May 22 Standing on a Corner..

 May 22  125 miles  Holbrook to Flagstaff (via Winslow, AZ)   Air B&B for 2 nights in Flagstaff

There's only a few sections of old Route 66  that can be driven for any extended period.  Occasionally a strip between 2 exits can be traveled otherwise it's mostly abandoned or buried under the hiway.  Sort of sad.  We took a few of these lonely strips to see some of the old  trading posts - or more accurately - what's left of them.  Kind of sad to see them disappearing. 

Remains of Ella's Frontier 

Howdy Hanks still  stands for now

Sitting Bulls Indian Store

Twin Arrows Trading Post

Other places have completely turned into ghost towns and are quickly turning back to rock and sand.  Two Guns was once a thriving tourist town on the original Route 66 where a bridge crossed  Canyon Diablo.  A 1914 concrete arch bridge still crosses the canyon but no road exists on either side so it's a hike to see the ruins of the town which once had cabins, trading posts, gas stations, and even a wild animal zoo. Lots of history in the town.  It's was the site of a mass murder in 1878 of Apaches by their Navaho enemies. The Apaches were hiding in a cave but were discovered by the Navahos who set a fire at the entrance.  Any Apaches who tried to exit were killed.  42 others were asphyxiated inside the cave. The location became known as the death cave.  In 1880, the railroad was robbed of $100,000 currency, 2500 silver dollars, $40,000 in gold coins, watches, diamonds, and other jewelry.  A posse caught the bandits who only had $100.  Years later one of them said the treasure was buried on the rim of Diablo Canyon resulting in treasure hunters still searching to this day.  In the early 1920's after construction of the bridge the town was finally established  as a tourist stop.  One shop located at the entrance to the death cave give tours and actually sold as souvenirs the skulls found inside.  An argument between  2 shop owners resulted in one shooting the other unarmed  shop owner.  He was acquitted but his store mysteriously burned down and he opted to leave town.  After  a new bridge was built further away in 1936 the town started it's steady decline.  By the 1970's the town was all but uninhabited. 

The historic Two Guns concrete arch bridge 

Ruins 

More abandoned ruins

All is not lost. There are people working hard to restore or maintain some of the Route 66 attractions of yesteryear.  Meteor City (because a huge meteor hit nearby 50,000 years ago forming a massive 3/4 mile  diameter crater)  lay abandoned  and vandalized for years but was recently bought and owners are starting work on repairs.  It's a work of passion as there is absolutely nothing else at this exit in the middle of the desert.  The geodesic dome with the mohawk haircut was it's signature building along with several teepees. 

Doesn't look like much,  but at least it's secure from vandals and getting cleaned up

Other places like the Jack Rabbit Trading Post have been institutions for years and somehow continue  to survive.  We've seen their rabbit logo signs since Illinois so had to stop.  Even bought a few souvenirs to help keep them going.

Well, the sign said I could!!

The grand daddy of preservations around here is the La Posada Hotel.  It was the last and best of the Harvey House Hotels.  Built in 1930 along the Santa Fe rail line as were all Harvey House Hotels.  They were elegant and sophisticated, providing exacting service and outstanding food.  Mary Colter was the architect and designer of this southwestern styled wonder despite not being listed in any of the formal papers.  She had designed most of the interiors of other Harvey House Hotels previously but this one was completely hers.   During the 1960's the hotel was turned into the headquarters for the Santa Fe railroad and much of the interior detailing and furnishing were sold off and the building became industrialized.  In 1997 the current owners acquired the property which sits between the Santa Fe rail line and Route 66 in Winslow, AZ.   They spent several years and a small fortune restoring it to it's former elegance.

Property covers 20 acres all beautifully landscaped

Main entrance used to be the rear of the building. It fronts Route 66.  

The old main entrance faced the rail line

Details are everywhere in the lobby

Winslow is half way between todays drive from Holbrook to Flagstaff.  So when in Winslow what else is there to do but run that Eagles song through your head and go ahead and make like a tourist  "standing on the corner of Winslow, AZ......"

Is that girl in the flatbed Ford slowing down to take a look at me?

Made it to Flagstaff in time for late lunch/early dinner and stopped at Fat Olives.  It was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Channel.  It is none of the above.  A very good pizza/Italian restaurant.  Delicious happy hour special meatballs and fire roasted olives for appetizers and a Fennel Sausage and oven roasted onion brick oven pizza for main course.   Definitely worth stopping there before heading over to the apartment Martha found for us on Airbnb.   We'll stay here 2 nights and head up to the Grand Canyon tomorrow.

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