Route 66 Arizona Attractions
Many of the attractions along Route 66 have been around for quite some time.
La Posada at Winslow, Arizona for example. It ws designed by Mary Jane Coulter, who also desiged many of the other show places of the Fred Harvey establishments. La Posada was built in 1930 and survived the depression only to be later converted into offices for the Santa Fe Railroad. It was saved from the wrecking ball when the Santa Fe moved out and has since been restored to much of its former glory. Rooms in the hotel section are named for famous guests who once stayed at La Posada, such as Amelia Earhart and Carole Lombard. The Turquoise Dining Room is another reconstruction project which has been completed, with a stained glass window and the orginal type of chandeliers. La Posada is also a train watcher’s heaven for watching trains rumble by, since the original main entrance, shown here, was designed to face the brick concourse along the tracks for the benefit of rail passengers in the heyday of the long cross-country trains in the 1930’s and 1940’s. If you were to step off the train, this is theview you would have gotten as you entered La Posada. Exits from I-40for connections to Historic Route 66 in Winslow are at Miles 252, 253 and 257.
If you had traveled on a train during that time, it would have most likely been pulled by a steam locomotive. Some of these have been restored to their original appearance and operating condition and now offer excursions from the classic station at Willliams, Arizona to the log cabin type station at the South Rim of Grand Canyon. Exits to Historic Route 66 at Williams are at Miles 161 and 163.
Although it wasn’t a place which train passengers would have stopped for refreshments, Delgadillo’s Snow Cap at Seligman, Arizona has been around for many years for the motorist on Old Route 66. Angel Delgadillo, who recently passed away, was one of the pioneer leaders of the Route 66 Preservation activities. You can still get a refreshing “Snow Cap” of shaved ice liberally covered with tasty and refreshing fruit juices , or even get an order of “Dead Chicken” as advertised at Delgadillo’s in Seligman (On the old road between I-40 exits at Miles 121 and 123 from I-40.)
A long loop of a section of Old Historic Route 66 begins just east of Seligman and passes to the north – far from I-40 through small towns such as Peach Springs and Hackberry before it rejoins I-40 at Kingman. The Grand Canyon Caverns has survived being bypassed and offers tours in addiiton to lodging at the Caverns Inn near Peach Springs. Exits from I-40 to the Historic Route 66 loop are at Miles 53 and 121.
February 25th, 2006 at 5:32 am
Robert I am glad I found, the granite marker in Clinton was one I have a picture of.