRAIL TO THE MOTHER ROAD America’s premier institution of Western history, art and culture

The Museum Store

Shop one of the largest selections of Native American-made jewelry at The Museum Store or online at store.nationalcowboymuseum.org

Open Daily • 1700 NE 63rd St. • 15 minutes north of Downtown OKC, along Route 66 nationalcowboymuseum.org • (405) 478-2250 Oscar E. Berninghaus, Arrival of the Wells Fargo Stage, n.d., Oil on canvas, 2010.17.03, Gift of Miriam S. Hogan Trust ROUTE Magazine 1

Miami – Marvel at rare motorcycles, memorabilia and Evel Knievel’s Mission Control Super Van at the Vintage Iron Motorcycle Museum.

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Tulsa – Explore unique galleries and exhibits at the Gilcrease Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of art and artifacts of the American West.

Tulsa – Discover ancient and modern masterpieces at the Philbrook Museum of Art, a Redbook magazine Top-50 Vacation Destination.

Oklahoma History Center – Oklahoma City See a replica of Wiley Post’s famous Winnie Mae plane.

Plan your memorable Route 66 road trip at Travel

Oklahoma City – At the SKELETONS: Museum of Osteology, see 300+ fascinating skeletons, from a tiny shrew to a 40-foot humpback whale!

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Clinton – Explore the golden age of the Mother Road amid stunning vehicles, artifacts and mementos at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum.

ROUTE Magazine 3

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BEYOND FARM TO TABLE Pioneering a more resilient local food system

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Visit Decatur, Illinois

Closer than You Think

Only forty miles east of Springfield, Illinois, Decatur is rich in attractions. Shortly after our friendly city was established in 1829, a lanky, 21-year-old gent named Abraham Lincoln arrived, thus establishing his first residence in “The Prairie State.” Monuments or markers commemorating important events in Lincoln’s life are scattered throughout the city, including a bronze plaque where his father’s cabin originally stood. A chair from Lincoln’s law office is on display at the Macon County History Museum and other priceless Lincoln artifacts stand proudly on exhibition.

Downtown Decatur’s scenic shopping district, including Historic Merchant Street, has dozens of cool, locally-owned shops and restaurants that are guaranteed to harken you back to yesteryear, while creating some new memories too.

The Children’s Museum is ranked as one of the country’s premier children’s museums and the Scovill Zoo exhibits 400 animals from six continents. Decatur has an abundance of wooded hiking and horseback trails and Lake Decatur’s 2,800-acres is excellent for catching catfish, walleye, and white bass and for its wonderful views. There is something for everyone in Decatur.

Whether you are planning a solo trip, a weekend getaway with your family or are making a memorable trip down iconic Route 66, our quaint picturesque town has something for everyone. We want to share it with you.

www.decaturcvb.com

CONTENTS

Oatman, Arizona. Photograph courtesy of Efren Lopez/Route66Images.

22 Bye Bye Bedrock

As Bedrock City, Arizona, comes to an end this year, the family behind it reflects on the joys of life amongst the Flintstones and on the journey of the quirky park.

30 Mystery of Two Guns

In the abandoned town of Two Guns, Arizona’s high desert plays host to the wild beauty, colorful history and the rugged character of the American West.

40 Carrying on Tradition

58 The Masterpiece

Native American culture comes alive in the world’s largest Navajo rug, which holds a remarkable story of determination, ingenuity and creativity. Now on show in Winslow, the rug’s story demands to be told.

62 Capturing 66 On Film

Filmmaker John Paget shares his experiences capturing Route 66 on film, his favorite places on the Mother Road and the joys of road travel more than a decade ago.

Community is at the heart of Nelson’s Old Riverton Store, where one special family’s unique history humbly rests on the Kansas plains. This is their story.

46 True to Herself

In a candid interview with ROUTE, respected actress Laura Linney talks about life onstage, her hit show Ozark, the wonders of motherhood, and staying true to herself in a high-pressure world.

54 A Quiet Place

At the Ed Galloway Totem Pole Park in sleepy Foyil, Oklahoma, one man’s incredible vision and carved creations continue to touch people’s lives and provide a place of tranquility.

But where did the dream begin?

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ON THE COVER The Mojave River Bridge, northwest of Victorville, California. 2001. Photograph courtesy of Terrence Moore and featured in his 2018 book, 66 on 66: A Photographer’s Journey.

Experience the good life in the slow lane along

Illinois Route 66

Get youINr Kicks

Dwight & Pontiac Museums, Murals and More in Dwight and Pontiac Illinois.

of Fame te 66 Hall Illinois Rou - Pontiac, Illinois m & Museu

Oughton Estate Windmill Dwight, Illinois

side mural Route 66 road ois Pontiac, Illin Ambler’s Texaco Gas StationDwight, Illinois

visitpontiac.org #playinpontiacil 815.844.5847

dwightillinois.org #dwightillinois 815.584.3077 ROUTE Magazine 7

EDITORIAL It is estimated that per annum there is over $132 million spent along Route 66. That is a lot of money and an essential infusion of income into small and large towns across the Mother Road. This year there is potential for that number to be even higher.

If you are planning on hitting America’s two-lane highways this summer, why not slow down a little and take advantage of physically being in the heart and soul of the country? Soak in the atmosphere and talk and listen to the people. It is a guarantee that they will have something to say and will welcome your company.

Later this month I am getting back on the road myself. It has been close to 10 months since I last meandered down America’s Main Street and I am itching to get moving. That does not mean that I have been sitting still all year. I’ve been all through northern Pennsylvania and checked out highway 219 and the picturesque scenic route of Highway 6. I’ve also discovered New York’s Highway 20 and a bunch of other quiet roadways through the state. But like so many of you, work and life’s concerns generally keep me more chained to my desk and routine than I would like. But my attitude is simply that this makes travel that much sweeter when I do manage to break free and go exploring. That said, I must admit that after traveling most of the country over the past 25 years, no road can compare to the wonders of Route 66. The sheer number of roadside attractions, quirky small towns, scenic beauty and human stories is unmatched, and as such, continues to pull me every chance I get.

So, if you are planning on being out on the road this summer, please drive slow and safe and take it all in. Remember, this is your opportunity to discover America and to allow it to impact you. And if you happen to run into any of us from ROUTE, make sure to stop us and say hello.

In this issue, the first of our two big summer issues, we have some fascinating tales to tell that focus on several iconic stops on and off of Route 66. Earlier this year it was announced that Bedrock City in Arizona was sold, closed and being dismantled. It is an end of an era and for many, sad news. Olivia McClure gets deep into the story of the much-loved park and the family who dreamed its creation.

While Kansas may only hold close to 13 miles of Mother Road, what it does offer is undeniably special and has been impacting travelers for decades. Perhaps the most well-known stop along the way is the tiny Riverton General Store, an attraction that has a fun colorful story that speaks of multiple families who invested their lives and ambitions into the Route 66 business. It is a great story that many of you will relate to. We also share the journey of Oklahoma native Ed Galloway and the creation and preservation of his tranquil totem pole park in Foyil, Oklahoma. Galloway built and left a legacy that thousands continue to enjoy each year. In my book, it may well be one of the most special places along the Will Rogers Highway.

America is packed with iconic scenery, unforgettable stories and so much to do that a lifetime of road trips could not capture it all. But that is the joy of travel; we have an opportunity to get out and bite off one or two pieces at a time and retain and share those memories for the rest of our lives.

Blessings, Brennen Matthews Editor

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ROUTE PUBLISHER Thin Tread Media EDITOR Brennen Matthews DEPUTY EDITOR Kate Wambui EDITOR-AT-LARGE Nick Gerlich LEAD EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHER David J. Schwartz LAYOUT AND DESIGN Tom Heffron EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Amanda Schroeder Cody Powell Frank Jastrzembski DIGITAL Matthew Alves CONTRIBUTORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Cecil Stehelin C.G.P Grey Daniel Lutzick Ed Galloway Totem Pole Park Efren Lopez/Route66Images Jana Taylor Jenny Mallon Jim Bolin John Paget Mary P. Martin Nino Munoz Olivia McClure Rogers County Historical Society Ryan Duggan Sandra Jungling Scott Nelson Terrence Moore Editorial submissions should be sent to brennen@routemagazine.us To subscribe visit www.routemagazine.us.

Advertising inquiries should be sent to advertising@routemagazine. us or call 905 399 9912.

ROUTE is published six times per year by Thin Tread Media. No part of this publication may be copied or reprinted without the written consent of the publisher. The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or staff. ROUTE does not take any responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photography.

ROUTE Magazine 9

ROUTE REPORT While the route is steeped in history, it is also constantly changing, and we’re here to bring you all the latest news: what’s happening, who’s driving the future of The Mother Road, and why it all matters.

Buddhist Monk Walking Much of Route 66 If you were in the western half of Route 66 and saw what appeared to be an orange-clad Buddhist monk walking on the side of the road, it probably was a Buddhist monk.

The Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff caught up with Sutham Nateetong when he was in town.

The Thai Buddhist monk was resting his legs after walking some 400 miles from Santa Monica, California, on his journey to the Statue of Liberty.

The two-time graduate of Thammasat University and Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok — where he received degrees in law and public administration, respectively — began his walk on March 1, he said, and plans to arrive in New York City in late June if all goes to plan. […]

Nateetong said the adverse weather has been challenging — extremely hot temperatures in California and Nevada and very cold ones once he reached Ash Fork and then Williams.

“At night I sleep at motels or in a tent,” said Nateetong, who has received gifts in the form of accommodation for much of his trip. “But if it is too cold, we get [a] motel.”

It’s not clear what exactly Nateetong’s path will be, but he’ll probably use the same trail as other peace pilgrims before him.

Nateetong is the latest person to walk coast to coast — much of the Mother Road — for peace. The most famous was Peace Pilgrim — a woman who walked about 25,000 miles over almost a 30-year period before her untimely death in an auto accident in 1981.

One of the most recent examples of walking Route 66 for peace was Swami Sankarananda, a former businessman turned yogi now based in Arizona.

Original Route 66 Alignment Verified Near Newkirk Several respected Route 66 researchers announced in the middle of April that they had verified a section of dirt road near Newkirk, New Mexico, that was part of original Route 66 during the 1920s.

The old alignment runs south and west of Newkirk — part of it on private land. The bonus is the alignment runs right by the old Newkirk Cemetery, southwest of the village.

Jim Ross explained in a Facebook post: There have been a lot of unanswered questions about exactly how the first alignment left Newkirk, NM heading west toward Cuervo. A couple of years ago, myself, Jerry McClanahan and Frank Maloney collaborated to piece it together. Here is the result. Note: Some of this is on private property, so not all culverts are assumed to be depicted.

That unpaved section remained Route 66 until the highway was realigned to the north with a paved road during the early to mid-1930s.

Vacuum Cleaner Museum in St. James Closed for Good

Citing a “decline in physical attendance,” the Vacuum Cleaner Museum in St. James, Missouri, announced it closed its doors permanently in late April.

“While we have spent nearly 10 years as a fun tourist stop along Highway 44, we believe the time has come to close the iconic Vacuum Cleaner Museum located in St. James, Missouri.

With the various online and digital options available to vacuum enthusiasts, we were experiencing a decline in physical attendance at the museum. We have decided to redirect those resources to promote regional awareness of the Riccar and Simplicity brands being produced in the St. James facility.

We are thankful to the local St. James and vacuum enthusiast community for the support you’ve provided us through the years. While we will miss being a roadside stop along Highway 44, we are excited about the next chapter of innovation and community involvement stemming from this facility and the home floor care division.”

The post does not elaborate on what will happen to the extensive vacuum collection.

All news and copy for this page has been sourced, created and written by www.route66news.com.

Revisions to text have been made in some instances by ROUTE Magazine.

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Foss State Park — Foss Just 6 miles off the Mother Road!

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ESSENTIALS

ESSENTIAL Route 66 Attractions Route 66 is known for its wonderful roadside attractions like The Big Blue Whale and quirky theme motels, but what about those that are off the road and within easy shooting distance?

In this issue we have some ideas!

TI NK ERTOWN MUSEUM

Desert,” The Thing was brought to a spot near Benson, Arizona, in 1965, by lawyer Thomas Prince, who died in 1969, but his attraction lives on.

The classic American roadside attraction can take many forms, and in Sandia Park, New Mexico, you can find a miniature museum that was made in one man’s free time.

Coming to rest not far from Albuquerque, the Tinkertown Museum is a folk art attraction that is the creation of Ross Ward, who passed away in the early 2000s. Ward began carving his miniatures in the ‘60s, and the museum grew from there, with Old West and carnival scenes, along with ones depicting old storefronts. What makes Tinkertown even more unique is that the museum is constructed out of glass bottles.

Built in 1991, in Baker, California, by the Young Electric Sign Company of Salt Lake City for local business owner Willia Herron, the thermometer is 134 feet tall, and has been repaired several times over the years. Baker is known as the Gateway to Death Valley, and in 1913, Death Valley had a temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the highest ever recorded in America, so the thermometer was built to 134 feet in accordance to that record.

PR ADA MAR FA

TOWN OF HATCH

On a lonely road in Valentine, Texas, something unique can be spied. Out in the middle of nowhere is a storefront that was never meant to do business, but instead, was created as a modern art piece in 2005, by artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset. Tackling commercialism, the attraction is a mock-up of a Prada store with shoes and handbags on display inside. If you like taking photos in unique settings, then this might be a place for you.

Located in the southwestern part of the state, and south of Albuquerque along Interstate 25 and north of El Paso, Hatch, NM is called the “Chile Capital of the World” for a reason. Every year in the small town, the Hatch Chile Festival is held on Labor Day and is a two-day festival with lots of food, music, vendors, a parade, and the coronation of the Chile Queen. The festival attracts over 30,000 people, and for you foodies, the community has its own varieties of peppers.

TH E TH I NG

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GIA NT R ATTLESNAK E I N TH E M EDIA N Photo courtesy of C.G.P. Grey.

What is The Thing? That is probably a question many have asked after seeing signs advertising it between Tucson and El Paso on Interstate 10. The Thing is a callback to the days of P.T. Barnum, when the sideshow was a primary roadside attraction, and its origin is surrounded in controversy. With billboards calling it the “Mystery of the

The Giant Rattlesnake in the Median statue in Albuquerque, NM is a sculpture dedicated to one of America’s most fearsome reptiles. Constructed out of rocks, it is 400-feet in length, and is kind of hard to locate for newcomers, but it can be found in the area of Interstate 25 on University Boulevard. If you don’t have a case of ophidiophobia, and are looking for a hidden surprise, the Giant Rattlesnake in the Median could be for you.

Photo courtesy of Jana Taylor.

WOR LD’S TALLEST TH ER MOM ETER

ROUTE Magazine 13

THE YEAR OF 1985

THE COLOR PURPLE Mother Road enthusiasts often think of ��85 as the tragic year that marked the final decommission of legendary Route 66. But what else was happening that year? This series takes a look at the cultural and social milieu from which Route 66 drove its last mile — the famous, the infamous, the inventions, and the scandals that marked ��85 as a pivotal year. In this issue, we take you back to the release of an epic tale that left a stamp on the American consciousness.

