Check out Pages 6-7 to find out how you can win a Kindle Fire and many other wonderful prizes!
From the publisher ...
- Grand Prize A Kindle Fire!
Contents & Features Sunny Days & Drive-in Nights on Route 66 Frank Gifford Route 66 Tours
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Bev Maxfield’s interview with Dale Butel
The Motels of Route 66
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Simon Cantlon
Arizona Kicks on Route 66
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Text by Roger Naylor, Photographs by Larry Lindahl
Tactical MagicTM New Logos created for beloved Route 66 business Bicycling for Traumatic Brain Injury-TBI
Bev Maxfield’s interview with Elaine Astrue 20
Jim Hinckley
A Quirk of Fate
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A soldier’s own story
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Cruzin’ with Kramden
We salute the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and National Guard as well as the brave police and fire fighters who say they are “just doing their job”, but are our heros just the same. Route 66 played an active part in war efforts, and we are sharing a few stories in this issue. As we all know, there are many more stories to tell.
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Fortress Kingman
As Memorial Day approaches on Monday, May 28, 66 The Mother Road is paying tribute to all branches of the armed forces. We can’t say thank you enough to all active and former military personnel for what they do so that the rest of us may walk free.
The National Moment of Rememberance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3:00 pm local time on Memorial Day for one minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the US. It’s the way we can put the “Memorial” back in Memorial Day. Judy Springs
John Springs
Ft. Leonard Wood & Hooker Cut
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Joe Sonderman
10 Reasons Why Everyone Should Drive Route 66
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Mel Lockcuff
The Lost Route 66 Alignment in Carthage, MO Has Been Found! Ron Hart
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Outside front cover photo courtesy of John Springs - Statue displayed near the Navy Broadway Complex in San Diego
DEADLINE REMINDER ISSUE
SPACE CLOSES
Materials Due
July / August June 15 June 22 September / August 10 October August 17 November / October 11 December October 18 January / February
December 4 December 11
CONTACT US Judy Springs Publisher Judy@66TheMotherRoad.com John Springs Advertising Manager John@66TheMotherRoad.com 760.834.1495 Beverly Maxfield Contributing Editor/Copy Writer Bev@66TheMotherRoad.com
How to Reach the ROUTE 66 ASSOCIATIONS California Historic Route 66 Association 16825 S. D St., Victorville, CA 92323 CAHistoricRT66@aol.com http://www.route66ca.org Arizona Route 66 Association PO Box 66, Kingman, AZ 86402 928.753.5001 azrt66@frontiernet.net www.azrt66.com New Mexico Route 66 Association 14305 Central Ave. NW Albuquerque, New Mexico 87121 505.831.6317 www.rt66nm.org Old Route 66 Association of Texas PO Box 66 McLean, TX 79057 806.373.7576 or 806.779.2225 www.mockturtlepress.com/Texas Trewblue@centramedia.com Oklahoma Route 66 Association, Inc. PO Box 446 Chandler, OK 74834 www.Oklahomaroute66.com or okrt66association@sbcglobal.net Kansas Historic Route 66 Association PO Box 66 Baxter Springs, KS 66713 620.856.2385 http://www.ixks.com/alynn/index.htm Route 66 Association of Missouri PO Box 8117 St. Louis, MO 63156 www.missouri66.org Illinois Route 66 Association Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum 110 W. Howard St. Pontiac, IL 61764 cathiesb@earthlink.net www.il66assoc.org Canadian Route 66 Association PO Box 81123 Burnaby, BC V5HK2 604.434.1818 route66kicks@mac.com, or route66@telus.net www.route66.ca National Historic Route 66 Federation PO Box 1848, Dept. WS Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 909.336.6131 www.national66.com
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Images Š www.rt66pix.com
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Summer Fun on the Route Summer is Car Show Time along Route 66. So grab a hat, slather on sunscreen, and don’t forget your camera. Frank Gifford, the photographer behind rt66pix.com feels no Route 66 trip is really complete without at least one car show along the way. The Beach Boys are playing over the PA system. Something about a T-Bird and “Fun, Fun, Fun.” It’s sunny and 90 degrees (32c) with the smell of hot dogs grilling. A park, just off Route 66, has been turned into a tribute to the American Road. Right before you is a white ‘56 Thunderbird convertible with red interior and optional fuzzy dice. It was every man’s dream back then ... in fact it still is!
This scene is from Summerfest, held every August in the Route 66 town of Vinita, OK. (www.Vinita.com/summerfest.html) There’s no better way to see Route 66 and America close up than an event like this in America’s heartland. You’re surrounded by Route 66 era cars, and watching people interact with them is half the fun.
Or, you can make your own fun. Imagine you’re a small child again and you encounter a 1959 Chevy for the first time! It would look much like this, as the mysterious batwing fills your field of vision and overpowers the adult world around you. This image was taken at the annual Route 66 Blowout held the first weekend of June in Sapulpa, OK. (www.sapulpamainstreet.com/route66.shtml)
You just never know what you’ll find at a Route 66 summer event. A 1936 Dodge panel wagon! How many still exist? A 1954 Kaiser Darrin with disappearing doors! The entire production run was only 435. Both made appearances, and rt66pix.com has images to prove it. And then there are the highly customized vehicles, big and small. This was from a Route 66 event a few years ago in another small town - Litchfield, IL. While the hometown events are fun, Route 66 has big gatherings annually, too. Consult the calendar (www.66TheMotherRoad.com). These car show images - and hundreds more - appear in full screen on the website, and many are captioned for T-shirts and other merchandise. America is a lot more than the politicians and problems of the moment. Hitting a Route 66 event or two this summer will act as a nice reality check! Out on Route 66 - life is REAL good.
Images © www.rt66pix.com May / June 2012
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The Kindle Fire c
And so could any number of wond 66 businesses, and f
Enter
Win 1 of 3 motel stays (One night for 2 people) - Globetrotter Motel - Wigwam Motel - Wagon Wheel Motel
4 passes to Meramec Caverns 4 passes to Grand Canyon Caverns
- Grand Prize A Kindle Fire!
Numerous Gift Packages and Gift Cards
Autographed copies of our Road’s most noted and beloved authors
Autographed CD The Road Crew
Send an email to: Event@66TheMotherRoad.com.
How to enter:
That’s it. You’re entered!
(Your email will NOT be shared or sold). The drawing will be held at the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, MO, during Cuba Fest - October 20-21, 2012. Winner need not be present for the drawing. Each email entrant will be assigned a number. Numbers will be drawn and matched to the email. One email per person. Duplicates will be eliminated. All winners will be placed back into the drawing for a chance to win the Kindle Fire.
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Harley & Annabelle Living Legends in Erick, OK
could be yours!
derful items donated by our Route friends of Route 66.
Today!
More prizes being added weekly!
Participating Sponsors: www.GlobetrotterLodge.com www.WagonWheelCuba.com www.WigwamMotel.com www.AmericasCave.com www.GrandCanyonCaverns.com www.Route66LastStopShop.com www.SeligmanSundries.com http://dolphinecho.com/ http://houseportraitsbypete.com/ www.Rt66Pix.com
www.66RoutePost.com http://harleyandannabelle.blogspot.com/ www.HenrysRoute66.com http://Route66Chronicles.blogspot.com www.McJerry66.com www.66maps.com/home.html www.shelleegraham.com www.66Postcards.com www.roadcrew66.com
Mr. C’s Soda’s Mediocre Music Makers Globetrotter Lodge Croc Lile Wagon Wheel Mote Jim Hinckley Henry’s Rabbit Ranch Wigwam Motel Jerry McClanahan Joe Lesch & The Road Crew Meramec Caverns Jim Ross Grand Canyon Caverns Shellee Graham The Last Stop Shop on Route 66 Joe Sonderman Catamaran Echo, Key West, Florida Historic Seligman Sundries Dolphins, Snorkeling, Champaign sunset cruise House Portraits By Pete
Don’t miss your chance to win! Email now! Event@66TheMotherRoad.com
Winners will be notified via email. No substitutions for prizes. No cash exchange in lieu of prizes. No cash refunds for portions of unusued certificates. Room prizes will be subject to the establishments availability. Gift packages will determined by establishments product availability. One email per person; duplicates will be eliminated. We will use all emails to notify participants when each issue of 66 The Mother Road is published. No other correspondence will be issued unless you initiate the exchange. If you choose to opt out, please send an email to info@66TheMotherRoad.com and your email will be removed from the bi-monthy notifications - you will still be entered in the raffle. Transportation to any location is the sole responsibility of the entrant.
