|
Grand Canyon Pioneers Society - The Bulletin |
|---|
| Vol 6, No 6 | June 2002 |
Route 66
Richard and Sherry Mangum gave another of their interesting and well-researched presentations to the Grand Canyon Pioneer Society on Saturday, May 18, at Cline Library at Northern Arizona University. This time their in-depth research took them through the history of Route 66 through Arizona, as well as from-the-road descriptions of sections of the Mother Road. In the Mangum's usual meticulous attention to detail, they have prepared an east-to-west as well as a west-to-east set of directions for traveling on Route 66. This fine book came out in August 2001.
One of the first roads through Arizona was the Beale Road, 1858-59. Some of it followed ancient Native American footpaths, as well as horse trails that had existed since the introduction of the horse to North America by the Spanish in the 1500s. The Beale Road came across Arizona over to the California gold fields, roughly cutting along the 35th parallel which runs through Northern Arizona on a line from Winslow to Oatman, closely following both Route 66 and the current I-40.
The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad was built through Arizona from 1880-83, which caused towns to spring up along the line - Winslow, Flagstaff, Williams, Ash Fork, Seligman, and Kingman.
With the beginning of the auto industry in the early 1900s, the previous wagon trails proved to be woefully inadequate for the new-fangled machines. The Girand Plan in 1909 addressed this new need by planning for east/west roads across Arizona - one in the north, and one in the south. Road building was a tough enterprise - horses and wagons had to work over the areas, freeing it of trees, and smoothing down the surface. Roads were two-track affairs, with bridges being frightening two-track wooden structures. In most states, counties were stuck with the road building tasks. Quickly, states began imploring the federal government to help with this daunting task. A Good Roads Movement was begun, resulting in the National Old Trails Road in 1913 from Baltimore to LA. In 1925, the American Association of State Highway Officials, headed by Cyrus Avery from Oklahoma chose the number 66 for the new route. In November 1926, Route 66 was officially born.
This was the Roaring Twenties, a time for manic, showy activities to capture the public's imagination. The Bunion Derby in 1928 was staged - a footrace from Los Angeles to New York, which passed right by the Parks General Store in Parks, Arizona. There also was a roller skating race across Route 66.
Looking back at the decades, the 1920s found traveling to be an adventure. Camping was common, and supplies along the way were few. This brought the service station and motel industry into the early development stages. The 1930s brought the Great Depression with a virtual stop in traveling, except for the westward movement of the Okies along Route 66, heading west to escape the Dust Bowl. Although the Depression was terrible for people, it was good for roads. Federal work projects developed paving projects, finishing Route 66 by 1937. The 1940s brought the troops traveling to their various bases, and 1946 brought the popular song - Get Your Kicks on Route 66 (written by Bobby Troup, sung by Nat King Cole) exploding into the fun-starved American consciousness. Pleasure traveling proliferated in the 1950s and 1960s with Americans hitting the roads in droves.
The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 helped begin the Interstate Highway System. The motivating factor behind this was the numerous and bloody head-on collisions occurring on the two-lane roads. Funding came through in bits and snatches, with small sections being completed and then eventually linked together., On October 1, 1968, we saw Flagstaff being the first town bypassed by I-40, followed by Seligman and Kingman in 1978, Winslow in 1979, Holbrook in 1981, and lastly, on October 13, 1984 - Williams. Then, on June 26, 1985, Highway 66 was officially decommissioned.
But the nostalgia of the American people would not let this dream highway die. Historic Route 66 was created in 1987, largely due to the efforts of the Delgadillos of Seligman. Seligman to Topock is still the longest continuous drivable stretch of Route 66.
Buy the book and have a fun trip down memory lane. ...Don't forget Winona!
[Article submitted by Nancy Green.]
June Outing: Annual Picnic
Join the Pioneers for the biggest event of the year at the Annual Picnic on June 22. If weather conditions are right, the picnic will be at Shoshone Point; but, because of the drought, the location may be changed to the Albright Center Ramada. A notice will be posted at the entrance station.
To get to Shoshone Point from the main entrance, take the East Rim Drive, continue east about 1.5 miles beyond the road to Yaki Point, and turn left into a parking area and look for the yellow gate, which will be unlocked by 11:00 AM.
To get to the Albright Center Ramada: Take the way in to town on the "old" road. - not the way that tourists take to the new visitors center, etc. Head to the Albright Center, which should be clearly marked; it is right near the high school.
Everyone should bring a dish to share (i.e. casserole or desert), their own drinks, table service and, if appropriate, meat to barbeque. Table cloths and briquettes for the barbecue will be provided. Fred will have the fire ready by 12:00 Noon (if no fire restrictions).