C

oming off the success of his blockbuster films, Jaws, E.T., and Raiders of the Lost Ark, Steven Spielberg directed and released his eighth—and most controversial—film to-date in 1985. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native set his sights on a different type of project, a more evocative story that would get America talking. He would produce a film version of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1983 novel The Color Purple. “I started reading it and I couldn’t stop,” Spielberg admitted.

He explained the novel left him “with a residue of emotion” that he had to share with moviegoers.

Initially, Spielberg had doubts that he could recreate the novel into a motion picture but yielded when the idea “kept gnawing” at him. He knew that the film — the tale of an African American woman faced with incest and abuse — would be unlike anything that he had ever directed. “I really wanted to challenge myself with something that was not stereotypically a Spielberg movie,” he reasoned. “Not to try to prove anything, or to show off — but just to try to use a different set of muscles.”

The film was an instant success when it hit theaters in December 1985. It cost $15 million to produce but earned $142 million, with $100 million just within the first 10 months of its release. Despite the film’s hefty profit, it generated the most controversy of any of Spielberg’s movies.

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In 1986, the film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards at the Oscars. These included nominations for Whoopi Goldberg as Best Actress in a Leading Role and for both Margaret Avery and Oprah Winfrey as Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Strangely, Spielberg failed to earn a nomination for Best Director. The film tied the record — shared with The Turning Point — for the film with the most nominations failing to receive a single award.

While many applauded the film, others claimed it stereotyped African Americans. The greatest outcry came from men, who declared the film negatively depicted black males as abusive and chauvinist. “This movie is not trying to represent the history of black people in this country any more than The Godfather was trying to represent the history of Italian-Americans,” Winfrey declared in the film’s defense. “In this case, it’s one woman’s story.”

Despite the controversy surrounding it, The Color Purple remains one of the most powerful films produced in the last 30 years and impacted a decade of moviegoers in both America and abroad. It spawned The Color Purple Broadway revival in 2015, and Spielberg and Winfrey are currently producing an adaptation of the film set for release in 2020.

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Trucker Music Legend W

hen envisioning those that make their way down 66, the long haul truck driver doesn’t necessarily come to mind. Yet, the iconic American trucker - ball cap donned, flannel clad, maybe with a bit of scruff and a certain mystique attached to him - has always called the old road home and has been plying it’s well-worn tarmac for as long as there has been a Route 66.

In the heyday of the Mother Road, country music stars like Johnny Cash and Marty Robbins sung ballads about cowboys and folk heroes, but to legendary country artist Red Sovine, the crackling voice coming over the citizen’s band (CB) radio, was part of a different story to tell. He wasn’t the only one doing trucker songs at the time, but he did become synonymous with them over the years. Sovine told the stories of the truck drivers who kept the lifeblood of American commerce flowing, and he gave them a voice in American culture with his songs. In doing so, he found his niche, bringing the truck culture upfront and into the American consciousness.

Born in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1917, Woodrow Wilson Sovine would eventually become Red Sovine and even costarred with Hank Williams on a radio show early on before his career really hit the open road in the ‘60s. Sovine’s songs, a lot of them ballads, told a mix of joyful and sorrowful stories of life that could bring tears to even the most hardened long haul trucker.

With Sovine’s music, truck drivers joined cowboys, mountain men and tall tale legends like Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan as folk heroes in popular American culture at the time, which allowed their stories to be fully told past all of the trucker stereotypes. His music also spoke to the need of Americans to seek travel and chase a little adventure on the highway. More than anything, his music told stories that resonated with listeners, young and old alike.

The first song that really propelled Sovine’s career, and earned him the reputation of a truck-driving bard was the 1965 hit “Giddyup Go,” which focused on a truck driver and 16 ROUTE Magazine

his son and their separation and a chance reunification over a truck named Giddyup Go on Route 66. The trucker’s life and all of its ups and downs is mixed with the poetic description of life on the highway and making a living by it.

Sovine’s next big hit mixed a trucker/hitchhiker ballad with a classic American urban legend in 1967’s “Phantom 309” which further cemented his legacy as a big-wheeling country artist. A wandering hitchhiker comes to find that the truck driver who gave him a ride has a strange aura about him, as well as a heroic past. A haunting melody reverberates throughout the song with an ending that leaves the hitchhiker speechless at who just picked him up.

In 1976, Sovine’s trucking songs kept rolling down the highway with “Little Joe,” which gave the trucker ballad a companion in man’s best friend.

In the same vein as Old Yeller and Walter Brennan’s “Old Shep,” a truck driver comes across a stray dog and the pair become traveling companions with a bond only Lassie can match.

But in the same year, even the success of “Little Joe” would be beat, when the song that would be his most successful on the charts was released. “Teddy Bear” sees Sovine’s folk hero truck drivers at their best in a mournful story that involves an old CB radio and a paraplegic boy who wants only to take one more ride in a semi-truck. The young boy’s story starts sorrowful, but like “Giddyup Go,” things turn to tears of joy, as all the big rigs come around and give the boy called Teddy Bear a big surprise.

Sovine continued to find success over the following years, and did covers of songs like “Old Rivers” and “Bringing Mary Home,” but it was his folk hero truck driver songs that are his legacy. And though he has been gone since 1980 - after suffering from a heart attack while driving in Nashville, and eventually succumbing to the heart attack and his injuries sustained in the resulting car crash - his trucking hits seem to be eternal, and tell the stories of the forgotten American blue-collar folk heroes who still move up and down the highways. Sovine’s music continues to be a tribute to the unsung truckers.

Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Red Sovine

ROUTE Magazine 17

I

n the eastern region of Illinois sits Casey, a small, unassuming town of roughly 2,700 people. Most Americans have never heard of the town. Heck, most Illinois residents would scratch their head when trying to find Casey on the map. But this little gem offers something unexpected. There may well be more ‘largest’ sightings in this tranquil spot than in any other town in the country.

Truly, Casey is full of surprises — and they’re bigger than you might expect.

The town’s record book beginnings actually has an interesting story. Casey resident Jim Bolin was vacationing in Colorado with his family when he had an epiphany moment that would change the fate of Casey forever. After visiting a charming tea shop during their travels, Bolin decided that Casey needed something similar to draw in tourists. In truth, the town needed all the financial support that it could get.

Casey had been struggling since the early 2000s, following the closure of a few factories and the subsequent loss of much of the town’s employment. As a result, many shops closed and homes sat empty, waiting for a stroke of entrepreneurial genius to save their town.

Bolin wanted to bring life back into Casey, and became determined to make that happen. He and his family decided that opening a shop wasn’t the best idea, since it would only lead to competition with other stores. They realized that they needed something that would outscore the competition. They needed something that would bring in tourists from all over — something that was larger than life, or at least, the average traveler’s imagination. “If we do this, we want to think outside of the box, and try to bring something else in, to bring people from off the Interstate,” Bolin recalled. Sitting on his porch one evening, listening to the sound of his wind chimes, Bolin was struck with inspiration: “I wonder what the world’s largest wind chime is?” he thought. Little did he know that that small thought would have a massive impact on his community and life.

The Bolin family’s pipeline and tank maintenance company serendipitously made the building of his ‘World’s Largest’ wind chime an attainable goal. They used old pipes they had on-hand to help construct the giant object. Initially, the wind chime was going to be their only project, but after seeing the traffic that it brought in, they began brainstorming other ways to interest visitors. Bolin employed his woodworking and wood carving skills to embark on new projects: a giant 18 ROUTE Magazine

crochet hook and pair of knitting needles. Impressive as they are, they have unfortunately recently lost the Guinness World Records title, but still remain big attractions for the town. It seems that there is a hunger for the enviable title of ‘largest’ everywhere around the world. From there, a pair of wooden shoes were built, which weighed a whopping 5,000 pounds.

Following the wooden shoes, they constructed a giant, functional mailbox with a measurement of 5,743.41 cubic feet, qualifying as the ‘World’s Largest.’ In short, they were on a roll.

Casey is now home to six of the ‘World’s Largest’ things, including the wind chime, mailbox, wooden shoes, golf tee, pitchfork and rocking chair, narrowly beating out the famed Rocker off of Route 66 in Fanning, Missouri. With plans to reach twelve items that all hold the title of ‘World’s Largest,’ Bolin is currently in the process of building six more. Along with the ‘World’s Largest’ items, the town is also home to some ‘Big Things’ as well. A big pencil, ruler and birdcage are among other ‘Big Things’ not recognized

by Guinness that continue to entice tourists. Whether ‘big’ or ‘large,’ Casey’s giant objects receive the special treatment they deserve. Unlike other roadside attractions that tend to be right on the highway, Casey’s are within town and are often surrounded by beautiful, lush landscaping rather than a parking lot.

To say Bolin’s giant enterprise has made an impact on the town would be an understatement. Davie Liebenow, owner of the Casey’s Candy Depot - home to the wooden shoes credits Bolin for the traffic of roughly 4,000 weekly tourists in Casey: “It’s been put back on the map, and so we have a huge influx of visitors that come up off the highway to visit us. There’s been a whole shift in the community in terms of pride.”

With the introduction of its famous giant objects, Casey residents have a renewed appreciation for their town.

Residents have begun renovating their homes, while the downtown area is undergoing extensive refurbishment.

With the arrival of these unusual tourist attractions, Casey has truly come into its own. Nowhere else in the nation is the spirit of small-town America more alive than in the quirky, endearing town of Casey, where unusual attractions take on a different height — literally.

People often say that things are bigger in America, and for the small town of Casey, the saying rings true.

Photograph courtesy of Jim Bolin.

Everything is Bigger in CASEY

ROUTE 66 WAS COM MISSIONED IN 1926, A ND W HEN THE SIGNS W ENT UP ON JACKSON BOULEVA R D, TR AV ELER S FOU ND LOU MITCHELL’S WA ITING FOR THEM. We’ve been feeding hungr y travelers with comfort food since 1923. Drop in and enjoy our famous breakfast and/ or lunch. Lou Mitchell ’s is steeped in tradition and is the oldest continually-running restaurant in Chicago.

Lou Mitchell’s 565 W. Jackson Blvd • Chicago, IL 60661-5701 Tel: (312) 939-3111 • www.loumitchells.com

R OU T E 6 6 ’ S F I R S T S T OP S I N C E 19 2 6 ROUTE Magazine 19

BYE BYE

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BEDROCK

By Olivia McClure

Photographs by Sandra Jungling

ROUTE Magazine 21

B

efore The Simpsons became the longest-running primetime animated TV series in history, this proud title belonged to The Flintstones.

The Flintstones originally aired on ABC on September 30, 1960 with an episode titled “The Flintstone Flyer,” in which Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble fool their wives, Wilma and Betty, to avoid spending a night at the opera in favor of a trip to the bowling alley. And thus, America was introduced to the peculiar antics and neverending sarcasm that defined one of the most successful animated series in television history.

From the moment The Flintstones premiered, the series garnered a massive fan following, which secured the show six seasons by the time the final episode aired on April 1, 1966.

Viewers couldn’t get enough of Fred Flintstone’s constant comical blunders and the family’s prehistoric pet, Dino, with its endearingly dog-like personality. Adult viewers could sympathize with Fred for being frustrated with his irritable boss, while younger audiences loved the Rubbles’ friendly pet “hopparoo,” a kangaroo-dinosaur hybrid. For the show’s creators, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, The Flintstones was an overwhelming success, capturing the hearts of audiences of all ages with its wit and occasional, real-life wisdom.

It’s been several decades since The Flintstones ended its wildly successful run, but its impact on popular culture can still be seen today. The show spawned both a

Wilma Flintstone 22 ROUTE Magazine

spin-off series and a live-action film, while establishing itself as a merchandising giant. Today, children can munch on Flintstones Chewable Vitamins before sitting down to a bowl of Flintstones-inspired Fruity Pebbles cereal. The Flintstones has also inspired children’s lunchboxes, Halloween costumes and even a Google Doodle on the show’s 50th anniversary.

At the time The Flintstones hit the airwaves, life in America was marked by a greater sense of simplicity and a better understanding of human relationships. The series emerged at a time before smartphones replaced old-fashioned car-ride conversations and finding places to discover off the road was as exciting as securing an internet connection.

While social media gives us exactly what we expect to see, vintage road travel was defined by the unexpected, which is what made it so wholesome and undeniably human.

Roadside attractions beckoned to travelers with the promise of unforeseen, quirky fun. But perhaps, out of the many roadside attractions that dotted the American landscape during the late 20th Century, the one that stood out the most to travelers was the undeniably authentic, unconventional Bedrock City.

The Stone Age Comes to South Dakota Behind the creation of Bedrock City was a man known as Francis “Hudi” Speckels and his father, Woody Speckels.

Neither of them was a self-proclaimed Flintstones fanatic,

but rather, men with ambitious ideas for a unique tourist attraction. The Speckels’ entrepreneurial venture came at a time when Disneyland was only a decade old and seeing millions of visitors per year. Having witnessed how successful a theme park could be, the duo decided to break ground on a new attraction, although neither of them anticipated how successful Bedrock City would become.

Like Disneyland, it would also be inspired by a popular animated cartoon. However, this one wasn’t based on the adventures of a singing mouse, but rather the rambunctious exploits of a prehistoric family with remarkably modern-day problems.

Nestled in Custer’s undulating Black Hills, Bedrock City, South Dakota, opened in 1966 and spanned 62 acres. The park contained numerous cement statues of Flintstone characters, a diner, a large gift shop and an adjacent campground — complete with a 20-foot-tall statue of Dino towering over visitors at the park’s entrance and a Bronto Rib drive-in restaurant. At the end of the park’s Main Street stood “Mt. Rockmore,” which featured the heads of Fred, Barney, Dino and Mr. Granitebilt and served as a nod to nearby Mt. Rushmore.

Old video footage of families at Bedrock City, South Dakota, depicts excited children curiously poking their heads inside the park’s flat-roofed, primeval dwellings, posing next to oversized statues and climbing onto the back of a cement replica of Baby Puss, the Flintstones’ pet sabertoothed tiger. Their parents watch on, themselves equally amused by Bedrock City’s unique, quirky nostalgic charm.

But Bedrock City was more than a quirky tourist attraction. It became an ethereal paradise for Francis Speckels’ young daughter, now named Tana Glasscock.

Photos of a young Glasscock at the park capture her posing beside eclectic caricatures, grinning from ear to ear as she relished in the childish beauty around her. As is not often the case with theme parks, Bedrock City was an entirely family-run business, and for Glasscock, being surrounded by family members enriched her childhood even more.

“My memories of Bedrock were wonderful growing up,” Glasscock said. “I was able to be alongside both of my grandmothers, who were working in the gift shop, at the age of eight. When we became older, working with my sisters in the diner was wonderful … I always said my father was the original MacGyver in the way [that] he was able to use things on-hand to repair and create things, since we were in such a remote area, and the two-hour round trip to town was difficult. His vision and talent and daily hard work at building Bedrock was exemplary.”

Despite the obvious hard work put into building Bedrock City, the Speckels doubted its artistry would be appreciated by many. They thought real financial success would come from the earnings of the park’s adjacent campground, which would draw in road-trippers traveling to and from the Badlands or Mt. Rushmore. Nevertheless, fate proved just the opposite, and Bedrock City saw countless visitors following its opening, especially during the warm summer months.