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By Frank Gifford
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They won’t open for another 90 minutes...and already the crowd stretches out of sight in both directions down the road. This is not the line for Apple’s latest tiny-screen gizmo, but for a big screen--more than 40-feet tall. Welcome to the 66 Drive-In Theatre in southwest Missouri. While most drive-ins gave up years ago, this one just outside Carthage is beginning another season. The 66 Drive-in Theatre is owned by the Goodman family. Mark handles projection duties, while his wife Dixie runs the busy snack bar. Their children get in on the act as well. There’s a full moon on this early April night for the season opener. Temperatures have cooled to perhaps 60 degrees by showtime. You’re seeing two PG movies for about the price of one in a conventional theatre. The weather is perfect for snacking, and the small popcorn is only $1. The projection booth has switched over to digital and the image is nice and sharp right from the start; and another noticeable improvement from the old days is the audio. Gone are the miserable toaster-size speakers that hung clumsily from a car window. The sound now emerges from the car’s FM radio.
The 66 Drive-in draws its crowds mainly from Carthage (population 14,000) and Joplin (50,000) ten miles to the west. Mark Goodman says Roadies make up only a small percentage of the audience. Too bad--because this is a classic American experience--a night at a drive-in along THE classic American road. The two are very much intertwined. The popularity of Drive-ins peaked during the era that the Mother Road has come to symbolize. Once there were 46 of them along Route 66, according to a count kept by www.drive-ins.com, one for every 50-miles, but of course they weren’t spaced that way. The 66 Drive-In opened in September, 1949 back when TVs were expensive, small, and strictly blackand-white. Movies had the advantage of affordability, and living color. In 1953, with TV a bigger competitor, the screen was widened to accommodate a new process called Cinerama. A few years later, color TV and home air conditioning started becoming widespread...and the rest of the story gets pretty ugly. Originally Carthage MO had two drive-ins, the other is now long gone. The 66 stayed dark from 1985 (the year Route 66 was decommissioned) to 1998 when the Goodman family bought it.
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Today, just a handful are still operating along Route 66--but enough that you can, with a little planning, enjoy on a road trip: Route 66 Drive-in at Springfield IL, Sky View at Litchfield IL, 66 at Carthage MO, and Admiral Twin in Tulsa OK. The Admiral Twin is rebuilding after a fire and hopes to re-open by Memorial Day 2012. In Addition, two Route 66 cities feature drive-ins that are slightly off the Mother Road: 19 Drive-in at Cuba, MO and Skyline in Barstow, CA. The 66 Drive-in at Carthage is a seasonal business, weekends only. But everything neatly coincides with the peak travel season on Route 66. The Boots Motel in Carthage (reopening this
spring) is close by. The classic Rest Haven Court in Springfield (with wonderful 1953 neon) is about an hour away. Mark Goodman says his favorite movie is the original “Cars”--set on Route 66. In fact, it’s about local talent. Tow Tater is the rusty 1951 truck that spent his working days in nearby Joplin before heading down Route 66 to Hollywood--where he changed his name to Tow Mater. These days he’s got his own little spread just over the line in Galena KS, about 20 miles away. He still makes movies every now and then. And when he does, they’ll be playing at the 66 Drive-In. WEBSITES: --------General information on Drive-ins: www.drive-ins.com Route 66 Drive-In, Springfield IL: www.route66-drivein.com Sky View Drive-In, Litchfield IL: www.litchfieldskyview.com 66 Drive-In Theatre, Carthage MO: www.66drivein.com Admiral Twin Drive-In, Tulsa OK: www.drive-ins.com/theater/oktadmi ----Close to the Mother Road: 19 Drive-In, Cuba MO: www.drive-ins.com/theater/mot19dr Skyline Drive-In, Barstow CA: www.drive-ins.com/theater/catskyl
Article and photos provided by Frank Gifford, www.rt66pix.com. Unauthorized useage is prohibited without written consent. Contact Frank at Route66Pix@hotmail.com.
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The Motels of Route 66 Emmy-nominated Simon Cantlon (Director/Producer) and Memphis, TN-based production company Paper Moon Films have gone live with the fundraising campaign for the interactive documentary film and book for The Motels of Route 66. This documentary film and accompanying book are about the iconic vintage motels alongside the Main Street of America, Route 66. The project will explore the stories of the motel owners, the architecture, the travelers and the road itself. Fundraising pledge incentives include postcards from the road, copies of the documentary / book, associate producer credit and A Route 66 Trip package for two! The Kickstarter campaign is looking to raise 30k which will cover a month-long journey along 2,448 miles of Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles. (It will include a four-man film crew (director, cameraman, photographer, lighting / sound). Your contribution can make it all happen. The project will not only portray the vintage motels in both film and photo along Route 66, it will also feature day-in-the-life glimpses into some of the uniquely American people who run these classic sleep establishments along with the travelers who stay the night. The documentary and book will also seek contributions from people all over the world of their personally filmed footage and photographs from Route 66 for potential inclusion in the finished products. To view Simon Cantlon’s blog and learn more about the Motels of Route 66, go to http://themotelsofroute66.com/profiles/blogs/the-motels-of-route-66-kickstarter-campaign-kicks-off To learn how you can contribute to Kickstarter, go to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/829675906/the-motelsof-route-66-documentary-film-and-book
Arizona Kicks on Route 66 Text by Roger Naylor, Photographs by Larry Lindahl
More than just a road trip, traveling Route 66 across Arizona is a rollicking adventure. That twisted ribbon of highway—that loopy, swoopy road, that python of pavement—curls from the sun-gnawed desert through stark badlands and into ferocious mountains. Along the way, the “Mother Road” is cradled by layers of Americana, with dazzling side trips branching in every direction. Take the journey of a lifetime across Arizona, the birthplace of Historic Route 66. Just be sure to save room for pie. All of the fun and funky things to do along Route 66 in Arizona are covered. Find a gorgeous handwoven rug at historic Hubbell Trading Post on the Navajo Reservation. Walk through a forest of stone at Petrified Forest National Park. Sleep in a wigwam at Wigwam Motel in Holbrook. See where a meteor struck the earth at Meteor Crater. Watch out for ghosts in Flagstaff’s haunted Hotel Monte Vista. Catch a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams. Pay a visit to Angel Delgadillo, who helped make Route 66 historic, in Seligman. Spend the night deep underground at Grand Canyon Caverns. Dig into the lemon pie at Redneck’s Southern Pit BBQ in Kingman. Feed a burro on the streets of Oatman. And don’t forget to take a short side trip to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, or Lake Havasu. Roger Naylor is a freelance writer, and his work appears regularly in Arizona Highways, Arizona Republic, Las Vegas ReviewJournal, Sedona Magazine, and Nevada Magazine. He is a senior writer for The Bob and Tom Show, a nationally syndicated radio program. Roger lives in Cottonwood, Arizona. Larry Lindahl’s photography has been showcased in books, scenic calendars, and magazines, including Arizona Highways, Outdoor Photographer, Smart Money, American Archaeology, and Southwest Art. He is author and photographer of the award-winning book, Secret Sedona: Sacred Moments in the Landscape. Larry lives in Sedona, Arizona.