GCPS Outings for 2002
| June 22: | Annual Picnic at Grand Canyon South Rim. Shoshone Point or Albright Center Ramada. Note: We will post a notice at the entrance station on the day of the picnic as to location of the picnic (it may possibly be moved to the ramada at Albright Center because of the dry conditions); a notice will also be posted at the Shoshone Point gate. |
| July 20: |
Museum of Northern Arizona Special Collections Tour.
From 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 N Fort Valley Road in Flagstaff/ H 180 on the road to the Grand Canyon.
Tour type: Behind the scenes of the Anthropology Collections led by
Museum staff member and General Museum docent
Description of collection and docent tour: Your behind-the-scenes tour of the Anthropology Collection is a rare opportunity. Their collections are only opened to the public one time a year during the Museum's Open House usually in October. You will be given a chance to explore MNA's extensive archaeological and ethnographic collection, including modern basketry, katsina dolls, and historic pottery. You will also learn about the Museum's role in preserving these artifacts for future generations. Included in your visit to the collections is a Museum General Tour led by a docent. Whether you have visited the Museum or this is your first time, you will find that the docent will help make the exhibitions come alive through stories, interpretation, hands-on material complimenting the galleries. After your tour, you can visit the world -renowned Museum shops for Native American art and books on the Colorado Plateau. Lunch at noon at Furrs Cafeteria at 1200 S Milton Rd (go north from I-17) east side of Milton. |
| August 17: |
"The Grand Canyon Orphan Mine" by Maurice Castagne at Grand
Canyon Maricopa Observation Point.
Maurice was a mine superintendent at the only working mine inside the borders of Grand Canyon National Park for 11 years. The prominent steel headframe of the mine still outlines the GC skyline and its unique structure with a colorful past became the subject of a new book by Castagne. His book presents a brief history and happenings of a mine that he says had its share of trials and tribulations. Meet at Grand Canyon Maricopa Observation Point at 2:00 PM, which offers an interesting view of the Grand Canyon Orphan Mine headframe and Glory-Hole-Stope surface opening. Lunch at 12:00 noon at Maswik cafeteria. |
| September 21: | Grand Canyon Aviation History by Ron Warren at Grand Canyon Airport. |
| October 19: |
"Below the Rim & Beyond the Lake" (Two Commanding Canyons-Grand
Canyon & Glen Canyon's Lake Powell) slide show by Gary Ladd and GCPS Board
meeting.
Gary Ladd is a free-lance large format photographer specializing on the wilderness interior of Grand Canyon, the pristine sandstone landscapes surrounding Lake Powell and the slickrock terrain of southern Utah and northern Arizona. His photographs have appeared in LIFE MAGAZINE, AIR AND SPACE, OMNI, NATURE CONSERVANCY, SIERRA, READER'S DIGEST, NEWSWEEK, National Geographic Books, GEO, PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER, MODERN PHOTOGRAPHY and many other periodicals, books, posters, cards and National Park Service displays. One of his photographs, of a fantastic lightning storm over Kitt Peak National Observatory, is on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D. C. His work has appeared in over 60 issues of ARIZONA HIGHWAYS. GRAND CANYON, TIME BELOW THE RIM is the largest photographic undertaking of his career. Other recent book projects include LAKE POWELL-A PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY OF GLEN CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, THE MORMON TRAIL, RAINBOW BRIDGE and LANDFORMS-HEART OF THE COLORADO PLATEAU, the last two as photographer and author. He was awarded the 1997 gold award and the 1998 silver award in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition (sponsored by the SATW Foundation) for best magazine color photo illustrations. He was also the recipient of the 1997 gold and 1998 silver Arizona Highways Award winner for Best Photography of the Year. Gary has lived in Page, Arizona, along the Colorado River (just upstream from Grand Canyon, just downstream from Lake Powell) for 21 years. He is a Museum of Northern Arizona Ventures trip leader, former Sierra Club wilderness backpack trip leader, Arizona Highways photo workshop instructor and Elderhostel geology/photography instructor. He has rowed his wooden dory, Tatahotso, through the Grand Canyon several times since 1973 and has completed over 70 backpacking trips into Grand Canyon. |
| November 16: | To be announced. |
| December: | No Meeting. |
Outings Contacts Information
Outings Coordinator is
|
Carol Castleman 18909 North 87th Drive Peoria, AZ 85382 623-825-9971 |
e-mail AZlady3@aol.com
The Bulletin welcomes comments, stories, or Reflections and Remembrances.
Please send them to
|
Diane Cassidy 2112 Demerse Avenue Prescott, AZ 86301 |
or e-mail them to GCPioneers@yahoo.com
|
|
|---|
|
|---|