Bedrock City’s success waned during the 1980s, despite the arrival of new additions to the park, such as a small replica of a 19th Century steam train that carried passengers into “Dinosaur Canyon” before passing through “Mount St. Wilma,” as well as a new barn to house family country music shows.

As park attendance continued to decrease throughout the ‘80s, the sun slowly began to set on Bedrock City, South Dakota. Meanwhile, events were taking place on America’s corporate landscape that would threaten the future of the park.

In 1995, Time Warner and the Turner Broadcasting System announced a $7.5 billion merger, which placed Hanna-Barbera cartoons, including The Flintstones, under the umbrella of Warner Bros. Studios. Eventually, Warner Bros. approached Bedrock City, South Dakota, to request that its images of Fred Flintstone be updated, so that he more closely resembled the studio’s official style guide — a move that apparently angered others in the cartoon community, including Ren and Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi.

In the fall of 2015, Warner Bros. refused to renew Bedrock City’s license in South Dakota, stating that the park did not meet the studio’s requirements. Warner Bros. also declined the park’s request to build a museum on the land or donate the cement characters to South Dakota’s Storybook Island.

As a result, Bedrock City, South Dakota, was sold that year for $2 million. For Glasscock’s son, Brandon Dee, the demise of the park was nothing short of a tragedy.

“It was my grandmother’s cousin, Joe Speckels — [who] sold it,” Dee said. “He was tired of the business. He had AOL Time Warner telling him to shut it down, too. So, he sold it for a profit, and there it sits rotting away in Custer. It’s such a strange story. Custer’s hospitality, like the Chamber of Commerce of Custer, South Dakota, bought Bedrock City there because they said it was too rundown and too old, and not the kind of place they wanted for their town, but it was beautiful. Custer bought it to shut it down. It’s just sitting there, rotting, waiting to be demolished. You know, I was shocked it hadn’t been already.”

As it turns out, Dee was right when he said Bedrock City, South Dakota, was waiting to be destroyed. Earlier this year in April, the park was finally demolished, when bulldozers reduced every piece of its roadside history to rubble and the annals of history.

Arizona’s Bedrock City In 1971, shortly after the opening of Bedrock City, South Dakota, Woody Speckels decided to expand the family’s Flintstone enterprise. Inspired by the success of the park in South Dakota, Woody came across a lonely, arid stretch of land for sale in the southwest, which seemed like an ideal location for a second tourist attraction. And in June 1972, Speckels and his son, Francis, opened Bedrock City, Arizona.

Located in the small town of Valle, Arizona, Bedrock City sat halfway between the south rim of the Grand Canyon and the beloved Route 66 city of Williams. Like its sister location in South Dakota, the park immortalized the humorous, quirky characters and locations that defined The Flintstones. Although it was half the size of the park in South Dakota, Bedrock City, Arizona, effectively captured the quirkiness and vibrancy of the iconic Flintstones. Visitors had the chance to walk inside the character’s prehistoric homes, which were painted in bright rainbow colors and featured archaic furnishings and leopard skin tapestries. A towering green brontosaurus slide served as the park’s centerpiece, while other replicated establishments, such as a primeval barbershop and grocery ROUTE Magazine 23

store, contributed to the park’s Stone Age setting. As people walked amongst the park’s cement structures, audio from episodes of The Flintstones played on loop in the background. Like Bedrock City, South Dakota, the park immersed visitors in the ultimate Flintstones experience, not holding back on its kitschy aspects.

Bedrock City was built by many members of the Speckels family in addition to Francis and his children. According to Dee, four generations of Speckels called Bedrock City home. “My grandfather built the park in less than a year with a dozen hired hands. The names of my mother and my four aunts are carved into the back of the theater door, corresponding to their heights and their ages. They all helped build Bedrock. There were four generations there at one point: my great grandmother, my grandmother, my parents and me and my cousins and my sister. All of us worked there. My mother helped build the place with her father as a young girl, but after it was built, those girls would get off the school bus, having [traveled] 30 miles to go to school — get off the school bus and then go to work in the gift shop, selling concessions in the park. It was certainly less for my generation … They put us behind the cash register and said, ‘Oh, look how cute they are,’ but, you know, I must have been 8 or 10 when I first started working there. So yeah, four generations [worked] there at one time.”

While Francis’ construction of the park was undoubtedly impressive, Dee said it was his aunt, Gina, who paid the most attention to the upkeep of the park. “The best of Bedrock, a decade after my grandfather died, was created by my aunt, Gina, who was talented in so many things, theme park prop creation among them, and who kept the crawl-through snake painted and the Flintstones cars in good order. I’ve always said that anything good back in Bedrock was created by Gina. You had to know what to look for there at the end, due to the decade of neglect, but her creations were the best additions to the park.”

During its early years, Bedrock City, Arizona, fell victim to the oil embargo of 1973, which stymied the flow of tourist traffic on roadways. Meanwhile, the president and the vice-president of Hanna-Barbera Productions, Fred Seibert and Tom Barreca, respectively, were considering ending the contracts for both Bedrock City parks in order to preserve the Flintstones’ image. Seibert and Barreca approached the owners of both parks and told them that, in order to keep their contracts, they must make specific structural updates before the 1994 release of The Flintstones live-action film.

After Bedrock City was successfully updated, both parks enjoyed a surge in tourism, which lasted throughout the early 2000s.

Yet, towards the end of the park’s life, visitors to Bedrock City, Arizona, had begun to notice its age. During daylight hours, the park’s crumbling structures, with their bright colors wearing away, invited travelers with a sad, nostalgic wave of welcome — one that signaled its inevitable end.

Bedrock City, Arizona, met its demise earlier this year, when its owner, Linda Speckels, sold the property. The two men who purchased it, Troy Morris and Ron Brown, acquired the land in order to build their new attraction, Raptor Ranch. Like Dee, Glasscock was devastated when she learned that her mother had sold their beloved family theme park. For Dee and Glasscock, Bedrock City carried the 24 ROUTE Magazine

crux of their family memories, and to have it sold was very upsetting.

“Brandon’s efforts and work put into trying to save Bedrock for the ‘unique family treasure,’ as he called it, were valiant,” Glasscock said. “I had tried to discuss future plans for Bedrock’s continuation with my mother years ago, but to no avail. When she told me she didn’t want to sell a year and a half ago, I made plans to transfer my job and move to Arizona to help her physically and help run the business. When she signed a contract to sell without notifying me, I was shocked and heartbroken. It is still very raw.”

“My Entire Life is for that Park” With the closure of Bedrock City, Arizona, the nation is witnessing the end of an era — one defined by the simplicity of family-owned theme parks and wholesome, familyoriented entertainment. Both Bedrock City locations served as time capsules, preserving the simplicity and authenticity of vintage road travel. Both parks were like a beacon for road-worn travelers, drawing them in with the irresistible promise of unconventional fun. For Dee, the decimation of Bedrock City meant the eradication of a place that has been the backdrop to his entire life.

“I’m in love with that theme park, and my entire life is for that park. I could talk about the theater, which was my favorite aspect of it … In the daytime, it would play The Flintstones cartoons, and at night, it became sort of this underground theater where it played old ‘80s zombie movies and Rocky Horror Picture Show, and it put on a sideshow for the random guests that were staying in our campground.

It became this magical place lit up by the blacklight, and then with the theater there — this dark, deserted theme park in the middle of nowhere.”

Bedrock City’s prime location outside the Grand Canyon made it an obvious choice for those eager to establish a ROUTE Magazine 25

Barney Rubble.

thriving tourism attraction. For Morris and Brown, the decision to open their new bird attraction, Raptor Ranch, on Bedrock City property was a simple one. “It’s a good spot for tourism — people in the Grand Canyon looking for something else to do after they’ve spent some time at the Canyon,” Morris said. “We thought this venue would be a good location.”

Once construction on Raptor Ranch is completed, visitors can expect to find all the attributes of a bird sanctuary with the added opportunity to see demonstrations that reveal the wild lives of raptors. “When it’s built out, we’re going to have a number of large aviaries with different types of birds, and then we’ll have a breeding barn that shows our birds breeding and nesting and an outdoor flight demonstration where we have the birds chase artificial types of lures, and we’ll kind of simulate these types of situations to show people how birds hunt in the wild,” Morris said.

Although Morris doesn’t have an exact date yet for Raptor Ranch’s opening, he said he plans to have the attraction up and running for the summer season, which is the right time for people to come if they wish to see Bedrock City one last time. Morris said that they plan on keeping a few pieces from Bedrock City to celebrate the property’s history, but the majority of the theme park will be gone following the end of the summer season.

“What we’re going to keep is the brontosaurus slide and a few other smaller pieces and bring them around an area for a children’s playground. So, there’s a couple of statues — the saber-toothed kitty and the woolly mammoth and a couple 26 ROUTE Magazine

of other pieces that will be saved, and several other pieces will be congregated in that area. But, the overall plan is for the Flintstones theme to go away. We don’t have plans to tear any of that down or build over the top of it for this season.

Pretty much what’s there is going to remain in place for this season.”

In terms of honoring the property’s Flintstones heritage, Morris said that they plan to offer visitors the chance to share their memories of Bedrock City through old photographs, which they’ll add to a commemorative mural.

“If they went there when they were a kid and they have fond memories of it … We are going to ask people, if they come up, to bring a picture with them — a copy of a photo from back in the day. We’re encouraging people to bring photos of them in the same spot, in the same position. We’d like to make a mural of a ‘Then and Now’ kind of thing to kind of memorialize it. We’ll put that on display to show how the property was and how we’ve developed.”

Over the decades, America has continued to change, as technology impacts our interests and responses to what we encounter. Roadside attractions of the Bedrock City sort are fewer every year, and with their disappearance, the United States and American road travel is losing a little of what makes it so unique and special. There is a sadness in the eradication of what once brought so much joy and treasured memories and helped to define us.

To quote The Flintstones’ iconic theme song, Bedrock City is truly “a page right out of history.” And with this knowledge, we can say “Yabba-dabba-doo!” one last time.

Williams, Arizona has something for everyone.

Plan a visit and see why visitors have fallen in love with Williams.

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ROUTE Magazine 27

MYSTERY of

28 ROUTE Magazine

TWO GUNS Words and Photographs by Efren Lopez

ROUTE Magazine 29

S

ummer nights are often windy and cold in the high desert. The howling wind blows all around you as you try to fall asleep, and in the vastness of the open range you can gaze high above in the night sky and observe the Milky Way in the distance. It is a reminder of just how small we are in the cosmos.

A rainbow of colors from the rising sun finally spreads a blanket of warmth over the parched landscape, as a new day brings a plethora of opportunities to capture the beauty of this place.

The realization that you are all alone in such a vast and stunning land is both frightening and satisfying. This mysterious country exists in seclusion, a ghost town that has become famous because of its name and folklore. It is a place that once was but is now no more, only alive via its dilapidated buildings and the mysterious stories that it holds.

Two Guns, Arizona, creates an abundance of opportunities to capture your imagination.

Located only 30 miles east of Flagstaff and 24 miles west of Winslow, Arizona, Two Guns is a popular destination for both American and international visitors alike looking for a unique experience while traveling Route 66.

With its scarce vegetation, the Arizona desert is an exotic and captivating strange land, known for its extreme temperature swings. The days often begin with chilly, frosty mornings that morph into hot, dry middays, topped off with bitter cold nights. The magical grand panoramic views of the southwest, combined with the impossibly clear blue skies that seem to go on forever, create a backdrop for adventure and plenty of room to let your spirit wonder.

A shell of its former-self, Two Guns is surrounded by time-worn structures that are crumbling one piece at a time. The skeletal remains of hand-crafted stone buildings remind us of the historical significance of this disappearing treasure, one of many that once attracted thousands of visitors as they motored across America and down the Mother Road.

As you explore the surroundings, you drive down a dry dusty road and hear the whispering winds all around you.

Tumbleweeds roll across the desert landscape. There is a deep feeling of loneliness and abandonment. In the distance you can distinguish the fading letters that once proudly read, “Mountain Lions” above the entrance wall of the crumbling ruins of a long-ago abandoned zoo that once housed mountain lions and other desert animals.

30 ROUTE Magazine

An abstract view from a forlorn gas station lets you gaze at I-40 as traveling motorists rush by. Pieces of a bathhouse frame the dilapidated KOA Campground building that looks like it’s ready to give up and collapse at any minute.

A close-up view of the still picturesque, but now deteriorating historic Canyon Diablo Bridge provides a window into the canyon and the surrounding areas. Even in its wildness, it remains a peaceful, lovely scene. Hidden from plain view, a path leads you to the spot overlooking the cliff where the Apache Death Cave is located. This mysterious place attracts curious travelers searching for a ghostly experience.

As the story goes, in 1878, Apaches raided two Navajo camps located along the Little Colorado River and killed everyone except for three girls who they took captive. Discovering what had happened, 25 Navajo warriors pursued them and tracked them to a cave where they could hear voices. Soon the warriors located the mouth of the cave in a ravine, and after killing the two guards who were placed to keep watch, dropped large amounts of wood into the entrance of the cave and started a huge fire. The Apaches tried to negotiate their way out but that did not work. Then they tried to use whatever water they had to dose the fire and when that did not work, killed their horses and tried to use their blood to put the flames out. Finally, in desperation, they stacked the dead horses near to the entrance to try and keep the flames away.

In the end, they all perished and the Navajo departed.

Legend has it that from that day, local tribes avoided the cave due to a deeply held belief that the area was cursed. It is a story that fits perfectly into the rocky desert landscape and the mystery of Arizona’s Route 66.

As you continue to drive on old Route 66, you will find a collection of intriguing artwork. On the wall of a small shack facing I-40, there’s a black-and-white mural depicting the Route 66 shield framed by two guns. As you continue to explore, you’ll discover traces of disappearing murals all around you. A swimming pool adorned with vibrant colors and the remnants of a central structure are all that is left of the recreational area that once was full of life.

This section of Route 66 in eastern Arizona was once home to a bevy of roadside attractions that drew visitors from across the country and world alike. Now most are gone, relics of a bygone time, when people traveled differently and marveled at simpler things. Out here in the middle of nowhere, in the vibrant, great southwest desert, you will discover a disappearing gem that still deserves a last brief visit before time steals it away forever.

RIGHT: A fading mural on the brick wall of an abandoned utility room highlights one of the last remaining symbols of Two Guns.

BELOW: The remaining ruins and disappearing letters of a Wild West theme park where mountain lions and other desert creatures where housed still stands, barely.

ROUTE Magazine 31

ABOVE: A view from inside a hand-crafted stone building lets you observe Diablo Canyon and the surrounding areas, as traffic rushes by on I-40.

LEFT: Surrounded by the majestic desert landscape, the Apache Death Cave, near Diablo Canyon, is the folklore that represents the spirit that still remains in Two Guns.

32 ROUTE Magazine

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R

oute 66 is home to a wide variety of attractions, some historical, others picturesque, but the most memorable and fun may fall under the category of kooky and strange. Each with their own unique story, most have lived on the Mother Road for many decades, but that does not mean that there is no room for new additions to America’s Main Street. And where better to introduce a new landmark than in the city where the proclaimed father of Route 66 was laid to rest; Tulsa, Oklahoma?