To order: http://www.amazon.com/Arizona-Kicks-Route-Roger-Naylor/dp/1933855762/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1328196 364&sr=8-3 Also visit Roger on Facebook at: http://www.Facebook.com/Route66Arizona
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Savoring the Fine Vintage By Beverly Maxfield
One could say that to Dale Butel, Route 66 is like a fine vintage to experience and to savor. Vintage defines the avid interests of this adventurous gentleman with his passion for collectible cars and all the finer aspects of Americana he uncovers each time the trip is taken out on the Road. His Route 66 Tours offer personalized and guided road trips, presenting the traveler with a welcome level of independence and latitude to provide the optimum experience. The tours typically comprise his fellow Australian countrymen as well as New Zealanders, all adventurers who had interests peaked through the songs, Hollywood films, books and stories honoring the Mother Road. You can’t help but feel how we Americans take this great treasure for granted after talking with Dale, who has to travel a great distance to experience what we have in our own backyard. “Back in 2003, I discovered I had a fascination for classic cars so I went out and bought my first classic, a 1967 Chevy Impala, and still have it today,” Dale recalled. “When I took it to a body shop, I struck up a conversation with the guy there and he brought up this trip he was planning, a road trip to America. Since travel is my business we got to talking all about this trip and he mentioned Route 66. Well—and this is a 12
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common misconception with many people— I misspoke and said there wasn’t much left of Route 66; just the best parts located in Arizona. He told me I was so wrong, there were lots of parts to it, and they’d be driving some of it on the trip over there.” With his interest now peaked after the conversation, he and a friend opted to join the group and travel with them on what was an American hot rod tour, getting his first taste of Route 66. “So I drove on that trip for the first time on Route 66,” he said. “With my fascination for classic cars, all things Americana, and America itself—my favorite travel destination—Route 66 really grabbed hold of me and that was it. In 2004 I got my first experience of Route 66, and I’ve been passionate about it ever since.” It was quite a discovery for someone who had never really heard about Route 66 up to that point. “Over here we subconsciously knew about it through movies, novels, songs and various things.” Something apparently stayed in his subconscious after one specific newscast he recalled seeing in 1985 when it was announced that Route 66 was no more. (The year it was decommissioned). “I can remember that day vividly. I remember the newscast quite clearly as they went on how it was ‘the end of an era’ and all of that. So
traveling actually on Route 66 all those years later, it really grabbed me as I discovered it was still there with so much to offer.” The following year Dale and his wife Kristi-Anne spent their honeymoon on Route 66 traveling in her ’65 Mustang. “We did a lot of miles on that road, and started the plan for our American tours during that trip—and we still have that Mustang too!” The Butels only own vintage cars, including a ’69 Mini Cooper S Clone; they call their ‘shopping car’. The Route 66 Tours are strategically planned, starting within the big-city excitement of Chicago, and slowly winding down to a peaceful excursion through the West, and finishing with a grand finale in Las Vegas. When asked what are some of the favorite tour highlights he doesn’t hesitate to mention the Mediocre Music Makers. “There are varying tastes among the travelers, of course,” he said. “But I’ve noticed a collective interest and quite good responses about Harley and Annabelle, the Mediocre Music Makers in Erick, Oklahoma. They are just so wild and so unique and really stand out. They’ve certainly shocked a few of them,” he laughs. “The wild west sections of Arizona and the peaceful areas of California’s Mojave Desert are often impacting because of their stark beauty and remote nature. The painted desert of the Grand Canyon is another certainly. There are so many picturesque areas accessed from Route 66 that evoke lasting impressions.” The drive through the old west town of Oatman, Arizona garners collective interest as well. “There are always comments about the change of geography from one day to the next, such natural beauty to take in. I tell my clients ‘every day’s a new day, every day’s a different day’. When we start out in Chicago they remark at the end of the day what a wonderful time they had, and I always say, ‘well, tomorrow will be even better.’ When we get into Missouri on the next day and they talk about how much fun they had, I can confidently tell them, ‘tomorrow’s even better. ’Each day does get better and better, and to deliver on that… it’s priceless.” Many of Dale’s clients have asked why they choose
the route of travel from East to West. He explained his formula for the natural progression of optimal travel: “Travelers tend to get more relaxed as the road gets quieter, as the population density drops after the big send off in the Windy City. It’s much more peaceful as you proceed west. Right when they’ve had a good fill in this mode, road-tripping through the different geographic cultural pockets along western Route 66, we then hit the Mojave Desert in California and say goodbye to Route 66. Then they are treated to the excitement of the big finish in Las Vegas, which, of course, is high on their lists.” Dale’s tours usually do not continue deep into the Southern California freeway systems. “We pride ourselves in showing our groups the old road, in actually driving it. One time in a Corvette it took me 6 hours to get from Santa Monica to the Wigwam Motel in Rialto. So, for the die-hard Route 66 fanatics who really want to do the entire road, we offer a two-night extension. I do let them know it will take at least two days of travel from Las Vegas to Santa Monica Pier and back on the Interstate. You can have a stopover at the Wigwam and a visit with Kumar, the proprietor there, and then a stopover somewhere at the end.” These tourists would be the die-hards who can say quite proudly that they travelled Route 66 in its entirety. “We do not guide them through that part of the trip,” he said. “That is an optional twonight extension they can take, and very few choose to do that.” If Dale had to pick one of his favorite spots on Route 66, “it would be very, very difficult,” he said. “I have a Top 5 and they are all very different categories. May / June 2012
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For me, the categories are a little bit more refined, I can’t say there’s one favorite spot. If it’s a favorite relating to people, I have a whole list of those; if it’s a favorite relating to the actual whole road and the experience of driving it, then I have those favorites; if it’s a town then it’s those favorites. There is far too much to say this is my one favorite thing and identify one thing, a town, a scene, a person, it’s just too difficult.” There are so many memories and so many more to come. He had a couple to share, moments he will never forget. “One memorable experience was during a trip with an extra-large tour group. The travelers were getting tired and a bit stressed from traveling through Los Angeles traffic. We got through the crowded Interstate and crossed over through Oatman, AZ and up through Sitgreaves Pass. I remember pulling over at one point and how this lady just flew out of the car when she saw the view and literally squealed with excitement. There were tears of joy running down her face. She was hopping up and down, so excited to see that vista right after experiencing Oatman only 30 minutes prior. Her excitement levels were so high she was just jumping for joy, and that is something I will never forget.” Another memorable experience involved a person that wasn’t so excited to take the trip on Route 66. “There was a gentleman that was brought on the tour by a friend of his, so he wasn’t really into it, he wasn’t a Route 66 fan, and it seemed he was just being dragged along on this road trip. We struggled a bit at first with him because he was a little dry and unsure what all the fuss was about. So on about day 5 of the trip, his mate asked if I could take him along and point out some of the things we’re seeing. While we were driving though Texas and seeing a lot of great things along a lot of great roads, I suddenly stopped the car in the middle of the road and got out. The guy looked puzzled and said, ‘what are you doing?’ I said we are going to take a photo of this beautiful stretch of road. So he got out of the car and became so cap-
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tivated by the moment, he said to me, ‘I never thought in a million years I’d be so excited about getting out and taking a photo of concrete.’ That is the reaction I love seeing; the awakening of passion or fascination about Route 66. There are a million stories, but those two were certainly highlights.” Dale works long hours in preparation for each tour; granted it’s a lot of work, but the rewards are tremendous. “Once I’m on the Road, I know I have a dream job, I am living my personal dream,” he said. “We are in the business of introducing people to the real America; through the heart of a country that they won’t get to know by visiting all of the typical tourist attractions. We give our clients a grounded, real and down-to-earth homegrown USA experience—an introduction to the real America. When we get into the little towns off the big Interstate and meet the people who may never have left their little corners of the world, you realize they are an important part of what makes the United States great.” Dale and Kristi-Anne Butel have 35 years experience in the travel business between them. Visit them at route66tours.com.
