ONE STEP AT A TIME
Well, the ongoing transformation of the west wall of the historic Old Trails Garage into a foundational component in the beautification of the Kingman historic district took another step forward yesterday. The Kingman Downtown Merchants Association ponied up $400 for the artwork in the second window and the artist gave us a time frame of about three weeks for completion. So, the second window should be complete by Christmas.
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| Robbie Wright, Axiom Remodeling, and Elmer Graves, owner of the Old Trails Garage. |
One step at a time. That is how the historic district fell on hard times. That is how we bring it back to life.
Meanwhile, I continue to the quest to become a writer, one step at a time. I am almost halfway finished with the first draft for a book that profiles the evolution of Route 66 from highway to icon through the development of promotional material.
The Route 66 travel guide is a bit further along. As the deadline is not until March 1, 2013, the pressure hasn’t reached critical mass of yet.
Meanwhile, the third feature written for Legends of America is now available. In this installment I wrote about the tangled web that was the automotive industry during the first years of the 20th century as evidenced by the fact that Henry Ford played a key role in the development of Cadillac, that Louis Chevrolet was instrumental in the transformation of Buick into the hinge pin for the creation of General Motors, and Henry Leland’s role in the establishment of Cadillac as well as Lincoln.
The next feature will be another humdinger for the automotive trivia buff as I will profile the unusual origins of a few of the pioneering companies. As an example, the origins of the luxury car manufacturer Pierce-Arrow are in the production of bird cages and ice boxes. The foundations of Buick include the manufacture of plumbing fixtures, and a company in Iowa was founded initially to produce headstones.
One step at a time, that is how I became addicted to Laurel Kane’s blog, Ramblings of Route 66 Business Owner. Laurel, the owner of Afton Station, provides the most fascinating insight into life on Route 66, as well as the development of that highway into a linear community with international boundaries, through simple conversational prose that leaves you feeling as though you are there with her on fascinating side trips or greeting visitors to the station.
One step at a time, that is how old Route 66 became an American icon with an international fan club. That is also how it continues to evolve into America’s longest attraction.
Well, once again it is time to head for the office. One step at a time, I move toward the child hood goal but in the mean time….