For Mary Beth Babcock, owner of the recently opened Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios Shop in Tulsa, and parent to the road’s newest attraction, timing could not be better.

While in search of her next big adventure, an old PEMCO gas station went up for sale, right on the Route. Taking into consideration Oklahoma’s newfound investment in all things Route 66, Babcock thought that it was the perfect time for a new Route 66 gift shop that is located only a stone’s throw away from the famous neon Meadow Gold sign. It just made sense. But how could she really make her shop stand out and bring attention to the city and the road?

As the stars aligned, longtime friend of Babcock and recently elected President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, Rhys Martin, introduced her to the work being done by Joel Baker of American Giants, a company that locates old Muffler Men and restores them to their former glory. Guardians of the Mother Road, Muffler Men have become an emotive symbol for travelers and a reminder of nostalgic Americana. After watching one of Baker’s videos, Babcock was hooked: “As soon as I watched that, that was it. I said, ‘I’m going to make this happen.’ ” And so she did. Babcock reached out to Baker and shared her dream of having her own roadside attraction.

With few Giants actually still remaining on the historic route, the new addition had some hurdles to jump over for his spot to be secured.

Unlike others before him, Buck Atom, Space Cowboy, doesn’t fit into the traditional categories that tend to define each man: Cowboy, Indian, Lumberjack, he was creating his own definition of what a Muffler Man could be. The closest Giant may be the beloved Gemini Giant, an astronaut who

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rests peacefully beside the recently restored The Launching Pad in Wilmington, Illinois. Originally, the team had set out to use a pre-existing Phillips 66 Muffler Man to create the new Buck. Following lengthy discussions, it was realized that Buck deserved to be born anew, due to his unusual accessories that were necessary in qualifying him as a Space Cowboy. Buck would indeed be one of a kind. The new additions brought challenges of their own, requiring multiple accessories to set him apart, including a jet pack, space helmet, and a cowboy hat. Equipped with his own spaceship, built by the metal sculptor Chris Wollard, he was almost ready to lift off.

Baker then introduced Babcock to Mark Cline, an artist in Virginia who specializes in fiberglass structures and would be responsible for the creation of Route 66’s newest Muffler Man. After sending her shop’s mascot off to Cline, Babcock soon received an impressive sketch of her very own Muffler Man. “I was just blown away,” exclaimed Babcock. “I’ve dreamed, probably for 10 years, of having a roadside attraction.”

The prospect of Buck being built was an exciting one, which prompted Babcock to find original methods to obtain funding for her fiberglass man. She did this by selling commemorative bricks to be installed near Buck, creating signed collector’s statues by artist Scott Farmer, hosting various fundraisers, and launching a GoFundMe. “I am eternally grateful to every individual who contributed to help bring Buck Atom Space Cowboy alive,” said Babcock.

Standing tall at 20-feet, this new Muffler Man combines the classic Americana of Route 66, with his cowboy likeness and the portrait of an adventurous astronaut. Taking a look back on the creation of Buck, Babcock notes, “I hope that this guy can provide a little relief, a little smile to people as they’re traveling the Route or those who just live here in Tulsa, and I also hope that he helps stimulate the rest of the Route, the businesses on the Route, and the city of Tulsa.”

Having landed on the Route in May of this year, Buck Atom’s is sure to satisfy Mother Road travelers for years to come. Really, who doesn’t feel a bit of awe standing beside a Giant?

Illustration by Ryan Duggan.

A New Giant Joins the Road

ROUTE Magazine 35

Preserving Western Culture

A

potent figure of America’s Old West, cowboys represent the embodiment of America’s frontier past and Westward expansion. With their rugged masculinity and unfailing courage to tread into untamed and at times, hostile territory, the cowboy lifestyle and culture has been immortalised in books, music and film.

But behind their rough exterior and wild adventures was a more refined skill set hidden within their gear - their saddles, silver spurs, and bits - a unique craftsmanship that was reserved for a special few.

As the 20th Century progressed and the frontier era ended, the number of working cowboys declined and with that, the artistry and craftsmanship in the western tradition started to slowly disappear. But, the occupation isn’t obsolete, and the art form that has the potential to be wiped out entirely, still survives, thanks to those dedicated to it.

After recognizing that the disciplines essential to cowboy culture for generations were in danger of dying off, a group of the West’s leading cowboy artisans (saddle makers, silversmiths, rawhide braiders, and bit and spur makers) united to form the Traditional Cowboy Artists Association (TCAA). Founded by twelve men in 1998, out of their shared admiration for the unique craft, the association was set up to address these core dilemmas: a shortage of newcomers entering their trades, an aging master class of artists, and fewer opportunities for apprentices to find willing, qualified mentors, while acknowledging the important roles these disciplines have on the western cowboy culture in the North American West.

Wilson Capron, current President of the association, says that the TCAA formed to “expose, not only ourselves, but everybody involved in our Western culture, to what quality craftsmanship is about. Having a group of individuals that could expose quality to all walks of life, our peers, and also our collector base.”

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Focused on bringing together individuals with these skills, the association has been growing ever since.

“It’s a connection to the West, it’s how the West was found, with what we create. It not only tells the story, it is the story,” Capron suggests of each piece of art.

Unfortunately, the craftsmanship itself is at risk due to mass production gaining traction in the industry, so teaching the complexities of each discipline firsthand is essential to the art’s very survival.

“Everything we do is built around education,” says Capron.

The association offers three methods to educate the public and encourage personal growth in the field: An Emerging Artist Competition, Fellowship Program, and Mom’s Scholarship, each aiming to create community, while pushing one’s skillset to the next level. The TCAA strives to be a place to learn and improve one’s craft.

The worldwide web has also allowed craftsmen more access to inspiration and materials, a pathway for their influence to reach a worldwide market, and the invaluable opportunity to mentor new talent.

Western cowboy culture remains a touchstone for classic Americana, and the education that goes along with it is pivotal in its conservation. The work being done at the TCAA is one of the few dedicated to the preservation and protection of the craft itself, placing significant importance on the art integrated in everything from saddles to spurs.

“The West is not dead, it’s growing, it’s alive and well, and our craft is the same way,” encourages Capron. “We recognize our history and we recognize where we come from, but we’re not satisfied with that. We’re continuing to push the envelope and ourselves, taking our craft to places, hopefully it’s never been before. I hope that people that love the West, can grab a hold of what the TCAA is doing, and help us preserve and promote these disciplines.”

Photograph courtesy of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

THE TRADITIONAL COWBOY ARTS ASSOCIATION

ROUTE Magazine 37

CARRYING ON

By Cecil Stehelin 38 ROUTE Magazine

TRADITION ROUTE Magazine 39

E

arly in the morning, as the sun begins to rise over the vast central plains of Kansas, Scott Nelson approaches the airy porch of a small red brick building. The first rays of light dance across the petunias and geraniums, spilling over onto an old flatbed cart by the entrance. Nelson unlocks the front door and sets about opening up the shop in the auburn glow, preparing for the morning rush.

“If you’ve been here long enough, you know basically what people need to know — if they have something they need help with,” Nelson explains. “Of course, we have a convenience store on the corner, but it’s like any convenience store. [We’re] kind of unique.”

Nelson’s Old Riverton Store is, indeed, unique. It has been in continuous operation for 94 years and is part of the living history of Route 66. Scott Nelson, the shop’s current namesake, is an upholder of the ancient custom of the family grocer — a time-honored tradition with roots extending to the birth of civilization; a tradition that has almost disappeared from modern America. Today, the shop has changed little from its original 1925 construction, with the daily rituals of preparing the register and stocking the shelves performed under this same roof by a variety of owners over the decades.

This enclave of old America and the small community that surrounds it is the pivot point of Kansas 66. The 13.2 mile stretch of the old road that just barely slices through the southeast corner of the state, the shortest section in all eight Mother Road states, ties it all together. The Old Riverton Store predates the designation of Route 66 by eighteen months. Moreover, the Mother Road would not have passed through Riverton at all if not for the intervention of the ‘Father of the Route’ himself, Cyrus Avery.

“That section of 66 [was paved] by the tailings from the mine,” said Renee Charles, President of the Kansas Route 66 Association. “Baxter Springs was a cow town, [and] between the cattlemen and the mine owners, they wanted to go with black top.”

But Riverton has its own unique story. The community grew from a Dutch Quaker colony known colloquially as Vaark. In 1919, when the first post office was established, the postal service took the liberty of changing their new outpost’s name to Riverton, because, as Nelson noted, “It just sounded nicer.”

Nelson’s father, Forrest Nelson, still charming and exuberant at the age of 96, described Riverton as “Three miles from Galena on one side, and five miles from Baxter on the other side. That’s about nine miles; we all call that Riverton.”

By far the biggest employer in the young community was the Empire Electric District Power Plant that still dominates the eastern bank of the Spring River. Its coal-powered generating unit, nicknamed “Old Kate,” helped power the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. It was brought to Riverton in 1913, powering communities as far as Springfield. Riverton grew from a loose collection of farmsteads and Quaker “Friends” churches into a tight-knit community.

The Williams Store Leo D. Williams, born in 1892, got a job at the Riverton plant after returning home from the trenches of WWI. His wife, Lora, born in 1893, saw the need for a grocery store in the town and set up a small stand across from the plant, serving lunch to help supplement her husband’s salary, until, according to Nelson, “[They] found out that [they could]

Unincorporated Place

Previous spread: Photograph courtesy of Efren Lopez/Route66Images.

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Photograph courtesy of Scott Nelson.

When Cyrus Avery was appointed to the Joint Board of Interstate Highways in 1925, Congress was proposing a highway beginning in Virginia Beach, Virginia, using the roads that would become Highway 60, until they reached Springfield, Missouri. From Springfield, a new road would be paved west through Kansas, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada, before turning south towards L.A. Avery, hoping to avoid the expense of building through the Rocky Mountains, was keen to route the national highway through his adopted state of Oklahoma, as Nelson elaborates: “He talked them into routing it through Oklahoma, so then instead of going directly west out of Springfield, they ran southwest through Joplin, and then through the corner of Kansas and Oklahoma. Basically, the part of Oklahoma where I-44 goes through now is about ten miles south and east of here. It’s really hilly in that area, so there weren’t many roads in that area that were good roads. But if you just come west out of Joplin and go through Kansas, then down through Oklahoma, you know, through that little spot there, [those] roads were existing [ones] as well.”

The town of Galena, named for the rich lead deposits in the area, grew into a prosperous mining town after its founding in 1871. The increased mine activity necessitated improvement of the area’s gravel roads.

Nelson family photo.

make more money in the grocery business then at the Electric Plant.” Leo Williams quit his job, and the couple became full-time grocers. “The original store that the Williams family built [was] blown away in a tornado in 1923, so they rebuilt in this location,” Nelson explains.

The new location was finished on March 20th, 1925. Built of dark red brick and covered by a tin roof, the enclosed porch faced the highway with a facade of French doors, allowing patrons in the seating area a pleasant view of the Mother Road while they enjoyed their lunch. Sandwiches and the family chili recipe were on offer from the deli as well as barbequed beef and venison from the pit Leo ran behind the shop. The building was split into two parts, with the open eastern section containing the deli and grocery store, while the western section was divided into three rooms that served as the living quarters for the Williams and their daughter, Jane, born in 1929.

“They carried everything you’d expect in an older store in the ‘20s. They carried feed and flour, [and] they carried kerosene and oil — just all your basics,” says Nelson.

“They even had a croquet court out there for night-time entertainment.”

The store became the heart of the community, providing essentials like groceries and gas from the pumps out front and serving as a meeting place — whether it be a meal with friends or a croquet tournament. Travelers from both directions poured through the small community, with the Williams Store making considerable trade. From families fleeing drought and unemployment, to tourists seized by the new car fever, to GIs on their way to fight the Axis Powers in the 1940s — all were conducted through Riverton by the Main Street of America.

Forrest Nelson, who served in France, remembers those days, and often regales patrons with his experiences.

“I landed in Omaha Beach in ‘44 with the 6th Armored Division. We came in about a month later because they needed 12 miles of space to put three armored divisions on the land.” His unit was part of an Allied assault on the Breton city of Brest, when on: “August 5th, 1944, I remember, definitely five o’clock in the evening, we went down the wrong road, and there the Germans stopped us.

Fortunately, they were good paratroopers; they were the top line soldiers, they weren’t junkies. In fact, they could have killed us. There were only five of us. While we were driving, my captain was killed. They did him, they didn’t get the rest of us. So, then they took us into Brest, and we stayed in Brest for six weeks.” The German division held their ground in the bitter house-to-house fighting, until Allied air-raids razed the city to the ground, as Forrest recalled.

“I’m probably the only person left who watched a thousand planes raid on Brest. It was just planes, planes, planes, planes. All you saw was planes.”

After the war, Forrest and his wife Naomi “June” Nelson, moved from Chanute, Kansas, to Riverton, where they raised their five children: David, born 1952, Sara, born in 1955, Steven, born in 1958, Scott, born in 1960 and Jennifer, born in 1962. Sara, who became Sara Davis after marrying her husband, Jeff, still lives in town and teaches advanced algebra at the high school. She recalls visiting the store when she was only four.

“You were always greeted by name. It’s kind of like [the show] Cheers. Everybody knew your name, and it’s still that way, which is what people like.” In those days, Lora

Williams ran the shop alone, Leo having passed away in 1948. Sara remembers her as short, hardy and kind: “Dad only got paid once a month because he was a school teacher, and he had five kids. We always ran a tab up there, so when he got paid, he went in and paid his bill. She’d always give us kids a sack of penny candy.”

Eisler Brothers’ Old Riverton Store Riverton was a quiet community with lots of children, and the Nelsons quickly found themselves at home and remained there even after Forrest left Riverton High School for a job in Joplin. “Usually, folks that live in the small towns know more people than people who live in a big city,” Scott speculates.

“You just interact more with people in a smaller town.”

Sara Davis remembers, “On snow days, we helped a neighbor get out his Oldsmobile. He’d hook us up with three or four sleds and tow us down to a little incline where we could slide. Of course, now they probably wouldn’t let you do it. They’d say it wouldn’t be safe. But boy, it was a lot of fun.”

Isabel Eisler, who would often visit her sister, June Nelson, in Riverton, was taken by the warmth of the community. She was especially captivated by the shop with the old tin roof and the kind old woman smiling behind the counter. Born in Denison, Texas, on April 26th, 1920, Isabel was a child prodigy with a natural gift for writing and design. In Parsons, Kansas, where she was raised, Isabell wrote articles for the Parsons Sun, and worked as the editor for the school newspaper at her Community College, graduating to become the first female advertising salesperson hired by the Houston Chronicle. It was here that she met her future husband, Joseph Elias Eisler, born in 1923. They married in 1950, and the new Mrs. Eisler quit her career to become a homemaker, giving birth to two sons, Andrew and James.

Joe’s career as an advertising executive saw the family continually moving; from Houston to Chicago to Austin and then back to Chicago, before finally settling back in Parsons in 1973. There Isabel helped her husband form Joseph Eisler Associates, an organization of sales representatives specializing in endoscopic surgical technologies. Lora Williams had sold the Riverton Store in 1970 to her daughter’s mother-in-law, Thelma Ball. By 1973, however, Ball was looking to sell.