For more information,visit the website at: www.Route66Tours.com.au; or email at: dbutel@Route66Tours.com.au
Phone: 07 3289-4404 Phone: 1300-760-806 Fax: 07 3289-4484 Mobile: 0412-333-495
ABN: 51 793 756 417 // TIDS #96-8 3536 2 Travel License #3227461 // TCF # 9881
Calendar@66TheMotherRoad.com
www.66TheMotherRoad.com www.HenrysRoute66.com
www.Route66LastStopShop.com endrt66@gmail.com
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About the American Advertising Federation The American Advertising Federation (AAF), is the nation’s oldest national advertising trade association, and the only association representing all facets of the advertising industry. It acts as the “Unifying Voice for Advertising.” The AAF also has 15 district operations, each located in and representing a different region of the nation. The AAF’s membership is comprised of nearly 100 blue chip corporate members comprising the nation’s leading advertisers, advertising agencies, and media companies; a national network of nearly 200 local federations, representing 40,000 advertising professionals, located in ad communities across the country; and more than 200 AAF college chapters, with over 6,500 student members. www.aaf.org/default.asp?id=27
New Logos Created for Beloved Route 66 Businesses Receive Advertising Industry Awards
The winning logos designed by Tactical Magic for Angel’s Barber Shop and Delgadillo’s Snow Cap, along with examples of the larger identity systems are shown above
Tactical Magic, an internationally-recognized branding
specialist firm, was recently honored with Silver Addy Awards at an American Advertising Federation ceremony in Memphis. The winning trademarks were created for Angel’s Barber Shop and Delgadillo’s Snow Cap. Regarding the new icon for his new barber shop, Angel Delgadillo says, “I am proud of my new logo. It’s simple and fresh and classic! We use the logo to stamp Arizona Route 66 Passports for visitors from all over the world – and they love it.” Of the Snow Cap logo, John Delgadillo adds, “I really like that little logo they made for the Snow Cap brochure. It so right for us. We should have thought of that idea years ago!” Angel’s daughter, Mirna, who commissioned the design work by Tactical Magic says, “Trace Hallowell and his team at Tactical Magic are very talented – but, more than that, I could tell that they really care about our family and our story.” Revealing his personal passion for the highway, Hallowell confesses, “I am in many ways a child of the road. My parents followed Route 66 when they moved to California, where I was born – just a few miles from the old road, in fact. My first trip through Seligman was in the summer of 1968. We have designed trademarks for brands all around the country – even around the world – but creating marks for true icons of Route 66 is an enormous thrill.”
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Jon Hallowell, son of Trace Hallowell, Angel Delgadillo and Trace Hallowell, creative director, Tactical Magic
ABOUT Tactical Magic Tactical Magic is a Branding Specialist firm that combines the skills of an ad agency, a brand consultancy and a design studio. Literally recognized for creative excellence all around the world, Tactical Magic’s branding and advertising work has been published in dozens of juried collections and several college textbooks. Founded in 2001, Tactical Magic focuses on the development of brand strategy, brand identity and brand promotion campaigns. 1460 Madison Ave., Memphis TN 38104 901.722.3001Phone l 901.722.2144 Fax www.TacticalMagic.com
Mark your Calendar
October 20-21 Cuba, Missouri Visit Route 66 Cuba Fest 2012 to see what there is to see: apple butter making, Route 66 authors and artists, chili-cookoff, music, crafts, activities, street performances, a visit from Santa Claus, Taste of Cuba, trolley mural tours, trolley cemetery tours, chair-i-table auction, craft beer & wine tent, oh my, oh my ... Share our FB page so everyone can see what there is to see.
For more information, and/or to register for a booth, go to Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Ibbnub Enjoy the Music of the Road Crew at Cuba Fest, 2012
www.RoadCrew66.com
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We spoke to Elaine Astrue, a Silicon Valley tech professional, right before she was to embark on her ‘trip of a lifetime’—a bicycling adventure along the Western half of Route 66. Santa Monica Pier is her starting point with a destination of Amarillo,TX—many miles with many goals to meet as the wheels turn and turn. She will be raising awareness for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) while looking forward to experiencing some new good things in her life. There are many miles to travel, many new friends to meet, and many interesting places to discover that she will undoubtedly want to visit time and time again. Exercise is a key component in the recovery of people with serious brain injuries, and what better mode of exercise is there than bicycling? Elaine will be accompanied by Lon Haldeman and Susan Notorangelo’s PAC Tour organization, experts when it comes to traveling along the Road. Her ride will coincide with a Route 66-themed auction held by Services for Brain Injury (SBI), a non-profit organization in the Bay Area. The auction, awarding a lucky winner with an all-expense-paid Route 66 trip, helped Elaine to decide on taking the trip herself. “I have to be out there, I have to be on Route 66,” she told herself. On Christmas Day 2008, Elaine was riding in the backseat of a car en route to San Diego when it rear-ended a stopped vehicle on the freeway during a severe dust storm. Her head struck the back of the seat in front of her upon impact, a quick moment in time that would change everything. Six months after the accident she was told she wouldn’t get any better. The periods of forgetfulness, fatigue, etc. she had been 18
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experiencing would become a way of life. Today, she amazingly refers to this experience as a gift, a chance to reinvent and align herself with new spheres of interest; seeking the challenges she may not have had the opportunity or thought about exploring prior to the accident. “SBI has helped me in turning this around into something good. I’m looked at as someone who has something to offer. And I do! I am so very lucky to have them there. So, the bike trip is to raise awareness about this local non-profit and all that they do. They help brain injury survivors like me get better,” Elaine said. “They help with cognitive rehabilitation work; job placement and support, and help people keep their existing jobs.” She was a bicyclist before the accident, but now finds it as the perfect therapeutic activity as well. “I just felt better after a long bike ride. My thinking was clearer, my memory was better, and I didn’t feel overwhelmed by regular daily life. I didn’t want to hibernate, I wanted to get out there in the world, and that’s all good stuff for someone with a brain injury. This trip is also about doing something I would never have done on my own, taking this many risks. I used to be up for challenge before my brain injury, but not so much right now. With the assistance from PAC Tour, who has wonderfully structured the whole trip; it’s a perfect thing to do.” PAC Tour travels the Road every year, alternating between the Western and Eastern parts. “This time is like magic,” she enthused. “I was very focused on my work before the accident and a bit isolated. Now, I have reconnected
with old friends and made a lot of new ones. It’s amazing how one good thing leads to another; a momentum of good things.” Elaine compared her upcoming bike travel along Route 66 with the way people probably travelled it back in the ‘20s. “People of that era had to travel in the same manner as we travel on bikes now. More slowly because the roads were not that great; they went from town to town, the pace of life was actually slower, traveling probably just 60 to 100 miles a day. I think intuitively that’s the way they may have traveled back then. We don’t have that much history in this country, especially out in the West. There’s nothing tangible, you can’t really see it. But with Route 66 there’s something tangible, real American history. I think it should be on everyone’s bucket list, to travel on Route 66.” To follow Elaine’s journey every step of the way through narrative and photo posts, log on to her blog: http://route66ajourney.blogspot.com. We will look forward to following up and sharing her trip of a lifetime in a future issue.
To learn more about PAC Tours, visit http://www.pactour.com
The “Orange Crush” May / June 2012
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Fortress Kingman
From Hackberry, Arizona old Route 66 makes a slight dogleg and then runs arrow straight across the wide Hualapai Valley toward Kingman on the western horizon. Here, the societal evolution of the past century unfolds in chronological order from east to west beginning with the modern flotsam of generic restaurants, gas stations, and truck stops clustered around the I-40 interchange. Next comes a few faded vestiges from the 1960s with darkened neon intermingled with the modern, and then a handful of roadside time capsules such as the Hilltop Motel and El Trovatore Motel. Then, as the highway plunges through a deep cut in El Trovatore Hill, the tarnished survivors that stand in mute testimony to that era when this was the western frontier and Arizona was represented by the newest star on the flag spring into view.
as with the veterans who fought this war, the last remnants from this almost forgotten chapter in Kingman and Route 66 history, are there for those who seek them. The story begins in 1940 as the clouds of war that were engulfing Europe loomed on the distant horizon. This was the year that the United States Army initiated feasibility studies for the development of airfields to serve as training centers, and that Senator McCarran of Nevada introduced a bill for the establishment of a military post to protect Boulder Dam. It was also the year that the War Department began evaluating segments of Route 66 for its potential as a vital war asset.
