CAN YOU HELP?
Among the hundreds of real photo post cards provided by Steve Rider, Joe Sonderman, and Mike Ward for use as illustrations in the Route 66 encyclopedia are a handful that are rich in detail but that can not be used as I have almost no information about the location. Can you help?
Double D Ranch Cafe – Cajon Pass
Graham’s Camp and Sunset Rest Camp, both in Devils Elbow, Missouri
Camp Townsend near Flagstaff
Boodle’s Minerals near Galena, Kansas
Colorado Camp Ground near Gallup
Cottage Inn near Joplin
Log Cabin Filling Station near Lebanon
As I was writing captions for dozens of wonderful images yesterday there was a palpable sense of excitement. I can’t wait to share this project with the Route 66 community.
The photos and post cards provided by these three collectors are truly the frosting on the cake. There are hand colored views of the hotel and store in Adamana, Arizona on the National Old Trails Highway, and of the main drag in Ash Fork in the 1920s and 1940s, as well as dozens of now vanished auto camps, auto courts, and motels. These are what will transform this book into a true time capsule.
As I strive to finish this project, and get it ready for the big debut in Cuba at Cuba Fest, there is the promotional work on Ghost Towns of Route 66 and Ghost Towns of the Southwest continues. As both books provide glimpses into forgotten and often overlooked chapters in history, I derive a great deal of satisfaction in speaking on this topics.
I suppose much of this is resultant of my fascination with the world between the years 1885 and 1940. What an amazing era!
Wyatt Earp was living in LA and providing consultation for the filming of westerns. Louis Chevrolet and Barney Oldfield were racing along the National Old Trails Highway through frontier era mining towns such as Daggett and Hackberry.
In 1906, a Stanley was driven to a new speed record of 149 miles per hour, and in 1899 Studebaker, after almost a half century of building horse drawn vehicles, produced an electric car designed by Thomas Edison. Glenrio in Texas was transformed from a prosperous little farming community into an oasis for motorists and Endee, a frontier era ranching center, withered on the vine.
In an unrelated note, a few days ago I announced a bit of a contest. In the next week or so, I will begin sharing some of the entries.