Having always loved the shop, and with Parsons only fifty miles from Riverton, Eisler figured that she would be able to run the shop remotely, envisioning the store as a project to be taken over by her sons, now on the cusp of adulthood.

Joe and Isabell Eisler bought the Williams Store in 1974 with their cousins, the Nelsons, involved from day one. All five of her nieces and nephews took shifts at the shop and helped the Eislers set up suppliers. As Scott Nelson reminisces: “My brother [David] was traveling around with my cousins when they were setting up merchant deliveries to the store.

They kept calling it ‘that old store in Riverton’ or ‘that old Riverton store,’ and my brother said, ‘Why don’t you just call it that?’”

The shop was duly renamed “The Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store.” Apart from this, however, nothing else was changed. Isabel Eisler was adamant that everything be maintained, from the wooden floor to the tin roof, taking care to preserve the shop’s quaint appeal. However, her sons ROUTE Magazine 41

The store survived the Mother Road’s darkest days until the late 1980s, when Scott began to notice a change.

In 1983, the Rainbow Bridge to the east of Riverton was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Scott noticed that traffic along the highway gradually began to increase again. “I’d say since 1990, when Michael Wallis’ book came out, Route 66: The Mother Road, I think that’s the catalyst that started to really pick up and take off.”

Renee Charles, who settled in Galena after traveling abroad, remembers being struck by tourists, “Just lying on the road getting their pictures taken, you know, right there in Galena. I was thinking, either these people are crazy, or they really do like Route 66.”

The Nelson family capitalized on this trend by converting the old Williams family living quarters into a souvenir shop and packing it to the brim with Route 66 memorabilia. Soon, the small deli in an unincorporated place had become a destination for travelers the world over, as the highway was reborn.

In 2001, Michael Wallis took a Pixar crew on a tour of Route 66 to help with their research for their seminal 66 flick Cars (2006). The small stretch of Kansas 66 would prove fateful in the film’s development. In Galena, the crew became enamored by an old rusted tow truck abandoned on the side of the highway and photographed it extensively. It became the basis for the friendly but quirky character, Mater, voiced

by Larry the Cable Guy. It is now on display by the old Kan-O-Tex Gas station in town. The Pixar crew then stopped by the Old Riverton Store for a sandwich, where they were

Photograph courtesy of Efren Lopez/Route66Images.

did not share her enthusiasm for the shop, so much of the responsibility for running the store fell to her and the Nelson clan. Forrest Nelson often worked the closing shift in the evenings after teaching in Joplin, and the children pitched in when help was needed. It was Scott, however, who would take a special interest in the shop. “He was always drawn to it,” Sara Davis remembered. “He always liked it. He liked talking to people when they came in. He’s been there since he was in middle school practically.”

“My mother always said that she knew if I wasn’t at the house then I’d be down at the store,” laughed Scott.

“Sometimes, I’d come in [during] lunch hour and help out between classes. Then, I’d head back to work after school.”

During the ‘80s and ‘90s, Scott Nelson managed the store for his aunt. Route 66 traffic had dwindled considerably since its heyday in the 1950s, but the Riverton Store survived on local trade, its remote location proving instrumental in the store’s permanence. Unlike more developed sections of the highway, where chains of convenience stores and supermarkets choked out the last of the family-owned grocery stores, the small, tight-knit community of Riverton presented little incentive for large corporations to move in.

It was during this time that the store became a favorite stop of Route 66 artist and icon Bob Waldmire. “Bob, he was on his own little schedule,” Scott Nelson remembered. “He’d make it here in the middle of the night, then just park out in the parking lot and camp out; we’d see him the next day. Or he’d just sit on the porch for two to three hours talking or working on his art, just relaxing.”

Exterior of the store.

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Photograph courtesy of Scott Nelson.

The Nelson family. Photograph courtesy of Scott Nelson.

introduced to Dean Walker, a Riverton local renowned for his ability to twist his feet backward. “You know, every circus has its freaks, as they say,” chuckles Nelson. Walker was a significant influence on Mater and the inspiration for the character’s uncanny ability to drive backward.

Nelson’s Old Riverton Store The Old Riverton Store was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, becoming a protected landmark.

Isabell Eisler passed away shortly after in 2006, with her husband Joe following in 2009. Scott Nelson purchased the shop from their estate in 2010 and renamed it once again, dubbing it “Nelson’s Old Riverton Store.”

Almost a hundred years after it was first built, not much has changed in the old shop. This is due, not to complacency, but diligent maintenance and restoration. Nowadays, Isabel Eisler’s insistence that every nook and cranny of the store keep its early 20th-Century mystique has been taken up by The National Register who provide half of any renovation costs. “We can restore the building, but we can’t add anything new to it, it has to be the way it was,” explained Forrest Nelson. “[Scott] wanted to put a new concrete floor in that one building, but they said, ‘No, you’ve got to put a wood floor back.’”

Forrest, though he now depends on an oxygen canister, is still a common sight at the store. His smile lights up the crowded shop as he warmly greets every person who crosses the threshold. He is a gregarious soul and loves to meet strangers, especially travelers from overseas. “I visit with them, and we have great conversations. They like to talk to us. They want to find out stuff. They’re very

inquisitive, which, you know, if you travel overseas, you’re going to ask questions, too.” Forty-five years later, Forrest is still, as he described it, “just helping out,” coming in weekdays to help balance the books and take his old spot behind the cash register. “I work now because they just want me to get out of the house a couple hours a day.”

Father and son still spend many evenings together, closing up the shop, proudly carrying on the traditions laid down by the Eislers, the Williams and countless families before them.

The Riverton Store’s old bricks have seen nearly a hundred years of continuous operation, cementing it as the heartbeat of the small community of Riverton and a precious jewel of the Mother Road, with roadies from across the country passing through every year. “We see a lot of the tour guides that do the road — they do it several times a year,” recalls Nelson. “I used to have a couple that would come in from Queens, New York. They would buy a calendar every year.

They were on their way to visit someone in Arizona, and they’d always swing by on Route 66.”

As the last rays of light disappear beneath the Kansas plains, Scott Nelson finishes ringing through the evening’s last customers. “Some people say [about] living in a small town, ‘It’s so boring!’ But if you’re busy, you never notice that,” mused Scott. After cashing out and sweeping up the shop, he locks the front door behind him, making his way home in the late-evening sun of the Sunflower State.

Another day has passed like a drop in a bucket in the town of Riverton; like many days before in the imperturbable community, it was relatively uneventful. And yet, in a world of constant flux, perhaps it’s the places that somehow manage to stay the same that are truly unique.

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TRUE TO HERSELF

By Brennen Matthews Photographs courtesy of Nino Munoz/Netflix

I

n 2010, The New York Times published an article dubbing actress Laura Linney as “every woman’s Meryl Streep.” And it may well be true. Linney has forged a well-deserved reputation as an intelligent, humble, and hardworking actress, nominated for and winning dozens of awards for her stellar theater, television, and film performances. But in person, the real Laura Linney is even more remarkable.

Born in New York City on February 5, 1964, Linney came from a distinguished family with a background in politics and theater. Her great-great-grandfather served in the American Civil War under the legendary Confederate General “Stonewall” Jackson, and was a congressman from North Carolina. Her paternal grandmother, Maitland, was an amateur actress and won a gold medal for drama and elocution in 1921. Linney’s father, Romulus Zachariah Linney IV, was a noted playwright and author. Both had a profound impact on her deciding to pursue a career in theater.

One to appreciate the importance of a good education, Linney attended Brown University and graduated with

a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts in 1986. Afterward, she studied at the famed Juilliard School in New York, immersing herself into the acclaimed Arts Theatre School, graduating in 1990. Following appearances on Broadway, she made her first film appearance in Lorenzo’s Oil (1992).

Her big break came in the film Primal Fear (1996), alongside Richard Gere. Director Clint Eastwood was captivated with her performance and recruited her to play his estranged daughter in Absolute Power (1997). Since then, the 55-year-old actress has been nominated for three Academy Awards – You Can Count on Me (2000), Kinsey (2004), and The Savages (2007) – six Golden Globes, and four Tony Awards, continuing to mesmerize her audiences.

Most recently, Linney is starring opposite Jason Bateman on Netflix’s hit series Ozark, which will return for season three later in 2019. She is also appearing in a second Netflix drama, Tales of the City, which will debut in June 2019.

Laura Linney is sincere and straight to the point, reserved and wisely cautious with her words. But in this interview with ROUTE, we get a lovely opportunity to really meet one of the finest actresses on-screen today.

You studied at Brown and Juilliard, two very reputable institutions. How important do you think those institutions were in shaping you to be the actor and the person you are today?

Did you ever consider becoming a writer with that influence?

An enormous amount. People ask me a lot, ‘What was your big break?’ For me, it was getting into Juilliard. There’s no question. Education was very important to me — it was important to my family, [and] it gave a structure and focus to my life that I needed and craved, and particularly then, when I knew that I wanted to be an actress and wanted to spend my life in the arts ... Juilliard completely enhanced and enriched my life in ways that I [couldn’t] imagine. My life would be very different if I hadn’t been able to have those four years there. So, for me, my education is a real linchpin to everything: my friendship, my work ethic, my interests, my ... all of it.

When you were at Juilliard, were there any other people in your class that went on to have noted careers?

Oh sure, yeah. A lot of people ... Jeanne Tripplehorn is one of my best friends, and she was in my class at school, and she is the godmother of my child. We are great, great friends, and we talk three or four times a week (Laughs). Tim Blake Nelson — I went to both Brown and Juilliard with Tim. He’s a Tulsan ... both of those are Tulsa people!

Your late father was a playwright and novelist, and he passed away from lung cancer in 2011. Were you guys very close?

We were close. I mean, my parents split when I was an infant, so, I didn’t live with him — I didn’t grow up with him — but we were close. He was a wonderful, complicated man, and I learned a great deal from him. He was a successful playwright and a real man of the theatre, but I didn’t grow up with him. I didn’t live with him on a day-to-day basis, and I saw him sometimes consistently and other times not. But he was huge in my life. There’s no question.

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No. No! (Laughs). No. (Laughs). I figured that was his world and I would stay in mine. I love to write, but it’s not my calling.

Is writing then, more therapeutic for you?

I’m sure that there’s a therapeutic aspect to it, but I think it’s also just a creative outlet, and a way to communicate, you know? I’ve been able to give some speeches here and there, some commencement speeches, and those are great fun to write, and it’s a good way for me to sort of refocus. You just sort of sit down and think, ‘What do I want to say, and what do I believe, and what do I have to give?’ So, I enjoy writing from that standpoint.

With your dad being a playwright, and you growing up in the culture of New York theater, do you feel that you were naturally pulled more to the stage than TV or film from early on?

Oh sure. Oh sure. Absolutely. Film and television were not my priorities (Laughs) at all. I was very intimidated by television and film. Anything with a camera sort of scared me, so I really ... my original intent was to just be a stage actress. That’s where I wanted to be, and much to my surprise, I got very small parts in a few movies, and that led to larger parts, and then all of a sudden, I found myself having opportunities in two other mediums that I didn’t know anything about. I had to learn quickly, and now, I love them equally. It’s the big surprise for me that I work in film and television.

As a theater actress, did you ever have any times when you forgot your lines?

Oh sure, everybody does. Everyone does! We’re not machines. We mess up all the time. I mean, it’s what you live

in fear of, but it happens all the time, and the older you get, the more forgiving you are with yourself, and you realize that it’s okay. You know, if you’ve done all the work you can possibly do, and you mess up, you mess up, and then the wonderful thing about the theater is that there are hopefully other people onstage who can help you through it.

How do you handle nerves before a play or shooting on-camera?

Grin and bear it (Laughs). I mean, you just try and focus on the work, really. You just try and focus on the work, and get out of your own way, and sometimes that’s easier than others.

Your mom was a nurse at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and you’ve credited her, in many ways, for keeping you on the straight path and helping, in your words, turn out to be okay. What was that relationship like, and why was she so important?

Well, you know, my parents split when I was very young, so it was just the two of us, and she did everything she possibly could. It’s not easy to be a single mother, particularly in New York City, and she worked long hours at the hospital, and she worked really hard. [My mom] did not have a whole lot of fun when I was young because she had to work and provide for me and take care of me, and I will forever be grateful for that.

She taught me ... she was kind, she was very kind and had a good sense of, you know, just of ethics of right and wrong, and she’s fun (Laughs). You know, my mother is very funny and staggeringly beautiful.

She’s beautiful and she’s fun to be around.

Was your parents’ divorce, when you were so young, something that you feel impacted you throughout your childhood?

No, I never knew it to begin with, so there was no loss. It wasn’t anything that I experienced, and then didn’t have. I just had a different experience, and it was so clearly obvious to me that they could not be together (Laughs). It wasn’t anything I fantasized about. It wasn’t the sort of thing where I wished my parents were back together. NEVER. NEVER. That would have been a disaster and was a disaster, so it was nothing that I had [any] grieving about.

You are very professionally accomplished and seem quite well grounded. Where are you on the emotional journey with your professional life right now?

I think that it’s a relationship that each individual person has with the profession and whether or not the profession is a profession for them or a vocation and how those two things communicate with each other. There are times where it is a business, and then there are times, where for some of us, it really is not — it’s something very different. So, you have to learn to negotiate that with yourself. Sometimes, there are days that’s easier to do and some days where it’s not.

I’ve been consistently working since I got out of school, and that’s more than I can ever have hoped for. I’ve worked with wonderful, wonderful people. I’ve learned an enormous amount, and hopefully, I’ll be able to continue to do that as I get older and older, and the fact that I’m the age that I am and able to still be working is ... I’m deeply grateful for that. Do I have rabid ambition? In some ways, but not in the ways that I think people would associate that with. I do not have to be the most famous person in the world, you know, but good work is important to me, and I hope to do that. It doesn’t always work out that way. You can have the best intentions and the best people in the world, and sometimes, you know, a play or a movie or a television show just doesn’t work.

Are you comfortable with being famous and with your celebrity?

Yes. I’m sort of just comfortable being where I am, and I don’t think I really know what that means to be a celebrity anymore.

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Had you known Jason before joining the show?

We knew each other socially a little bit, but not a lot. But I’ve just always liked him. I just always really liked him, and so, when I went and sat down with him, I was just excited that he was taking this on because a lot of people, particularly with Jason’s success — they can just stay in their one lane, and just ride it. It was a big step for him to move into more dramatic work, and take on this sort of ... you know, guiding an entire series.

When you first got the script, you requested that they rewrite your character Wendy Byrde to have more depth to her. In what way?

I think it was obvious to everyone that the part needed a little help, as is not unusual, and I think they knew that if I was going to come aboard, that I needed something to do, so they were wonderful about doing that.

What direction do you want them to take Wendy in on the show?

I’ll go wherever they want me to go. (Laughs) I am happy to run in whatever direction they want me to run. It’s not just about my part — it’s a mobile. The whole thing is an ensemble piece, and we all influence each other. So, it’s what’s best for the story, and we’ll see where that is and what that is.