Route 66, the urgency to complete U.S. 93 to Boulder Dam, established railroad access, and Port Kingman (a modern airfield established by What seems conspicuously absent are tangible Charles Lindbergh), as well as vast tracts of open desert, placed Kingman near the top of the list for links to that brief moment in time when war engulfed the world and the small desert hamlet of sites selected for establishment of military airfields. Kingman was transformed into a powerful weap- In October of 1940, Colonel J.S. Marriott of the Civil Aeronautics Authority and Arthur Ayers, the on in the arsenal of democracy. Nevertheless, 20
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Be sure to visit Jim’s Blog at www.route66chronicles.blogspot.com regional airport engineer, toured Arizona and gave a green light to further development at Kingman. By late January of 1941, Port Kingman was designated a relay point for the transport of military aircraft to allies and on March 16, pilots from the air force in Brazil arrived to take delivery of ten planes. The following day four squadrons of P-40s arrived from Fort Kelly Field in Texas for the training of cadets, and on
Amazingly, by June a detailed report was readied for the War Department that contained engineering evaluations, bus schedules, train schedules, as well as information about water availability, mineral rights, Route 66 traffic patterns and road condition, the availability of utilities, and cost assessment for construction. On July 1, the Mohave County Miner, with banner headlines, announced that bids were being taken
March 27, Major John C. Horton and Captain Mauhan arrived in Kingman to evaluate sites suitable for the construction of a military airfield.
for construction of an airfield and bomber training school.
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During the construction phase of the Kingman Army Airfield, Port Kingman served as an interim school for the training of cadets in classes of thirty. With establishment of a 150 mile flight ban from the coast after the attack on Pearl Harbor and a formal declaration of war, other desert airfields were pressed into service including the one at Needles, and the Berry Field, Kingman’s first airfield. In March of 1942, Port Kingman received an official certification by the Civil Aeronautics Authority as a training center for flight instructors; civilian, Army Air Corps, and naval. By early summer Kingman had taken on a decidedly military feel with the Harvey House designated a temporary headquarters and operation center, and the issuance of identification cards for admittance to Port Kingman. Official activation of the Army Air Force Flexible Gunnery School at Kingman occurred on August 10 with issuance of General Order #59 by the headquarters of the Army Air Force West Coast Training Center. Two days later an amended order authorized establishment of an aerial gunnery range and sub base at Yucca.
As an historical footnote, in 1954 the Ford Motor Company purchased the Yucca base, converted it into a test facility, and initiated testing of the 1955 Ford Thunderbird. Currently Chrysler and Harley Davidson utilize the facility for vehicle testing. Additional auxiliary fields were also under development during this period. One, Site #5, was near Topock, and another was Site #6, later the Lake Havasu City airport. On December 1, even though the base was yet to be completed, the personnel operating at the Harvey House formed a convoy, rolled east along Route 66, and established the 460th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron at the airfield. In the weeks that followed, supportive units arrived including the 334th Aviation Squadron, an African American unit. In the first week of January 1943, the base post office opened and the facility became the first in the nation to be designated an All photos courtesy of Jim Hinckley
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exclusive school for the training of gun crews for the B-17. The importance of the base as a training center, and its expanding diversity in this capacity, escalated in direct correlation to the increasing intensity of the war in Europe and in the Pacific. By the late spring all aspects of aerial gunnery (air-to-air and air-to-ground) were being taught in Kingman and at auxiliary fields. USO tours featuring Bob Hope, Jerry Colonna, and other celebrities arrived to provide some respite from the rigorous training and isolation at the remote facility. On April 15th, the permanent metal air control tower was completed. The tower, one of three World War II era towers in the nation still stands as a silent monument to when Kingman was at the forefront of America’s assault on fortress Europe. In May, classes to introduce cadets to the basics of aerial bombardment commenced. On May 16th the first flour filled, cardboard bombs
began falling on Kingman, Chloride and Oatman. Training for war is a dangerous business and
the first fatality at the Kingman Army Airfield occurred on July 5th when an AT-18 made a crash landing that resulted in the death of co-pliot Benjamin O. Horsley. This would not be the last death at the airfield. On the 13th of that month Major Robert Morgan and his decorated crew arrived on their nation wide bond drive in the battle scarred Memphis Belle. Among the cadets there to welcome their arrival was Corporal Jack Moore, better known today as Clayton Moore, the Lone Ranger. The year 1944 dawned with tragedy at the Kingman Army Airfield. On January 6, a bus load of cadets returning from night training exercises crossed Route 66 and at the railroad crossing in front of the base gate, was struck by a fast moving freight train. The death toll would rise to 28 in the days that followed. A somber monument to the tragedy rests in the shade of the old control tower next to the modern terminal building.
The base became a veritable beehive of activity as the year progressed. In March an
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instructor’s school opened. A gunnery training program for members of the Chinese air force commenced shortly after as well as a WASP school for flying the TB-26 aircraft. There were co-pilot training programs, Time magazine ran a feature on the base. Then in the late spring of 1945, almost as fast as it had begun, the base began its slide into slumber and the desert began to reclaim what had once been a vital component in America’s arsenal of democracy. Gone were the Chinese air force cadets and WASP Cadets, the skeet range and Jam Hnady film training center. Then there was a transfer of units and air squadrons. On the first of June, Range 1 was deactivated. This was quickly followed by the deactivation of other components at the airfield and on October 1, transformation of the field into a storage depot commenced. Officially, the Kingman Army Airfield closed on the 25th of February, 1946, after having trained more than 36,000 gunners. For the reminder of that year, as well as 1947, the base was systematically dismantled and the air force it had been created to serve arrived in waves to become the proverbial swords beaten into plowshares. For a brief moment Storage Depot 41 housed the largest concentration of military aircraft in the world. At its peak as a salvage and recycling center, more than 5,500 airplanes lined Route 66. Hidden all through Kingman are tangible links to this brief, glorious history. Razed barracks became homes and motels. Surplus equipment served as the cornerstone for construction companies that transformed northwestern Arizona and the airfield became an industrial park that serves as an economic powerhouse for the development of Kingman today. Today, the desert winds whip sand around the silent pill boxes on the gunnery range that the tide of suburbia is about to erase. A hanger or two remains amongst the gleaming new factories as do vast concrete slabs, and other faint traces.
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Nestled in the park like setting around the old control tower are two monuments commemorating major accidents at the airfield. And hidden on a far corner of the former base, in an old machine shop, is the museum managed by the Kingman Army Airfield Historical Society. In spite of the near complete erasure of the airfield, and the intrusion of the modern industrial world, there is a solemnity found here that inspires reflection and meditation. The next time you motor west, or east, on legendary Route 66, take a moment to look beyond the neon to a place that made the neon and the glory days of U.S. 66 a possibility. Visit the Army Airfield Museum The Kingman Army Airfield Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. For excellent coffee and breakfast there is a pleasant little cafĂŠ in the terminal building. 4540 Flightline Drive, Kingman, AZ 86401. For more info, go to: www. armyairfieldkingmanmuseum.com 928-757-1892.
