Flagstaff has a long history of celebrating travelers heading west seeking new adventures and fortunes. Beginning with Edward Beale surveying a route in the late 1850s to reach California during the gold rush era, to settlers passing through in 1876 stripping a pine and raising a flag honoring the nation’s centennial (which is where the name Flagstaff derives). The railway reached Flagstaff in 1882, which brought industry to the region. However, it wasn’t until the late 1920s when auto travel became the highlighted way to reach Northern Arizona.
U.S. Route 66 was established 90 years ago on Nov. 11, 1926, as one of the original highways in the national road system. The route, which later became known as the Will Rogers Highway, Main Street of America or the Mother Road, stretched 2,448 miles from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. Route 66 continued to serve as the main path for the migration west, especially during the Dust Bowl and it supported the economies of the small cities that dotted the highway.
Made famous in the 1960s with the hit song “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” and the “Route 66” television show, the iconic two-lane road was removed from the highway system in 1985 and replaced with the interstate system. Although no longer the fastest way to reach the West, communities along the Mother Road continue to look at ways to sustain their Route 66 heritage, mostly through tourism opportunities.
Flagstaff boasts some of the best preserved and longest stretches of the famed route, along with iconic attractions such as the Museum Club, historic downtown railway station, Townsend-Winona Bridge, Miz Zips and more. To celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the Mother Road, the Convention and Visitors Bureau has developed the 66 Kicks on Route 66 in Flagstaff promotion stretching along 90 miles of the famed route from Williams to Winslow. The promotion has been highlighted both nationally and internationally, encouraging visitors to take their time along this stretch of road and experience all there is to do and see, both old and new.
A few highlights of the 66 Kicks include:
- Enjoying a Route 66 Roll at Karma Sushi Bar Grill – available only in 2016.
- Finding hidden treasures along the route as part of the CVB’s Geocaching project.
- Sip on the Route 66 custom cocktail at the Southside Tavern or enjoy a Lily Margarita poured from a gas can at El Capitan Mexican Grill.
- Stay overnight at the Motel Dubeau – Flagstaff first Route 66 motel built in 1929.
- Take your time to peruse the Phoenix Avenue Mural stretching nearly a half-block along the original alignment of the route.
- Grab a free Historic Route 66 Walking Tour map at the Visitor Center and explore the Southside.
In addition to these year-long opportunities, keep your eyes open for details of the Anniversary Celebration scheduled on Nov. 11 at the Museum Club and Starlite Lanes. Details on all 66 of the Flagstaff kicks can be found online at flagstaffarizona.org/route66. If you would like to explore more of the Arizona stretch of the classic route, pick up your 90th Anniversary edition of the Historic Route 66 Passport at the Flagstaff Visitor Center (located in the historic train station) and get it stamped at roadside attractions.
By Trace Ward
Trace Ward is the director of the Flagstaff Convention and Visitors Bureau.