The story takes place in Missouri, but it’s filmed in Atlanta, Georgia. Did you spend much time over in Missouri around the Lake of the Ozarks, to get a better understanding of the people and the culture that you’d be representing?

I think I have a stereotypical idea of what that means, and I certainly know I don’t live my life that way. You know, would I rather go to a party or stay at home? I’d rather stay at home. Would I rather have dinner with friends or go to a big brouhaha? I’d rather be with my two or three friends.

I just sort of focus on my work and focus on the people who I love and who love me and just sort of move forward from there. Fortunately, now, I’m older, so I’m not expected to do that.

When do you begin to film season three of Ozark?

We start Ozark in May.

How is Jason Bateman to work with as a costar and as a director?

He’s fantastic, and he’s an enormous part of why that show is as good as it is. He set the template for the show, he directed the first two episodes, [and] he directs every season. Our set is happiest when he is directing. Our cast and crew are happiest when he’s the one who is leading the way, although we have many other wonderful directors. It’s just — it’s his show, and we all love being a part of it.

It’s a great experience, but television can be tricky.

Television can be very hard, and it’s a very good situation, and we are all so grateful and so happy and so happy for Jason because he has worked so hard.

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We were there for a little bit. We filmed about a week there, but we didn’t do ... I know the writers certainly did more extensive research, but we didn’t have the opportunity to do that. I understand there’s a bar now called Marty Byrde’s on the Lake of the Ozarks, and they all have their drinks — they’re all named after all of our characters (Laughs).

You became a first-time mom at 49 — like, wow! Did you find that waiting to have children shaped motherhood at all for you?

Sure. You’re a very different person at 29 then you are at 49.

I wish that I had been able to have children earlier, but it just was not in the cards for me. So, I just had to wait. (Laughs) It’s been wonderful, but sure, you know, the nicest thing is that you don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything. I think I heard a lot of people have regrets that they weren’t able to pursue something or do something, or they feel they are missing out, and I remember everyone saying to me, ‘Your life is going to change. Your life is going to change.’

And I was like, ‘I hope so. I’m all for my life changing.’ I just felt like I gained everything and lost nothing.

What have been the greatest joys so far in being a mom?

The greatest ... oh, that’s impossible. It’s all of it. It’s just all of it. I think it’s the intimacy and responsibility and what you learn on a daily basis — what they teach you, hopefully what you’re able to teach them. It’s not for everyone, but I’m

grateful it finally came my way. It’s a different kind of love, and it’s incredibly nourishing.

be done to take the country back to being a place where people talk to each other with more respect and love?

Bennett is five now, right?

I don’t have an answer. I just know that it’s terribly off course for everybody, and it’s not doing anyone any good. I don’t know what’s going to happen, and I’m terribly worried and terribly upset about it, but I have to have faith that we’re going to come out on the other side. But I worry that if the sweater is stretched out so intensely, can it come back? I don’t think it can, so I think we all have to move forward in a way and find something in the future that neutralizes all of this horrible, horrible feeling that everyone is having. But it’s certainly not respectful, and it’s certainly not decent, and it’s certainly not ethical. So, we’ll see.

Yeah, he’s five.

Living in Manhattan, and obviously working in Atlanta, do your days get busy with regular parenting activities like arranging playdates with other parents?

Yes! When I’m filming Ozark, I commute. So, they were good enough to give me an extra day off a week. So, I’m in Atlanta three or four days a week, and then I’m home. And actually, I realized when I was doing a play in New York, I saw Bennett more when I was commuting to Atlanta then I did when I was doing a play in New York.

Are you guys road trip people at all? Do you guys ever hit the road and see the country?

We haven’t yet, but it will be fun when it happens.

You need to get out on Route 66.

Yeah, no kidding. You need to talk to Jeanne Tripplehorn because she did that trip with her son, and they had a wonderful time. So, I’ve heard all about it. I look forward to doing that [trip], I really do. But I have to wait for Bennett to get a little older, but then it will be fun.

Do you still need to audition for roles at this point in your career or have you passed that requirement?

In this climate, is there even room to dialogue?

If people are decent to each other, if there is a basis of respect, I think people can talk about anything. It’s when that step is skipped, then it all just goes haywire, you know?

But people should be able to discuss things without being vilified. I have friends who are activists, who are very intense activists, and they have a very strong opinion and a real line that is not to be crossed, and I respect them for that.

I think right now, no one knows how to deal with this, no one knows how to talk about it, [and] no one knows how to navigate through it. It’s all completely beyond what any of us ever thought we would be living in and living with, and it has affected everyone’s waking hour, so I think it is uncomfortable. I think people get hurt, and it’s ugly. It’s not an easy time for anyone.

Do you have any fears or phobias?

(Laughs) It doesn’t quite work that way. You know, I’m lucky because I’m booked now for a long period of time, so that just cuts down the whole audition thing enormously, and I haven’t had to audition in a while, but I’m certainly never adverse to auditioning. I’m on these series, so it sort of takes that out of my life a little bit, which is a relief, I must admit.

But I don’t mind auditioning.

I get nervous with heights a little bit — not all the time, but sometimes, and I don’t like to go into aquariums (Laughs).

As you’ve gotten older, have you found pressure as an actress to stay young looking and beautiful and fight for ‘leading lady’ type roles?

What historical person would you love to meet?

I don’t even think about it. It’s a total waste of my time, and if people don’t want what I have to offer, then they don’t have to work with me. It was never what I led with anyway. I’m not a staggering beauty, and I’ve never been considered one, nor do I consider myself one. I think I’m a perfectly good-looking person who can look really good sometimes and can also look really bad sometimes, and that’s how I prefer it to be. I’ve sort of just gone about my business and focused on the work itself and just hoped that the rest of it would take care of itself, and fortunately for me, that was the right way to go. I know that’s not right for everyone, but it certainly has been for me. I don’t know how or why, but thank God that it has, and it’s kind of a miracle that it has. So, you know, I don’t want to be any other age than I am, you know, I really don’t.

Funniest actor you’ve ever worked with?

We are living in some uncertain times in America right now, where the political divide is only widening. What can

Why aquariums?

I don’t know. I’m just not comfortable there. I don’t belong in there (Laughs).

I wouldn’t mind having lunch with [Alfred and Lynn] Lunts.

Robin Williams. He was so quick and so generous. He was just so generous of spirit, and that’s what made him even funnier — that’s the thing that made you light up even more, as it was coming from such a place of generosity. You know, he was just delightful to be with and be around and just hilariously funny.

Is there a moment or a time that you would like to share?

No. I think I’ll keep that to myself, but he was just wonderful.

If you were not an actress, what would you do?

God only knows.

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#SWEETDREAMS60s

#THE60sARECALLINGYOU A night’s stay at the Roadrunner Lodge is a step back to the 1960s. This refurbished Route 66 motel is a classic piece of Americana, built in 1964. Call ahead or reserve a room online for an experience you won’t forget.

1023 East Route 66 Boulevard Tucumcari, New Mexico 88401 www.roadrunnerlodge.com (575) 282-RT66 (575-282-7866)

Traveler rating since 2015

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A QUIE

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T PLACE

By Frank Jastrzembski

Opening photograph courtesy of Efren Lopez/Route66Images

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W

until he abruptly enlisted in the military at the age of 21.

Ed’s grandfather on his paternal side, Captain Jesse Galloway, had been killed during the American Civil War in September 1861. Ed’s grandfather on his maternal side, James D. Gideon, also served in the war. Whether his motivation was inspired by a family military tradition or boredom, Ed left for Joplin, Missouri, and enlisted in the U.S. Army on May 13, 1901.

Ed found himself at war with Muslim guerilla fighters in the southern Philippines — dubbed the Moros. These ferocious warriors donned menacing bright colors and carried edged weapons and wore body armor into battle.

He arrived at Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines, with a detachment of the 28th Infantry Regiment in September 1902. Instead of seeing action right away, Ed and his comrades exchanged their rifles for shovels and axes and spent six months constructing a military road through the jungle from the port of Iligan to the northern shore of A Place of Solitude Lake Lanao at Camp Marahui to help pacify the Moros.

The Ed Galloway Totem Pole Park rests about four miles off After finishing the road, Ed and his comrades were involved of Route 66 in Oklahoma’s rural Rogers County. The nearest in a series of engagements to suppress the Moro insurgency. major city, Tulsa, is located about fifty miles away. “It’s this After being discharged in May 1904, Ed returned to nice, hilly drive with lots of nice mature trees,” Rhys Martin, Missouri a battle-weary soldier. He married a local girl President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, said of his named Villie Hooten in Springfield a month later and settled most recent journey to the park. “Then suddenly, you crest down in a number of odd jobs in the years following his over a hill and there’s this giant colorful totem pole poking military service. These included working as a miner, farmer, out over the treetops. And if you’re not expecting it, it’s quite blacksmith and wagon maker. a surprise. It’s incredible, and it never gets old going out there Meanwhile, he continued to pursue his passion for wood and looking at it. I’m typically with someone who’s never carving. been there before, so I get to relive the experience through David Anderson, the Co-Director of the Ed Galloway their eyes.”

Totem Pole Park, describes how Ed became involved in a The park’s grassy lawn, leafy trees, and fourteen concrete chance to enter his work in the Panama-Pacific International sculptures — including the main totem pole — provide a Exposition that was scheduled to be held in San Francisco place of tranquility for its visitors. There is a sensation of during the winter of 1915: “At one time in Springfield, peace and ease and the mood Missouri, one of the state is almost similar to a place of legislatures saw some of his worship. But peaceful vibe aside, carvings, and he wanted him to visitors are generally immediately go to the World’s Fair in 1915 to drawn to the massive totem pole represent Missouri.” adjacent to the sleepy road. They But disaster struck Ed’s stroll around its 54-foot base workshop in Springfield when and catch a glimpse of the year it caught fire in July 1913, “1948” inscribed and painted in destroying most of his pieces and red, with Native American busts ruining this rare opportunity to carved directly above it and a showcase his creations. lobster and lizard to the left and “Just before that, there was a the right. Surrounding the totem fire in his studio, and he lost most pole are other smaller concrete of them,” Anderson stated. “He sculptures and a small house was getting ready to take 200 or where Ed did most of his work. so. He was able to save a few of the big ones.”

Some of the most impressive The Man Behind sculptures that he lost included the Pole a nine-foot statue of a snake Nathan Edward Galloway wrapped around a woman, lifewas born in a log cabin near size figures of a fisherman and a south Springfield, Missouri, on hunter, and a table carved with February 18, 1880. As a teenager, elaborate motifs. Ed managed he developed an interest in to save a few pieces, including carving objects, initially whittling a lion in a cage carved from a buttons for neighbors. After the single sycamore tree and a 29-foot eighth grade, Ed followed his sculpture of a snake coiled around Ed as a young boy with his mother, Cordelia. father into the blacksmith trade a sycamore log, which he pushed 54 ROUTE Magazine

Photographs courtesy of The Rogers County Historical Society.

allace Rider Farrington, editor of The Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu StarBulletin and governor of Hawaii from 1921 to 1929, wrote that “Lives that live forever are lives of self-sacrifice.” What does a Hawaiian have to do with a sculptor from northeastern Oklahoma? Nathan “Ed” Galloway — the man behind the ninety-foot totem pole and the surrounding park — is one of those rare, selfless characters that Farrington was alluding to. He may have been a poor Oklahoman, but Ed Galloway had a rich vision to create something spectacular that would bring happiness to others and spent eleven years and countless hours to make it a reality. “All my life I did the best I knew,” Galloway declared. “I built these things by the side of the road to be a friend to you.” Today, visitors from all over come to see this unusual and breathtaking monument in Foyil.

Ed with a totem.

The giant totem under construction.

out the shop’s window while the building was engulfed in flames and rolled down Jefferson Street to safety.

The snake and log sculpture was later displayed in the Getman’s Drug Store in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where it attracted the attention of Charles Page, founder of the Sand Springs Children’s Home, during the summer of 1914. “This man was a philanthropist; he was a rich man, and he had a home for single parents,” Anderson said. Page had established an orphanage and a sanctuary for widows west of Tulsa and asked Ed if he would be interested in working there. Ed accepted Page’s generous offer. “He hired Ed to teach those boys industrial arts, which was mainly building things out of wood.” The boys would go on to regard Ed as a father figure.

In 1937, at age 57, Ed retired and moved with his wife Villie and adopted son Paul – who he adopted in 1918 – to settle on a plot of land that he had purchased between Foyil and Chelsea. Ed and Villie remained on this plot of land there for the rest of their lives living off Ed’s army pension and social security checks.

Missourian began building it from the ground up, starting with a large concrete turtle as its base. “He would build it about ten feet a year,” Anderson said.

He made all his equipment and tools and did not buy any materials. He used scrap wire, metal fragments and boulders that he got for free, to build the infrastructure, and then coated the outer layer with cement mixed with sand that he retrieved from a nearby creek. He then painted the exterior in over eighteen vibrant colors. “He would etch into the concrete pictures of Native American-type icons,” Anderson said. “There are about 200 on that large totem pole.” These included four nine-foot Indian figures near the very top — representing the Apache, Sioux, Nez Perce and Comanche tribes. Ed also incorporated carvings influenced by Southeast Asian art, picked up while he was in the military overseas.

It is estimated that Ed used twenty-eight tons of cement, six tons of steel and 100 tons of sand to complete the massive totem pole in 1948. “It took him eleven years to do this thing, because he kind of just did it at his own pace,” Martin stated. “It’s very lovingly made. Eleven years is a long time to dedicate to build a single item.”

Ed did not hold a celebration when he finished. Instead, he continued to work on other projects, building a little park around the main attraction. He added a picnic table and thirteen other smaller concrete sculptures. Ville grew tired of Ed’s carvings cluttering her home and visitors trekking in to see them, so she insisted that her husband store them somewhere else, causing Ed to build a workshop

Ed’s Vision Becomes a Reality Ed did not live out the rest of his days in relaxation.

Sustaining himself on a diet of milk, cereal and quinine, Ed went to work for twelve hours a day, seven days a week on various sculpting projects over the next twenty-five years. He began his most imposing sculpture, a totem pole, in 1937.

Sporting a dirty wool hat and faded khaki shorts, the native

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The Welcome Center.

on the grounds. The eleven-sided building — also called the “Hogan” since it looked like a traditional Navajo home — was dubbed the “Fiddle House” because on the back-wall Ed hung around 300 fiddles that he carved using different types of wood. “Some of those boys ended up in WWII, all over the country,” Anderson stated of his former students from the Sand Springs Children’s Home. “They would ship pieces of wood back to Ed and he would build fiddles out of that.” Ed also carved twenty-six wooden portraits of the U.S. Presidents from George Washington to John F. Kennedy, as well as frames and chairs, which were also on display to the public.

Word spread of Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park, and people began to visit the site. By 1962, hundreds were visiting this attraction each weekend. Despite its growing popularity,

Ed with his fiddles.

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Ed refused to charge admission to the park. “I like for them to stop and talk and enjoy seeing it,” he reasoned. “That’s worth more than money.”

