Historic Route 66
Kingman, Arizona is at the heart of it all, strategically located on Historic Route 66, close to great shopping, family activities, exciting night life and services. Kingman, AZ is in the high desert, so you have the advantage of the sunniest weather in the country with a pleasant breeze that makes Kingman “cooler.” That’s what makes us one of the best places to live.
History of Route 66
Route 66 was used as a major road for those who were traveling west, picking up its busiest traffic during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and financially supporting all the cities and communities that the road passed through. People doing business along Route 66 became successful due to the growing popularity of the highway, and as times passed by those same people then fought to try and keep the highway alive in the face of the growing threat of being bypassed by the new Interstate Highway System.
Route 66 underwent various improvements and realignments over its lifetime, and was officially written off from the United States Highway System on June 27, 1985, after it had been replaced in its entirety by the Interstate Highway System. Pieces of the road that passed through Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, and Arizona have been named a National Scenic Byway of the name “Historic Route 66”, which is coming back to some maps. Several states have accepted significant bypassed sections of the former US 66 into the state road network as State Route 66.
Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale, a U.S. Navy officer in the service of the U.S. Army corps of topographical engineers, was ordered by the U.S. War Department to construct a federal wagon road across the 35th Parallel. His secondary orders were to test the practabilaty of the use of camels as pack animals in the southwestern desert. Beale traveled through the present day Kingman in 1857 surveying the road and in 1859 to build the road. The road became part of Highway 66 and Interstate Highway 40. Remains of the wagon road can still be seen from White Cliffs Canyon in Kingman.
Route 66 also recognized as the Will Rogers Highway and known as the Main Street of America or another famous name being the Mother Road, was one of Americas original highways within the U.S. Highway System. Route 66 was completed on November 11, 1926—with road signs erected the following year. The highway, which grew to be one of the most popular and famous roads in America, originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before stopping in Santa Monica, California, for a grand total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km). It was known in pop culture by both the hit song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” and the Route 66 television show in the 1960s.
Kingman AZ Tourism, the Ultimate in Vacationing
Some of the most refreshing vacations are those taken in quaint towns with a colorful history, and this is what makes Kingman AZ Tourism a heavily searched phrase. Located in a beautiful mountain region in Arizona, Kingman features all of the perks from your fondest...
Rutherford’s 66 Family Diner – Restaurant
Rutherford's 66 Family Diner - Restaurant We Are Located On Historic Route 66 in Kingman, Arizona 2011 E. Andy Devine Avenue 928-377-1660 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Hours: 6:00 am to 9:00 pm Friday and Saturdays 6:00 am to 10:00 pm Like Us on Facebook Scroll down...
Historical Route 66 Museum Depicts History of Man
Mohave Museum of History and Arts along Historical Route 66 in Kingman, AZ is a treat for tourists and residents alike. Breath-taking murals and dioramas, painted by well-known Southwest artist, Roy Purcell, showcase the history of mankind in Mohave County from...
Historical Route 66 is a World-Wide Attraction
Historical Route 66, also known as "The Mother Road" has drawn young, old and every age in between to Kingman AZ, from all over the country and all over the world. On any given day you can see bikers, antique cars, vintage convertible T-Birds and Corvettes, desert...
Unique Kingman AZ Route 66 Museum Chronicles Travelers
A one-of-a-kind museum in Kingman’s Historic Powerhouse shows the history and evolution of travelers along the 35th parallel, which became known as the Mother Road. Photos, murals and other historical documents commemorate the various groups of people who braved the...
Kingman Turquoise, Southwestern Jewelry, Dreamcatchers by Nature of Things
Nature Of Things Kingman, Arizona 971.563.3468 Please call for an appointment. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatureofthingsAz Searching for the perfect gift, or simply want to shop for something unique and different? Then check out Nature of Things in Kingman,...
The Heart of Route 66
2448 miles of open road from Chicago Illinois to Santa Monica, California, or formerly known as Highway 66, one of the nations most treasured highways and Kingman, Arizona lays right at its heart. The amount of amazing sites along the route made it even more...
History of Route 66
Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale, a U.S. Navy officer in the service of the U.S. Army corps of topographical engineers, was ordered by the U.S. War Department to construct a federal wagon road across the 35th Parallel. His secondary orders were to test the practicability...