Donate $25.00 and receive a Take A Trip On Route 66 Wristband and a chance to win a Custom Limited Edition Route 66 Electric Guitar signed by Loretta Lynn... Drawing will be held May 12th 2012 - winner will be posted on www.MotherRoadMusic.com. This custom guitar is 100% hand made in the USA. This is one of ten guitars in the shape of the Route 66 Sign and proudly display the map of the 8 states on the back. Profits from donations will be donated to the non-profit organization Project Route 66.Com, Inc. to help fund a billboard in Nashville,Tn. promoting tourism on Route 66 - Help Preserve A Part Of Our American History! For complete details, please visit www.MotherRoadMusic.com
* Deadline to enter is May 1st 2012 (Must be 18 years or older to win)
www.MotherRoadMusic.com
www.BobWaldmire.com
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Master Sergeant
John F. Christian
A Quirk of Fate
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LAURA E. JONES
18218 SHERRINGTON RD., SHAKER HEIGHTS, OHIO May 2, 1943
Dear John, When I returned from school Thursday, I found your letter waiting for me. The return address with your most familiar name on it filled me with pleasurable anticipation after a most trying day at school. In the first place all Cleveland had awakened to find the city in the throes of a complete transportation strike. This made me burn with righteous indignation when I thought of all our boys in the service are going through only to be let down by those who hold up many kinds of work as essential to the successful promotion of this war. And all for monetary gains and shorter hours. Then at school work was hard — hard in this sense that so many pupils apparently don’t care whether they learn or not. They waste so much of precious time and opportunity. But I suppose the times are responsible and youth must learn the value of things through bitter experience. I used to feel the same about some of the boys who are now in service. Yet they are standing up manfully to the arduous job that has been thrust upon them, and I swell with pride and take in new courage to pursue my own apparently thankless task. I shall never be rich in money, but I shall be rich in the satisfaction of seeing many fine boys and girs develop into excellent men
and women who will do a great part in making a better world. That must be the greatest reward any teacher can hope to have. If I have lighted the torch for a few, I shall be content. When I read your letter, my heart went out to you in sympathy. I had read before (I think it was in Ernie Pyle’s column in The Press) and had been deeply moved by the heroic sacrifice of those gallant boys. Little did I think that you but for that “quirk of fate,” as you called it, might have been among them. You are mourning them and wondering why you were spared. It must be for some divine purpose. May their memory spur you on to further goals of worthy living. I have sent you under separate cover a little booklet which I hope will give you some spiritual comfort in times of stress. I hope it will bring you strength every day you read a page in it. I hope this letter is not too very serious and “teachery,” but it shows I’m thinking of you this lovely spring Sunday. God bless and keep you always. Yours sincerely, Laura Jones May / June 2012
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By John Springs
S
ummer is almost here and Route 66, once again is a popular road trip destination for our foreign friends, as well a growing number of Americans! The Mother Road is in good hands with solid ownership changes in many businesses and stable ownership in many more. There are so many things to do and see on the road and our hearts are elated at the groundswell of revitalization going on across all 2,448 miles. One project that immediately comes to mind is THE BOOTS MOTEL, in Carthage, MO! The new ownership is bringing this Route 66 classic back to life – they saved it from the wrecking ball just in time! Find out more at http://bootsmotel.homestead.com/ In Kingman, AZ the El Trovatore is also coming back to life. Sam Frisher has managed to get the big neon tower re-lit and also has some of the rooms ready to go. For more information go to http://eltrovatoremotel.com/. Prolific author and good friend Jim Hinckley will be releasing his newest book in the fall – an encyclopedia about Route 66. The official unveiling will be at CubaFest in Cuba, MO the weekend of October 20th and 21st, 2012. http://cubamomurals.com/cubafest.html. Judy and I will be there and we invite all of our Route 66 friends to stop in at The Wagon Wheel Motel to visit us and have Jim sign his new book. http://www.wagonwheel66cuba.com/. While you’re in town you can join us for the Big Palooza drawing at The Wagon Wheel and you can hear The Road Crew (http://www.roadcrew66.com/) at the Belmont Winery Saturday night. (http://www.belmontvineyards.com/) New Mexico also has their annual Motor Tour scheduled for the weekend of June 7th….Check them out at http://www.rt66nm.org/new/events/motor_tour.html. The International Route 66 Festival is being held in Victorville, CA starting August 9th. http://www. national66.org/resources/route-66-international-festival-2012-victorville-california/. This is sure to attract thousands of roadies from around the globe! Have a safe and fun summer. And remember, when you’re on 66 The Mother Road, you’re with family!
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www.Route66Tours.com.au dbutel@Route66Tours.com.au
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Ft. Leonard Wood & Hooker Cut Now a long way from “Fort Lost in the Woods” By Joe Sonderman
In 1940, war was spreading across the globe, but quiet Pulaski County, Missouri was unaffected. As it became more apparent that the U.S. might become involved in the conflict, the War Department began searching for a site to train the new recruits in the Seventh Corps Area, which covered much of the Midwest. Original plans called for the installation to be constructed in Leon, Iowa, but the site proved to be inadequate. The War Department then turned the site of a former CCC camp in Pulaski County, Missouri. At the time, Route 66 across Pulaski County was a two-lane roadway and a white-knuckle drive, plunging and twisting up and down steep grades west of Rolla through Arlington and across the Little Piney River on a narrow bridge constructed in 1923. It wound around the ridges and hills through Hooker and Devils Elbow, crossing the Big Piney on another bridge built when the roadway was unpaved and still designated as Missouri State Highway 4. The highway was adequate for passenger cars of the time and the light traffic. But trucks crept up those hills in low gear. During the Great Depression, some locals simply climbed aboard the crawling trucks and tossed out the cargo. The truckdriver couldn’t stop for fear of being unable to get going again. There were also plenty of truck crashes where locals “salvaged” the cargo. The old CCC camp was only a small portion of the 67,757 acres of land that would be required. In addition to 16,000 acres from the Forest Service, the Army directly purchased 20,000 more acres. The rest was acquired through condemnation proceedings in court. The Army paid from $2 to $5 per acre, which was a good deal for some of the hardscrabble land. The area was home to about 800 people, mostly in communities that consisted of little more than a post office, 30
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Top Photo: rews working on Hooker Cut are shown using pneum through Hooker can be seen in the background. (Missouri State (Missouri State Archives)
matic drills to create holes for the dynamite. Original Route 66 e Archives); Bottom Photo: Hooker Cut ready for pavement.
More than 300,000 troops would train at Ft. Leonard Wood during WW II. Fort Leonard Wood now trains and supports units from both the Active Army and Reserve Components. Many of those units defended our country in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The installation contains three excellent museums and some of the World War II era barracks and structures remain. Ft. Leonard Wood is now one of the premiere Army training facilities and has come a long way from the days when it was known as “Fort Lost in the Woods.”
gas station or general store. On December 3, 1941, work began on the project budgeted at $35 million dollars and designated as the 7th Corps Training Area. By March of 1941, some 32,000 civilians were at work. Workers snatched up every available room in the nearby towns, but many found the closest accommodations were as far as 100 miles away. Trailer camps and cabins sprang up quickly along Route 66 and existing resorts and motels were filled with soldiers. Building a massive army post in the remote Missouri Ozarks was a logistical nightmare. And it didn’t help that the winter of 1940-41 proved to be the wettest in many years. The nearest railway line and electrical substation were over 20 miles away. The men building some 50 miles of roads battled constant rain and a sea of sticky yellow clay. Bulldozers were called in to pull trucks stuck in the mud. Engineers making the rounds of the construction sites did so on horseback. At the intersection of Route 66 and the road to the base, a string of businesses eager to provide amusement to the soldiers were hastily constructed. The area originally known as “Gospel Ridge” now offered plenty of opportunity for sin. On January 3, 1941, the War Department announced that the post would be named Fort Leonard Wood, in honor of the late Major General Leonard E. Wood, a hero of the Indian Wars and the Spanish American War who served as Army Chief of Staff from 1910-1914. Because of the remote location, the GIs began referring to it as “Fort Lost in the Woods.” The statistics behind the construction of Ft. Leonard Wood are staggering. It took more than 75 million feet of lumber, 80,000 cubic yards of concrete and almost 4,000 pieces of machinery. The final cost added up to over $37 million. It was all done in just six months. Route 66 was severely overloaded and developing the nick-
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name “Bloody 66.� In 1939, a total of 1,810 vehicles were counted in a 24 hour period near Rolla. By March of 1941, that number had risen to between 6,300 and 7,000. Huge traffic jams developed between the Frisco rail head at Newburg and the base. It was reported that convoys carrying airplane fuselages between Tulsa and St. Louis took an entire day to make it through Devils Elbow and Hooker. During the first nine months of 1941, 54 people died in crashes and 454 were injured on Route 66 in Phelps, Pulaski and Laclede Counties. The toll included a fiery crash near Hazelgreen on August 10, 1941 that killed nine soldiers and a civilian truck driver. By then, work was already underway on a new four-lane Route 66. An upstart St. Louis construction firm, Fred Weber Construction, got the contract. Federal money for road construction and materials were scarce, but the Highway 66 project was considered vital to the war effort. The work included blasting a 93 feet deep and 86 feet wide cut through a solid Dolomitic limestone ridge just west of Hooker. Steam drills created holes in the rock, and workers placed dynamite in the holes to blast the ridge apart. Over 186,000 cubic yards of solid rock, weighing 300,000 tons, was removed. Terracing was used for the first time on such a highway project to keep massive boulders from crushing cars below. For each 30 feet of vertical wall, a 15 foot wide shelf was constructed to catch the rocks. When it was completed in 1943, Hooker Cut was the largest rock cut on a U.S. highway and the first major divided four-lane section of Route 66 in rural Missouri. The design included angled curbing instead of shoulders, designed to channel rainwater to drains. But those curbs often caused vehicles to overturn. The project also included a beautiful concrete arch bridge with no height restrictions to carry the new highway over the Big Piney. The new bridge and Hooker Cut became a popular subject for postcards. Upon completion of the new roadway, the twisting and scenic route through Devils Elbow was designated as State Road V. In the 1930s, plans had been unveiled for several dams in the Ozarks, including one at Arlington that would have inundated Devils Elbow. So the original roadway was never paved with high grade concrete below the proposed water level. The traveler will notice that the regular type pavement resumes once the roadway climbs the steep hill west of Devils Elbow and approached a scenic overlook. Fortunately, the dam projects were put on hold during the war and were never built.