John Wooley, author of Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park, grew up in nearby Chelsea and remembered visiting the site as a boy. He had the chance to meet the enigmatic Galloway when he picnicked there with his mother and brother: “I remember very well, he had a jar for change - he would never ask anybody for anything - and it had something on it about helping to keep the electricity on and people could throw change in there if they wanted to. But mostly, he just sat there and held court. And he was like a mythical figure to those of us growing up around here. Really, he is still like a mythical figure to me.”

All these years later, Wooley is most enamored with Ed’s perseverance: “Ideas are a dime dozen; execution is what matters,” he declared. “Many people may have had grandiose ideas, but very few people ever executed them. And he executed his. He was willing to do whatever it took to turn his vision into reality.”

The great mystery surrounding the park is why Ed chose to construct the totem pole. Some cited his love for the Native Americans or Oklahoma heritage, but as stated by Martin, “No one really knows. He [Ed] was kind of cryptic about it. For me, it was just a way for him to continue his love of crafting and his love of carving and putting it into something that might last a little longer than a piece of wood that’s more susceptible to the elements.” Anderson attributed it to Ed being a workaholic. “I think he had to occupy his artistic ability. I think he just wanted to have something for people to enjoy.”

Ed’s Wonderland Threatened with Extinction Ed Galloway passed away from cancer in November 1962 at the age of 82. Two years before, Villie had passed away at the age of 76. She died a month before their fifty-sixth wedding anniversary. Before he died, Paul warned his father that he should remove the fiddles and other trinkets from the grounds to prevent them from being stolen. Ed, being the selfless man he was, responded, “Son, maybe those folks need these things more than we do.” And as Paul Galloway feared, his father’s fiddle house was ransacked around 1970 and most of his fiddles and sculptures were stolen.

Wooley, who had moved away from the area as an adult, returned to Foyil with his wife in 1979. He recalled the anguish he felt when he returned to the broken down and neglected place he had enjoyed growing up: “When I went over there, it was in terrible shape. People had come through and camped inside the totem pole, and there was broken glass, and it smelled like a bar, and it was nasty.

Pigeons had roosted in the top of it and droppings were all over. The glass was smashed out of the hogan and the fiddles had been stolen.”

Paul Galloway, who worked as maintenance electrician at Douglas Aircraft Co., and his wife, Joy, tried to maintain it as best as they could: “People just tear it apart,” Joy reported in an interview in the Tulsa World. “They throw rocks at the windows, throw trash on the property. We used to mow and have trash cans there, but we don’t get any support in trying to keep it up and we are too old to do it anymore.”

Paul died in May 1982 at the age of 65, leaving Joy to look after his father’s deteriorating park.

Saving Ed’s Legacy In 1988, The Kansas Grassroots Art Association (KGAA) of Lucas, Kansas — dedicated to preserving, documenting and promoting grassroots art — luckily stepped in to save the property. A year later, the land was acquired by the Rogers County Historical Society. “When the Grassroots took it over is when things really started happening,” Wooley recalled. “By the time the Kansas Grassroots Association got their hands on the project, I think it had been close to twenty plus years since the structure has been touched,” Erin Turner, the artist and preservationist now involved in the most recent restoration effort of the totem pole, declared. “Most of the paint had deteriorated to such a degree that you couldn’t really find the same pigment.”

The KGAA meticulously compared paint chips located inside the fiddle house to match those to the faded colors on the totem pole. They also worked with local paint companies that operated during Ed’s lifetime to locate the original colors he may have used. They successfully completed the rehabilitation after sixteen years — five more years than it took Ed to originally construct it. Joy Galloway lived to see its rehabilitation, living to the age of 91 and passing away in June 2008.

The totem pole is currently undergoing another restoration.

The sun has faded the paint and caused it to chip since the KGAA completed its revival roughly two decades before.

Erin Turner became involved in this second restoration effort about four years ago. “Instead of restoring it to its original material, we went with a silicate-based paint which is not going to fade over time,” Erin said. The benefit of using

The Totem Pole Park is a magical place.

this type of paint is that it will last much longer and create a vapor-permeable barrier. “Concrete is very porous, so moisture is a thing. Silicate lets vapors through, while latex is just a plastic layer on top.”

Turner spent two summers painting the totem pole.

During the first summer, she tackled the middle section.

The second summer, she completed the top half. Turner will hopefully embark on the last section, around the base, if funding permits. Turner explained how she felt a deep connection to Ed when restoring the totem pole: “At the bottom, which Ed started working on when he was younger, is very polished and detail-oriented. [But] as you get to the top, you can see his hands getting older, which I thought was so beautiful, to see him aging as he is putting this together.”

A True Roadside Attraction Martin recalled the English-based graffiti artist Banksy’s quote, “…they say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time.” He associated this same quote to Ed Galloway, who may have passed away, but who lives on through his artwork. For Martin, preserving Ed’s memory is just as important as protecting the totem poles.

But as long as the totem poles continue to soar over Foyil’s horizon, Ed Galloway will continue to impress visitors.

“My hope, as an Oklahoman,” Martin declared, “is that people will come to Totem Pole Park, learn about it, learn about Ed, and then take the lesson of his life and apply it somehow to their own.”

Ed wanted to bring people joy through his art. Fortunately, the Ed Galloway Totem Pole Park is still able to do so every day. Ed would be humbled to know that Martin, Turner, Anderson, and many others still appreciate his vision and have worked to preserve the park so that it can still serve as a sanctuary and paradise to all visitors.

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The Masterpiece

By Mary P. Martin

J

ohn Lorenzo (J.L.) Hubbell became the best-known trader in the southwest, and for good reason.

Entrepreneurial by nature, Hubbell was also an “outside of the box” thinker and promoter. He spearheaded a movement that led to his unique Ganadostyle Navajo weavings, which were based on well-researched authentic Navajo designs; he urged Navajo weavers to incorporate them into very large rugs. Hubbell’s ideas proved to be highly marketable.

As his son Lorenzo took over the reins of the Hubbell Enterprises upon J.L.’s death in 1930, he set into motion a project of literal monumental proportions. Lorenzo commissioned the Hubbell Rug in 1932, and chose wellknown Navajo weaving artist Julia Joe to design and craft the world’s largest Navajo rug as a tribute to Native American weavers and as a southwest craft item.

In the opinion of Dr. Jennifer McLerran from Northern Arizona University, “The rug was used to advertise the family’s enterprises. The spectacular nature of it was used to draw people in and generate interest in the Hubbell businesses in general and Navajo weavings in particular.

[Lorenzo’s] goal was to commission the creation of the largest known Navajo weaving to date. He [knew] of other large pieces and wanted the rug to exceed them in size.”

Completed in 1937, and massive in stature, the rug has been displayed in a variety of settings but has been stored much of the time due to the difficulty of finding a venue large enough to accommodate it.

Lorenzo and his brother Roman capitalized on their associations with the railroads and the Harvey Company enterprises, resulting in success in their own commercial marketing efforts. Using the Hubbell Rug as the tool, they exhibited it at the 1939 Gallup InterTribal Indian Ceremonial, along Route 66, which included Native dancers.

Until the Hubbell Enterprises and its holdings were taken over by Kevin Bales in 1949, the famous rug was displayed in New York, at ceremonial occasions, at Lorenzo’s auto dealership in Winslow, and at La Posada Hotel during its earlier heyday.

Creation of the Rug

Possibly Julia Joe (second from left) and her two daughters.

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In short order, this daunting project took on a life of its own. Julia Joe’s husband Sam built a special loom to accommodate the dimensions of the commissioned weaving, also building a 40’ x 30’ x 10’ addition to the Joe homestead in Greasewood, Arizona, to accommodate the loom and materials for the project. Lorenzo Hubbell paid all of the costs related to the weaving’s production, including construction costs, wool sent from Hubbell’s

Images courtesy of Daniel Lutzick of the Winslow Arts Trust.

With its subtle color palette of soft, natural grays, black, white and Ganado red, and featuring traditional Navajo symbols and patterns, the Hubbell Rug is remarkable to behold. At �� feet by 3� feet in size, and weighing in excess of �5� pounds, this gigantic specimen of the ��3�s gives a rare glimpse into authentic Native American weaving. The Hubbell Rug is the world’s largest single loom Navajo textile in existence.

The rug being displayed in an indoor roping arena at a county fair in New Mexico, circa 1950.

trading post in Oraibi on the Hopi reservation, dye, food for the family, and other expenses.

A project of this size and stature is a colossal undertaking, and demonstrates the weavers’ tenacity and endurance.

Consuming five intense years of their lives, Julia and her daughters Lilly and Erma wove seven days a week, from sunup to sundown, in order to complete the project for Hubbell. Shearing, dyeing, and carding the wool took two years, while weaving the giant textile took another three long years. As a testament to Julia’s talents, this incredible textile, with its even weave and uniform color, is truly a masterpiece.

McLerran shares details about the dyes involved in this project: “The weavers used natural (undyed) wool for the white and gray parts and natural black wool over-dyed with black synthetic (aniline) dye for the black sections. Ganado Red, a synthetic red dye color which became associated with the Hubbell’s Ganado trading post, was used for the red parts of the weaving. Two-hundred and eighty-eight envelopes of dye and the wool of seventy-eight sheep (18 black and 60 white) were used to produce the weaving.

The limited palette of the rug reflects Lorenzo Hubbell’s influence. The white and grays in the piece are all natural.

The varied shades of gray were derived from the meticulous carding together of black and white wool, while the blacks consisted of natural black wool overdyed with synthetic black. Judicious employment of color is seen in the sparing use of Ganado Red.”

Using the correct recipe for uniquely saturated colors became almost a scientific, yet artistic process. Mary Walker, Textile Conservator and owner of Weaving in Beauty, explains the special nature of the Ganado Red color that the Hubbells became famous for: “The Hubbells were noted for insisting that the red colors the weavers used were dark and very saturated. In part, this was because they did a lot of business with the Fred Harvey Company, who wouldn’t buy rugs with badly dyed wool. Other traders were not so fussy, and weavers would sometimes dye three or four pounds of wool with an envelope of Putnam’s Perfection Dye, which was intended to dye one pound only.”

Acquisition of the Rug How a massive 22 feet x 32 feet rug ended up in the trunk of a car parked in Flagstaff is quite the mystery; how it remained in great condition under those circumstances is quite the miracle.

When Kevin Bales took over the Hubbell estate around 1949, he acquired the Hubbell Rug quite by accident. One can surmise that, because of the rug’s size and weight, he chose to store it in the car trunk until he could conceive of a use for it. After all, he was running a formerly successful enterprise; Bales himself continued managing the businesses for close to 30 years.

Allan Affeldt, owner of La Posada Hotel, stayed in contact with and persistently pursued Bales’ daughter Patricia Kinsolving, eventually convincing her in May 2012 to sell him the rug.

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The rug on display in the original passenger waiting room of the 1930 La Posada train depot which is now part of the Winslow Arts Trust Museum. 2012.

Affeldt quickly made plans for the rug’s inspection, maintenance, and eventual display. The historic Navajo weaving was donated to the Winslow Arts Trust, a non-profit formed in 2010 by Affeldt and his artist wife Tina Mion and friend and colleague Daniel Lutzick, to promote the history and culture of Winslow. Affeldt explains: “We formed WAT as a legacy vehicle, as the primary beneficiary of our estate, and to oversee the large collections of art at all of our properties, La Posada Hotel in Winslow, La Casteñada and The Plaza Hotels in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Legal Tender Saloon in Lamy, New Mexico.”

Difficult to transport and display due to its size and weight, Affeldt saw an opportunity to utilize the space afforded by a Mary Colter-designed railroad station, which took five years to renovate. Truly a work of passion, the historic Winslow depot is attached to La Posada and now houses the Route 66 Art Museum.

Analysis and Plan for Care In February 2019, Walker and her team visually analyzed the rug on their hands and knees, dividing it into 49 sections so they can be tracked for issues going forward. Walker says of the rug’s condition: “The rug is in very good used condition.

The design is intact, there are no open holes, and there is no insect damage. There is some fugitive dye in a couple of places. There are some stains that probably occurred when the rug was exhibited. There are two breaks in the side cords that the Winslow Arts Trust has authorized us to splice.

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There is an unprofessionally repaired hole, but we are leaving that as it is because it is part of the rug’s history, and because it does not threaten the rug’s integrity.”

Other notable design elements of the rug, according to Walker include: “the horny toad, referred to as the chei or grandfather. If the horny toad is encountered in nature, it is picked up and held over the heart to impart the blessings of wellbeing and harmony to the individual. The unusual geometric border was taken from pottery designs of the local area. In addition, the medallions were an unusual design that Julia created.”

Going forward, Walker’s recommendation to the WAT includes some repairs, a plan for regular vacuuming and cleaning, and a plan for rotating the rug while displayed.

Regular freezing in Northern Arizona University’s freezers helps control moth infestations and further preserve the rug’s integrity.

“I’m recommending that the rug be displayed flat on a platform about three and a half feet above the floor. It will be surrounded by interpretive materials, which will allow visitors to appreciate the scale of the rug while reducing the risks of direct contact. It also provides the best support for the rug, which the museum plans to have on permanent display.”

Now the showpiece of the new Route 66 Art Museum at the La Posada Hotel in Winslow, the Hubbell Rug will be cared for and displayed for the public’s enjoyment right where it was created and originally displayed some 50 years ago. It is an impressive sight to behold.

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CAPTURING 66 ON FILM H

appily home behind the lens since ����, John Paget first found himself on the radar of Route 66 enthusiasts in ����, with his documentary film Route 66: An American Odyssey. Since then, the filmmaker has gone on to create numerous well-received pictures, including Return to the Road with Martin Milner, Almost Elvis and Alcatraz Reunion, among many others. Originally from Olympia, Washington, Paget now calls Buffalo, New York, home and is continuing to create amazing documentary films. In this personal interview, discover more about the filmmaker and his fabulous Route 66 films, and get the behind the scenes stories on working with famed Route 66 star, Martin Milner.

As a filmmaker, what do you think are the biggest struggles you’ve faced shooting the type of films that interest you?

Sometimes I wish I’d taken up writing. Film is the most expensive art form. Luckily, my career started at a time when filmmaking tools and technology were rapidly advancing in quality and lowering in cost, so that a young guy could hit the road and make a film like I did with Route 66: An American Odyssey. And now, we have even better tools at even lower cost. So, funding the film can be seen as a struggle, but it’s really just part of filmmaking: figuring out who the audience is and how you will reach them, usually leads to the answer.

You’ve made numerous films about America’s cities and the people that define American culture, as can be seen in Go with the Flow and Almost Elvis. What inspired you to film two documentaries focusing on iconic Route 66?

I grew up on road trips. I’m from Olympia, Washington, and our family had a Winnebago and we did quite a few epic road trips – mom, dad and five kids. We traveled the TransCanada Highway to Ishpeming, [Michigan] to see my mom’s birthplace and relatives, and then back through the U.S. visiting the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, and Yellowstone.

Another 3-week trip took us to a lot of the western National Parks: Grand Tetons, Yellowstone and Rushmore again, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, finishing up with Disneyland.

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Shortly after college, I was working in Virginia Beach but planned to move back to Olympia. I thought, “While I’m driving across America, why not make a film about it?” I mentioned the idea to my mentor, Jim Jenner, and he asked, “Well, what road would you take? Who would want to watch this film?” I did my research, we refined the idea, and the rest is history.

