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Route 66 in the
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[HOME] [WESTERN AMERICANA GALLERY] [ROUTE 66 HOME] [ROUTE 66 WEST] [ROUTE 66 EAST]
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Route 66 in the
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"Flagstaff,
Arizona...
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I bet the immortal lyrics from Bobby Troup's famous song about Route 66 did more to put Winona on the map than anything else. I wonder how many I-40 travelers mouth the words to the song when they pass the Winona exit. To the old Route 66 westbound traveler, Winona must have been a welcome break from the desert. It is here the old highway starts to climb into the cool pine covered elevations of the Colorado Plateau near Flagstaff. In fact, it is believed that the first camp for tourists was opened in Winona in the 1920's. Today Winona is a small, quiet bedroom community of Flagstaff, located in the picturesque foothills of Arizona's high country. | |
| There's not much left of the Route 66 days in Winona. An old bridge, now closed and abandoned, bears witness to the busier days of Route 66. If you get off I-40 and drive the Winona Road into Flagstaff you will actually be on old Route 66. It is a beautiful drive and worth the extra time. Just keep humming the Route 66 song as you go. |  |
If this bridge could speak, what tales it could tell of Old Route 66. |
Flagstaff, Arizona - "Capital of Northern Arizona" |
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| Founded in 1876, Flagstaff got its name from a tall lone pine, stripped of bark that was used as a flagpole and trail marker for wagon trains bound for California traveling on Beale's Camel Route. That trail later became Route 66. Flagstaff found its place in western history with the arrival of the railroad in 1881. It became a major shipping center for cattle and lumber. The University of Northern Arizona opened its doors in 1899, making Flagstaff the cultural center of Northern Arizona. Tourism became Flagstaff's major industry in the twentieth century with the advent of Route 66, and the close proximity of the Grand Canyon. |
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Downtown Flagstaff on Route 66, across from the Train Station. |
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Flagstaff is still going strong and is a popular year round destination point. Skiing in the winter, and cooler mountain temperatures in the summer make it a favorite for the modern traveler, just like in the days of old Route 66. |
| There is much left of old Route 66 in
Flagstaff, in fact the city takes pride in its Route 66 heritage. A few years back
Flagstaff changed the name of its main street, Santa Fe Ave, back to Route 66. Old cafes,
motor courts, and the colorful downtown district all show evidence of the impact Route 66
had on this town. The Museum Club is a Flagstaff landmark that harkens back to Route 66.
Once located on the outskirts of town, this old highway watering hole is a Route 66
throwback now surrounded by present day Flagstaff.
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Take a Route 66 side-trip to the haunted Museum Club... |
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Flagstaff Motor CourtsA drive down Route 66 in Flagstaff will bring back fond memories of Route 66. There's plenty to see that's still left from the old highway. Among some of the more interesting Route 66 survivors are the colorful old Motor Courts. |
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From the 66 Motel (seems like every Route 66 town has one) to the quaint El Pueblo Motel with its red tile roof these lodges of bygone days still cater to the tourist. In winter they host the many skiers looking to conquer the mountain slopes, and in summer they provide cool comfort to the weary traveler from the desert heat. |  |
Take a Route 66 side-trip on a quest to find an old Flagstaff Auto Court from long ago... |
Pine Springs Resort & Garage on Route 66On the west side of town Route 66 leaves HWY 89 and heads out into the pines. Eventually Route 66 will end up at the Interstate miles away. The road cuts through the piney woods and after a few miles comes to an old abandoned motel across from the Woody Mountain Campground. This is Pine Springs, or what's left of it. The pine trees and cool summer temperatures must have provided a nice location for a motel on Route 66. Once, this motel was alive with tourists on the old road but since the coming of the Interstate the motel now lies forgotten, broken windows and a weed choked driveway greet the traveler today. |
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Take a Route 66 side-trip back in time to the Flagstaff west entrance of the 1950s... |
Photographs taken November 2000, & May 2001
Click on an area or city of Route 66 on the map below to take a cyber tour of that section of the Mother Road |
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NAVIGATION NOTE: Buckle up and hold on to your mouse! These pages are arranged like the map above. I have set up this site as if you were traveling from EAST to WEST, much like the Joad family in The Grapes of Wrath. You can click on the Route 66 shields to "travel" the Mother Road in either direction though. Clicking West Route 66 or East Route 66 will take you to the next town or area on the map in that direction. Or you can select any shield below to take you to that specific state. |
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To Bellemont, Parks and the Pine Country |
To the Arizona Trading Posts |
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