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Story and photos contributed by Joe website at: www.66postcards.com
The four-lane highway was the last segment of Route 66 in Missouri to be bypassed. It carried 66 until Interstate 44 was constructed to the north in 1976. The 1943 four-lane then became State Road Z and the original two-lane was turned over to Pulaski County. It is now named Teardrop Road. Today, Route Z may be the least used superhighway in Missouri. The eerie calm is interrupted only by light local traffic, and the occasional Route 66 tourist. Hooker Cut, once gleaming bare rock, is now covered in a blanket of kudzu. More than 300,000 troops would train at Ft. Leonard Wood during WW II. Fort Leonard Wood now trains and supports units from both the Active Army and Reserve Components. Many of those units defended our country in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The installation contains three excellent museums and some of the World War II era barracks and structures remain. Ft. Leonard Wood is now one of the premiere Army training facilities and has come a long way from the days when it was known as “Fort Lost in the Woods.”
To see Hooker Cut and Devils Elbow: From the east, take I-44 to Exit 169 (Route J/Route Z). Turn on Route Z (marked with “Historic Route 66 By Way” signs) which quickly turns into the four-lane expressway. After passing through Hooker Cut, turn left at the bottom of the hill on Teardrop Road. This is the original 1926 alignment to the steel truss bridge over Big Piney River and Devils Elbow. After passing through Devils Elbow, Teardrop Road continues west up a steep hill. At the top of the hill, look for the pullout which provides a scenic overlook.
From the top of Hooker Cut
Teardrop Road loops back to Route Z. You can continue west to reach St. Robert, Ft. Leonard Wood, Waynesville and I-44, or go east to see the concrete arch bridge and the remainder of the 1943 alignment.
e Sonderman. Visit Joe’s More photos on next page
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Top Photo Route 66 Junction at Ft. Wood - 1941 (Missouri Department of Transportation. Left Photo Concrete arch during construction.
Story and photos contributed by Joe Sonderman www.66Postcards.com 34
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Top Photo Postcard showing the concrete arch bridge Bottom Photo Looking East 1940
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By Mel Lockcuff Dan and I can now honestly say that we’ve traveled Historic Route 66 at least one time in our lives from end to end…. even our boys, ages 9 and 4, have the memories of an incredible road trip together. Route 66 is a destination that no one should miss out on. It’s the Mother Road, a road less traveled now, but lacking absolutely nothing in history, amazing stories, and a legacy worth preserving.
I’m going to be doing a lot more writing about Route 66 now and in the future…. in fact, I’d like to become an advocate for this road. It’s not a road we should just throw away for highways and byways. You know…. after everything we’ve had the opportunity to see and do, I can safely say that if you’re just speeding along on the highway (and this could pertain to life, as well), you have no idea what you’re missing out on. The movie Cars, even though a children’s movie, definitely has new meaning for me now. So, I give you…. “Ten Reasons Why Everyone Should Drive Route 66” at least once in their lifetime: Literally, hundreds to thousands of places to get the kids out, to explore with your family, to leave your mark. There were so many places to stop and get out, and stop a lot we did. It was great; it wasn’t like a normal road trip where you’re driving for hours on end. There were things to see and do all along the way, and it made the trip seem timeless. Everywhere you looked, there were places to leave your mark, whether signing a bunch of Cadillacs stuck end up in the Texas dirt or even leaving a rock sculpture in the desert along the side of the road.
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Awesome souvenirs. From Route 66 magnets to stickers to postcards to t-shirts to pure maple syrup to volcanic rock…. you name it, Route 66 has it.
Beautiful architecture and colorful murals. When it comes to architecture, Route 66 has some of the most beautiful older buildings and bridges, just to name a couple that were quite impressive, the State Capitol and the Macoupin County Courthouse in Illinois. Many small towns also have old-time murals painted on the sides of buildings, on business signs, and more.
Nostalgia and History. If you’re into history and feel that you could have lived in that 1920-1940’s era…. Route 66 gives you the ability to step back in time. It’s a chance to take a deep breath and just be in the moment.
A chance to drive the backroads, to take a trip off the beaten path. Contrary to what most people think, the Mother Road doesn’t just wind along the side of the highway. Sure, it does in some spots…. but for the most part, we found ourselves way off the beaten path, whether on a paved or gravel or even a brick road, winding through the mountains, through farmland and ranches, through small towns we didn’t even know existed. There is so much to see that, sadly, most people will miss because they don’t realize it’s there. The people you’ll meet, the guest books you’ll sign. Our first day out, we ran into a couple from France. We signed guest books at different stops along the way, and it was always interesting to see names written from all over the U.S., from Germany, Australia, Austria, and many, many more. Even when we stopped for a hotel in Litchfield, IL, we heard tell of a man that’d been through 2 weeks before us; he was walking the Mother Road on stilts. It’s amazing that this famous highway unites so many travelers from around the world. Not only that, but the people you meet who work in businesses along the way…. oh, the stories they can tell. If you’re driving through Chandler, OK, be sure to stop and see Jerry McClanahan, a Route 66 expert and artist (we used his awesome books to navigate the entire trip).
(Publisher’s note: Jerry McClanahan’s turn-by-turn guide is the EZ66 Guide for Travelers. Find it at Amazon. com - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/ez66-guide-for-travelers?keyword=ez66+guide+for+travelers& store=book)
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Family Time. It may be like National Lampoon’s whenever we go somewhere, but I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than in the car with the family, spending time together, discovering new places. Route 66 has a way of bringing family together.
A chance to feed the burros. Winding down a mountain road, you may just come upon a pack of burros that’ll eat all your trailmix and maybe even take a nip at you.
Amazing food! I can’t even say enough about the food on Route 66. You definitely don’t want to miss the Mid-Point Cafe in Texas (if you blink, you’ll miss the town)…. and of course, the Palms Grill Cafe in Atlanta, Illinois. If you’re a foodie, Route 66 is a destination highway…. it’s full of delicious, scrumptious foods, from juicy burgers to homemade pies to steak and potatoes to frozen custard. The food is reason enough to travel the Mother Road.
Finally, amazing photo opps from end to end. Where else can your family get a picture sitting on a giant jackrabbit or standing beside the signs that mark the beginning and end of Route 66? The photo opps are too many to count…. you won’t be disappointed. Mel Lockcuff writes a blog titled MamaBzz.com. Mel is creating an entire section dediated to Route 66. She was kind enough to allow us to reprint one of her inspiring blogs. Article and photos are the sole property of Mel Lockcuff. You can visit Mel’s blog at
www.MamaBzz.com. Publisher’s Note: Mamabuzz Blog first caught my attention because it is so centered around the family unit. I had written a blog previously, and have included an exerpt below. Creating memories - that’s the entire key to guaranteeing future generations continue to love and care for Route 66. “As different as the generations may be in philosophy and technology, there is one striking similarity that creeps up in every conversation when I ask, “what is it about Route 66 that captures your attention (aka heart). In most cases it usually starts with a phrase something like this: “... When I was a kid, we … ” (substitute, “my parents, my family, my dad, my mom” etc.). For me, this simple phrase, “... When I was a kid, we ...” is monumental. It’s the seed from which all future efforts will germinate. “When I was a kid, we ...” signifies the family unit that did things together. It created a bond, a memory, an event that was probably very insignificant at the time. But those memories turn into nostalgia. And the nostalgia turns into activism to maintain or restore a tangible part of those memories that managed to reach a person’s heart. What has become crystal clear to me is that if we want to involve our children and grandchildren in the preservation, protection and enhancement of Route 66, we first need to do the same with the relationships in our families. First we need to build memories. The rest will follow.