What was the filming process like for Route 66: An American Odyssey? Did you approach it differently from your other films?

The original concept was somewhat unconventional for a documentary. It was to be a series of ten montages on different topics – i.e. neon lights, ghost towns, car cruises – just music and imagery. For the producer Jim Jenner, it was probably a prudent approach: I was a young filmmaker still gaining experience, it was a small budget, and this seemed doable.

I liked this approach, too, because I loved the films Koyaanisqatsi and Powaqqatsi – unique art films that had no actors, no dialogue, no narration. Yet those films still managed to communicate a story, and I attempted to conceive of Odyssey’s series of music and images in a way that would still tell a story, even without words. So, for example, the montage of neon lights became “Beacons in the Darkest Hour,” symbolic of the road’s nascent revival.

Jim had the brilliant idea of commissioning a composer to create 10 versions of the Route 66 song, all in different genres that represented different eras of the road’s story. Even though we originally planned it without interviews, I acted on instinct

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas.

and decided to film three interviews: Michael Wallis, Angel Delgadillo, and Bobby Troup. We layered in their commentary and it really all came together. But I think its genesis as a visual story first, and the sparse narration, is what gives Odyssey a unique resonance that people still connect with, and that made one reviewer call it “a spiritual portrait of Route 66.”

in looked good on film, but it was not a prize-winning car by any stretch. It was more of a ‘daily driver’ as they say. On the last day of the shoot, we were in Seligman, Arizona, at the Fun Run, a big car cruise and show, and he was teasing me, pointing out all the Corvettes there: “Did you see that Corvette, John? It’s a lot nicer than yours.”

You also did a picture with Route 66 tv show icon, Marty Milner – Route 66: Return to the Road with Martin Milner.

Did you go into the early stages of the project knowing that you wanted Milner to be in the film, or was that something that happened organically?

How would you describe Milner in terms of your time together on the road? Did you come to understand parts of his character that aren’t reflected in his television persona?

From the early stages, we wanted it to be a travelogue – a roadtrip from Chicago to LA. And to do that, you can’t just have scenes at various stops and places along the way.

You need to capture the movement, and have transitional elements between scenes that link everything together. The car itself becomes a character, and so it really started with the question of “what is the most iconic Route 66 car?”

It seemed to be the early 6�’s Corvette, and that led us naturally to the idea of Martin Milner as driver and host.

What was Martin Milner like to work with?

Martin Milner was fantastic. It was no surprise that he was a complete professional; a talented actor that needed very little direction – he just ‘got it.’ Given that he was a primetime network star, I think he was very gracious in how he worked with our small documentary crew. The Corvette we had him

Well yes, in the sense that his TV persona was that of the lone wolf, wandering from town to town, a Kerouackian character. In reality, he was an everyday guy, a family man.

In fact, we learned that while shooting the TV show, he would often have his family on the road with him, and after wrapping a day of shooting he was with them. After Route 66 and Adam-12, he did not do a lot of film and television, and he actually said it was because he was probably “lazy.”

I think that is just him being a little humble and selfdeprecatory. Even when we worked with him, he had the talent and handsome good looks, but I have a hunch he had other priorities – he was a family man, and maybe didn’t need to constantly pursue fame and spotlight.

What was your favorite location during filming, and why?

Too many to list. I loved filming Sitgreaves Pass with the Cadillac camera car. I actually sat out front on the hood to ROUTE Magazine 63

get more control of the camera while shooting the driving shots. And if you watch the credits of Odyssey, you’ll see my ‘shadow’ cameo. The colors, and curves, and hairpin turns of that road are so cinematic. The Chain of Rocks Bridge was amazing. At that time it was closed to any car or foot traffic technically. But we made our way out there and shot it with a steadicam.

would pass it on to Mr. Troup. I said thanks and good-bye and right when I was about to hang up, he said, “Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. This is Bobby Troup.”

I was stunned. I said, “Oh.” He said, “Come by tomorrow,” and gave me directions to his home in Beverly Hills.

He sat at his piano for the interview, and told the classic story of how he (or his wife) came up with lyrics for Route 66.

What were some of the challenges of filming the Martin Milner picture?

If you could go back in time and relive the filming process for Route 66: An American Odyssey, are there any aspects of the film that you would change, or perhaps a wonderful time you wish you could relive again?

I remember that there were some delays in actually signing him to do it. His talent agent was a former actor named Hal Stalmaster who really lived up to his name. We were stalled for a few months, and we had actually given up at one point, and set out to start shooting (what would have been a very different film). On day 1, the day we landed in Chicago, I got a fax from Stalmaster’s office: we had an agreement, it was a green light. So we delayed shooting for a week and began searching for an old Corvette, similar in style to what Milner drove in the television show. It had to be that iconic car. We scrambled all over Chicago, Indiana, Ohio, looking. We finally found the right one at Chicago Car Exchange, and the sales guy happened to have the perfect prop: an old 1960’s style black and yellow California license plate was hanging in his office. He gave it to us to tack on the back. It looked perfect for our purposes, but it was legally a bogus plate. I’m amazed that we never got pulled over.

Are there any interesting stories about your experience with Bobby Troup you can share?

I got Bobby Troup’s phone number from Jerry Richard at the Route 66 Association of Arizona. I called the number, a man answered, and I said, “Hi, I’m calling for Bobby Troup.” And he said, “Bobby Troup’s not here. Who is this? Can I help you?” I explained I was making a documentary about Route 66 and was hoping I could interview Bobby Troup.

I gave him my name and phone number, and he said he

Coral Court Motel, St. Louis.

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It was an amazing experience and a big part of it was the car.

I bought a rusting old white convertible 1969 Cadillac Coup de Ville, and rigged a large TV camera to the front hood on a hihat tripod and 100lb steel plate. The front plate frame said: “Elvis Lives” and the back plate said: “Nothin’s Lackin’ when you’re Cadillacin’”. It provided smooth Hollywood style driving footage that rivals a $250,000 high tech camera car. It was also a real head turner. I remember pulling into downtown Stroud, Oklahoma, for the first time, and people were bewildered, wondering “who are these guys?” I first met Jim Ross that day. We’d been using his maps to navigate. He offered to buy us lunch and we walked into the Rock Cafe.

The county commissioner arrived and presented us with Stroud coffee mugs and shirts. We felt like minor celebrities.

I still have the mug.

Considering that you traveled more than 2,400 miles through eight states in the making of each Route 66 documentary film, did you encounter any challenges during the production process?

Finding and staying on the road was a challenge in places.

Today, there is more signage, and the maps and guides are better, and you have Google Maps.

We didn’t know any different at the time, but another challenge I see in retrospect was logistics. Those films were made prior to the widespread use of the web, email, mobile phones, text messaging.

Today, it is hard for me to imagine coordinating a production of that scale without these tools.

Yet in some ways, it heightened the adventure of the process. There was a purity to the experience, figuring it out on the fly, rolling up on location sometimes, and making stuff happen. We often ate lunch at truck stops, because they had a phone at each booth, and we could call ahead and schedule stuff. The downside of eating at truck stops, was that one of my crew, Mich Elvin, would sometimes want to eat a vegetarian meal; and at truck stops in Texas, even if he ordered a plate of only vegetables, they would pour gravy all over it.

It’s not a true roadtrip without mechanical challenges. We ran out of gas. Broke down.

The Cadillac used in Odyssey broke down right away, 2 days into our shoot, in the desert. We got towed in to Kingman, Arizona. It was a bad freeze plug.

The Corvette threw a rod, also in the desert, west of Oatman, Arizona.

I had chartered a helicopter out of Bullhead City, Arizona, and was shooting aerials of the Corvette driving on the beautiful, curvy roads through the desert. After shooting about 10 or 15 minutes, I see the Corvette roll to a stop. It just stops.

I spot my crew down there and they are just shrugging their shoulders.

We had no phone or radio contact.

So I flew back to Bullhead City, then drove our production van all the way back and found the Corvette sitting there, dead. We got towed to a local shop and it needed a complete engine swap, which took 10 days.

Route 66 is an American emblem whose impact on the nation’s history often seems overlooked. In making Route 66: An American Odyssey and Odell Station, Illinois.

Route 66: Return to the Road with Martin Milner, were you hoping to spread awareness about the importance of the Mother Road and the small towns you encountered along your journey?

Yes. I think for Odyssey, it was the ‘time travel’ nature of the road that captured my imagination. The road can reconnect you to American history and our cultural roots in a visceral way. It’s one thing to read about the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, but it comes alive when you travel on a lonely desert highway and see the rusting carcass of an old 1930’s truck. It transports you.

With Odyssey being more of a history, with a chronological storyline, I wanted to create another film that would be more of an actual roadtrip, from Chicago to LA, and that's what

was the genesis and eventual plotline of Route 66: Return to the Road. That film had minimal history, and instead focused on the adventure that awaits anyone who wants to travel the road today.

What is it about Route 66 that makes it an American treasure?

I can’t compete with Michael Wallis’ eloquence on this topic, but I will observe that perhaps there is a new, emerging aspect of Route 66 that is presently making it an American treasure today: its resilience and revival. America loves the underdog, the comeback. And I think Route 66 today has come to symbolize that, thanks to all the determined small towns, and a new generation of makers, dreamers and entrepreneurs all carving out a life on the highway.

What do you hope audiences take away from viewing your Route 66 films?

I hope that the films entice them to hit the road. And not only on Route 66, but everywhere else: Go downtown. Shop local. Skip [franchise] and eat at your town’s version of the Snowcap or the Launching Pad. As Bob Waldmire told us, “Go slow. Go small.”

And laugh. Each mile you travel down this road, you will feel more alive.

What are your favorite spots along the road?

With Michael Wallis.

Again, too many to list. I love the neon strips in Albuquerque, ROUTE Magazine 65

Route 66 icon, Bob Waldmire.

Gallup and Tucumcari, New Mexico. Santa Fe is wonderful and completely different. My favorite burger was Johnnie’s Grill in El Reno, Oklahoma. Seligman, Arizona, is a favorite thanks to the Snow Cap and Angel Delgadillo.

The Cozy Dog in Springfield, Illinois. I love cozy dogs,

and in fact, when we had a little premier of Odyssey back home in Olympia, my mom called Buz Waldmire and got instructions and a big box of the batter so we could make authentic cozy dogs for the party.

As much as I love an open stretch of highway, my favorite spots are the small towns, public squares and main streets – and the great thing about Route 66 is that it gently leads you through the heart of each one. Joplin, Missouri, Carthage, Missouri, and Pontiac, Illinois come to mind.

The one spot I’ve returned to most often is Lou Mitchell’s in Chicago, simply because I travel there for work a few times a year on average. Every time I’m in Chicago, I stop in for breakfast; not once have I ever been offered the milk duds! But many times I have seen Shari, the waitress we filmed in Route 66: Return to the Road, and it’s always good to talk to her.

What are you working on today?

Seligman, Arizona, with Angel Delgadillo.

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I’ve been living and working in Buffalo, New York, which has echoes of the Route 66 story, if you just swap out the highway for the Erie Canal. It’s a town that got bypassed in it’s own way, and suffered a long decline and tarnished reputation, and now is staging a remarkable comeback.

Here, I’ve worked with Visit Buffalo Niagara (the region’s tourism agency) to create several films and film series that have captured, and in some cases catalyzed, Buffalo’s comeback. (See in particular, “Buffalo: America’s Best Designed City” on YouTube).

More recently, I’ve launched First+Main Films, a studio expressly dedicated to creating promotional films for cities and towns across America. This has become my passion as a filmmaker, and it really all started on Route 66.

Picture yourself on the sidewalks of Route 66

lley soline A Bob’s Ga nly O t intmen

By Appo

Destination

Cuba,Missouri on Historic Rte. 66

14 Murals Four Motels Museum Winery Restaurants Antique Mall Largest Rocking Chair

www.visitcubamo.com ROUTE Magazine 67

PARTING SHOT

Blue MILLER How would your friends describe you in 3 words? Loyal.

Tenacious. Random. What keeps you awake at night in 8 words or less? The fear of losing a loved one. If you could time warp yourself to any point in history when would it be? The 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository, Dealey Plaza, Dallas, TX. 22nd November 1963. Name one place along Route 66 that you’d like to visit again and again? Glenrio, TX/NM. There’s always ghosts out of the corner of your eye in that town. What did you want to do with your life at age 15? Be a journalist and editor. And that’s exactly what I became!

Favorite place on Route 66? Wherever I am at the time – I can’t even narrow it down to a favorite place in each state!

Spookiest place on Route 66? Cuervo, New Mexico. It’s the only place on 66 that has ever spooked me – there is something wrong there.

Cool or bizarre talent that you have that most people don’t know about? I can pack a suitcase quicker than most anyone alive. What is something that you can’t do? Play chess. Many people have tried to teach me… What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received? What goes around, comes around. What living person do you most admire? My Mum. An amazing lady who, at 74, still runs her own international business and has provided constant support and encouragement throughout my life. Most treasured possession? A silver torque bracelet I was given for my 18th birthday and have worn ever since. When are you happiest? Driving my ‘65 Mustang. What are you reading right now? The Murder of the Century by Paul Collins, the story of an 1897 murder which sparked a tabloid war 68 ROUTE Magazine

between publishing magnates, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. Best decade of music? The 1950s. What is the most adventurous thing you have done? Probably my first road trip. I flew into the USA for the first time, picked up a rental car and just drove for days on my own. I’ve been in some pretty adventurous derelict buildings too…

Worst job you’ve ever had? Potato picking. I lasted two days.

What is one thing you have always wanted to try? Swimming with otters. What do you think is the most important life lesson for someone to learn? That time goes by quicker than you could imagine. What is one of your weird quirks? Every time I drive past the sign on the border for the county I live in, I have to shout ‘Home!’ What is your guilty pleasure? Really bad TV – ‘Judge Jury’, ‘Cheaters’, ‘Hardcore Pawn’, bring it on! If you were famous, what would you be famous for? For ferreting out forgotten stories of our time and keeping memories alive. Where would you love to visit in America? The inside of the Bonebrake Hardware Store in Erick, Oklahoma. Trait you admire in others? Patience. Trait you deplore in others? Hypocrisy and lying. Which historical figure would you love to meet? Benjamin Franklin, probably one of the most remarkable men ever. Funniest living person on R66 today? Either Rhys Martin, punmeister extraordinaire or Penny Black, both friends and Route 66 travelers. My husband is pretty funny too when he has a chance to travel with me. Biggest fears/phobias? Military tanks. Who would play your life on the Big Screen?

Helena Bonham-Carter because then I could imagine that I was as talented and pretty as she is!

Illustration: Jenny Mallon.

Few writers have dived into the strange and unique like our quick-fire question focus for this issue, Blue Miller. Originally hailing from the UK, Miller’s blog, Never Quite Lost offers readers very well researched tales about the lesser known and sometimes bizarre side of Route 66. In this fast-paced interview, we introduce you to Blue.

Order this spectacular vibrant Route 66 calendar from www.route66images.com

ROUTE Magazine 69

Some people reminisce

About the past.

Some people get out and

iT! Relive it!

Find out more at

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(On Old Route 66 in Downtown SpringďŹ eld) Open Mon. - Fri., 8am - 5pm