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GHOST TOWNS of ROUTE 66 By Jim Hinckley Photography by Kerrick James
ISBN-13: 978-0-7603-3843-8 Hardcover • 160 pages 151 color & 21 b/w photos, 1 map $25.00 US • $28.00 CAN
Explore the beauty and nostalgia of these abandoned communities along America’s favorite highway! Ghost towns lie all along the Mother Road. The quintessential boom-and-bust highway of the American West, Route 66 once hosted a thriving array of boom towns built around oil mines, railroad stops, cattle ranches, resorts, stagecoach stops, and gold mines. Join Route 66 expert Jim Hinckley as he tours more than 25 ghost towns, rich in stories and history, complemented by gorgeous sepia-tone and color photography by Kerrick James. Also includes directions and travel tips for your ghost-town explorations along Route 66!
For trade sales, please contact: Brenda Lunsman, Sales Representative blunsman@mbipublishing.com • 612-344-8179
You can find Ghost Towns of Route 66 and our other Jim Hinckley books in fine bookstores, online booksellers, or www.voyageurpress.com.
To order a signed copy of Ghost Towns of Route 66, please e-mail Jim Hinckley: JimHinckley@Yahoo.com jimhinckley@yahoo.com http://www.route66chronicles.blogspot.com/
Voyageur Press is an imprint of Quayside Publishing Group • 400 First Ave. N., Suite 300 • Minneapolis, MN 55401
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The “Lost” Route 66 Alignment in Carthage, MO Has Been Found!
By Ron Hart-Director, Route 66 Chamber of Commerce do you lose a part of Route 66 that existed in a community for H ow nearly twenty years? That is exactly what has happened in Carthage, Missouri! I was wondering where the first alignment had been located between the time the original Spring River bridge had been torn down in early 1930’s, and the final alternate that had been established in 1953.….leaving a twenty-year gap. In researching the Route in Carthage, MO., I ran across a brochure for the Carthage Chamber that shows an alignment of 66 that I had never seen on any maps or guidebooks before. I did a follow-up on the Route’s path in Carthage with Steve Weldon (Jasper County Records Office) and Michelle Hansford (Powers Museum) and got some solid information. After a week of additional research, I believe the true paths of the Mother Road have now been determined, and hopefully corrections will be made and appropriate signage put-up. This is important for all of us Roadies and Route travelers who seek-out and explore every inch of the Route to discover, preserve and promote this famous and historic highway. Martin Van Gilder of KDMO radio fame, and a local Carthage historian, describes much of the early days of the Route in Carthage and wrote “Passing farms by the score, Route 66 approaches Carthage from the east along Spring River. It enters the town on River Street, goes west on Central Street and then south on Garrison Street before heading west out of town on Oak Street.” At the Powers Museum, I was given a city map circa 1929-1931 which shows the original path from the park. This also confirms that the “V” Hwy. route to Hwy 71 was the first alternate of 66 as shown in the Carthage History brochure. It seems that it’s path was always a “short-cut” connecting 66 to the limestone quarry’s near the north end of Main Street, which was also the original Jefferson Highway route. It also appears that by the early 1930’s, frequent river flooding of 66 and increasing traffic convinced the Feds that the Route had out-grown it’s original path into Carthage, so the first Alternate of 66 was officially assigned to follow the State “V” highway path from it’s Spring River route. This allowed travelers to enter Carthage on North Garrison over the three newly completed Highway 71 concrete bridges that had been built by the WPA in 1928. The Carthage brochure refers to this First Alternate as “Old Rt. 66”. So far, no documentation has been found that shows the exact official date of this first assignment. There were many businesses that sprang-up along this alignment including filling stations, motels, stores, a John Deere dealership and several Mom & Pop restaurants, and many of these businesses remain unseen by Route 66 travelers who follow the Final alignment East on Central from, and to, Garrison Street. Here, travelers can take an interesting side trip on Central East to River Street, then south a few blocks to a former 1920’s era Route 66 Tourist Camp (and Civil War site) named Carter Park. About twenty years later in 1953, according to the brochure’s map, the “revised” Second Alternate of Route 66 was assigned. The Route would now follow a new “raised” road that replaced about two miles of the old Route just East of Carthage. Since Route 66 was still a commissioned Federal Highway at that time, it was likely years later before that new road would also be designated MO. State Hwy. 96, but the exact dates of this have also not been determined. On the West side of Carthage, other maps show that the Route always followed Garrison south to Oak Street and on to Carterville. Oak Street was chosen for 66 as it had existed since before the Civil War. The first alternate to west Oak Street, called “Old 66 Blvd”, bypassed railroad viaduct construction on Oak St. in the late 30’s. Sometime in the 1950’s,
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Route 66 was signed to follow Central Blvd. westward through town past Garrison to Baker St, then south to Oak, then west again, although this was not an official alternate and was just a means to handle traffic volume on Oak Street. The more recent construction of four-lane highways 71 (north/south) and 171 (east/west), after the Route was de-commissioned, created two more changes. First was the closing of Oak Street to build a Hwy. 71 overpass. This diverted westbound traffic onto Baker from Oak, then to Central, then east to a connection back to Oak St. using the temporary “Old 66 Blvd” extension which still remains. It seems ironic today, that the “V” highway First Alternate Route 66 of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s may be once again pressed into service as the best way to detour around the possible 1953 Spring River bridge demolition this summer. The Route 66 Chamber of Commerce will be working with local Carthage businesses along the Mother Road, and community leaders, to plan for ways to keep Route 66 visitors on the famous highway all the way through Carthage while the final alternate is closed. Using the First Alternate route will accomplish this, and when properly signed, should improve awareness of the rich history this community shares with it’s visitors.
To contact Ron Hart, and the Route 66 Chamber of Commerce based in Carthage, MO. at the historic Boots Motel, you may send an e-mail to visit66@yahoo.com or call 417-385-MY66 (6966). The Chamber’s website is www.visit66.com. FYI....The Boots motel website is www.bootsmotel.com.
Battle of Carthage State Historic Site East Chestnut Street, Carthage MO 417-682-2279 This seven-acre site is on the spot of one of the last skirmishes of a running battle fought July 5, 1861. Union Col. Franz Sigel’s 1,100 troops were pursuing Gov. Claiborne Jackson’s collection of 6,000 militia and unarmed soldiers heading toward Arkansas to join with Confederate forces there. The outnumbered Federals lost the battle, but were able to escape. Information kiosk describes the fighting. Park open daylight hours. Directions: U.S. 71, Garrison Avenue exit in Carthage, south to East Chestnut Street, turn east. Site is next to Carter Park.
Previous Page: Painting of the Battle of Carthage - courtesy of
Battle of Carthage Civil War Museum
205 Grant St, Carthage MO 64836 417-237-7060 Much on local Civil War history here including a diorama and mural of the July 1861 Battle of Carthage. Exhibits include sections on African-American and American-Indian involvement in war. Open Tuesday–Saturday 8:30 am–5 pm, Sunday 1–5 pm. Free. http://www.visitmo.com/carthage-civil-war-museum.aspx Photo of Spring River Bridge courtesy of MATCOR http://integritythatworks.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/springriver-bridge-to-be-replaced-due-to-corrosion/
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www.Route-66.org 42
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www.Route66Tours.com.au dbutel@Route66Tours.com.au May / June 2012
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Crawford County Historical Society & Museum Cuba, Missouri
An extensive collection housed on 3 floors
Enjoy talks on the Underground Railroad, Civil War, American Indians and much more!
Geneology information from 1829-1960
Make Arrangements for a customized tour
Admission Free - Donations Gladly Accepted
308 N. Smith Cuba, MO 65453
www.CubaMoMurals.com
Check the website for current hours
Call for Tours 573.885.6099
www.WagonWheel66Cuba.com
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This album (first in a series) includes 21 new heartfelt country songs written about Route 66. Sung by Jess McEntire, along with Special Guest, Loretta Lynn, and a duet with Danny Shirley of “Confederate Railroad.� Purchase this CD and help fund more billboards to raise awareness and promote tourism on Route 66.
www.WigwamMotel.com WigwamMotel@gmail.com May / June 2012
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