Destination Oklahoma. With all of the Route 66 centennial projects and initiatives being developed in the Sooner State, fans of that storied highway will be focused on destination Oklahoma.
Destination Oklahoma
An argument could easily be made that Route 66 is the most famous highway in the world. There are Route 66 associations, and companies, that organize events and tours in the Czech Republic, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, and other countries.
Obviously that level of interest translates into dollars and cents, and economic development. So, is it surprising to learn that some communities and states are looking toward the highways fast approaching centennial with an infectious enthusiasm?
In Oklahoma a coalition of leaders began developing centennial related projectsseveral years ago. They correctly recognized the potential for economic development, for historic district revitalization, and for building a sense of community. As a result of these pioneering efforts, destination Okahoma is fast becoming the rallying cry for an international legion of enthusiasts.
Eyes On Tulsa
As other states and communities begin making plans for Route 66 centennial initiatives, eyes are on Tulsa. As Cyrus Avery, proclaimed the father of Route 66, was based in Tulsa, this seems rather fitting.
The city is the epicenter for an array of innovative projects and initiatives. The Tulsa Route 66 Neon Sign Grant is but one example. This grant program for businesses on Route 66 within Tulsa city limits has resulted in the restoration, or installation of, nearly 100 signs along the highway corridor.
Another manifestation of the renaissance in Tulsa is the annual AAA Route 66 Road Fest. This one-of-a-kind celebration is an opportunity to experience the history, the magic, and the excitement of Route 66 in one location.
Cyrus Avery Plaza on the Arkansas River is just one manifestation of the Vision 2025 initiative.This project when completed will be transformative for the area when fully completed.
A Team of Partners
The incredible success of initiatives along the Route 66 corridor in Oklahoma are an examaple of what can be accomplished by a team of partners. The Oklahoma Route 66 Association, with Rhys Martin at the helm has played a crucial role in the building of these partnerships.
This past Sunday on Coffee With Jim, the audio podcast from Jim Hinckley’s America, I had an opportunity to talk with Kerry Wiseman Barrick. Barrick is with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Shis is also a member of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association.
We discussed the power of this network of partners. We also discussed Route 66 centennial initiatives. Comments received since the podcast leave little doubt. This conversation, fueled by Barrick’s enthusiasm, has lit the fire under some community organizers.
Acclaimed author Michael Wallis once quipped that Route 66 is a linear community. But as we draw closer to the centennial, and the network of coopereative partnerships grows, a more apt descriptor might be America’s longest small town.
Coffe With Jim, our live intereactive podcast, just one way that we tell people where to go at Jim Hinckley’s America.
Telling people where to go. It’s what we do at Jim Hinckley’s America. We also share America’s story as well as adventures.
In Search of Lost Highways
We are always looking for new ways to inspire road trips by telling people where to go. On of our latest projects is In Search of Lost Highways, a video series on the YouTube channel.
The idea for the series came from a series of conversations and Q & A sessions after presentations. In late 2023, I detected a theme to these discussions. People were intrigued my walkabouts and the daily posts on Instagram in the Decade With Jim series.
So, using funds derived from the Patreon based crowdfunding initiative I purchased a GoPro camera. And let to yet another learning curve.
Telling People Where to Go
Initial videos in the series were a bit rough. But they are improving, as should be expected. Now, I am telling people where to go, and showing them as well.
To date four videos have been completed. Research for a few more is underway.
Two of the videos trace the old roads and lost highways in Coyote Pass. These include a Native American trade route, the Beale Wagon Road, the mid 19th century Mohave Prescott Road, a 1913 highway, and US 466.
One of the videos highlighted the narrated self guided Kingman, Arizona historic district walking tour. Another traced the 19th century Stockton Hill Road in the Cerbat Mountains. This morning I forded a small stream to explore a section of that old road. That was he subject of the days Instagram post.
Coffee With JIm
Adventures in podcasting have been interesting. I initially planned on developing two programs. But Car Talk From The Main Strreet of America was temporarily shelved last fall. I simply didn’t have time for a second program at this time.
So, I focused on Coffee With Jim, our Sunday morning program. Reach and engagement is growing albeit slowly. And I am picking up a few sponsors. Most importantly, I am able to provide small business owners, artists, authors, and even organizers with a promotional platform.
Live programs are fraught with issues. Still, I am of the opinion that interactive programs are very important. This is another venue ideally suited for telling people where to go. With acquisition of some additional equipment, and more experience, the plan is to take the show on the road.
The event section of the acclaimed Route 66 Navigation app is another opportunity for telling people where to go.
The Crystal Ball
It is shaping up to be a very busy year. I am deep into the writing of Route 66 centennial anthology. For this project I am taking a different approach. The first chapter chronicles the pre history of Route 66 and the US highway system. The last chapter, being written by Dries Bessels of the Dutch Route 66 Association, tells he storyof the highways renaissance.
And I am also working on a Route 66 themed adult coloring book. That is just one of the unuusal or exciting projects being developed in 2024. I am currently in discussion with Bob Boze Bell of True West magazine about a multifaceted initiative.
The podcast website on Podbean has been given a facelift. But I am eager to give this website a facelift as well. But as I envision more interactive content, homework is needed. Another learning curve.
And I am working closely with Touch Media on development of a centennial edition of the Mother Road Route 66 Passport. Updating and adding to the point of interest file for the company’s Route 66 Navigation is an ongoing project. Likewise with a new addition to the acclaimed travel guide, development of a comprehensive Route 66 event calendar.
Speaking of calendars, our schedule for programs is getting back to pre pandemic levels. We started the year with an appearance at Auto Books Aero Books in Burbank. Next is a Sounds of Kingman program. And that will most likely be followed by one in Prescott, Arizona, the AAA Route 66 Road Fest, MIles of Possibility Conference, and possibly, the third European Route 66 Festival. All of the events taking place at Route 66 venues are being added to the Route 66 Navigation app, and the Jim HInckley Will Be At section on this website.
Route 66, Jay Leno and road trips, that sums up our first adventure in 2024. In retrospect there is a sense of unreality about all that we squeezed into a mere thirty hour day.
The Adventure Begins
For more than a dozen years, except for the year of the apocalypse, we have made an annual pilgrimage to Auto Books Aero Books in Burbank, California. Our appearance and book signing is a part of the road trip day event. This is the cornerstone for promotion of their expansive section on new, used, and vintage travel books.
This delightul little gem in a time capsule neighborhood dates to the early 1950s. But about ten years ago the store was moved several blocks to its current location.
It was on one of our first appearances that we crossed paths with Jay Leno. That is a rather bizarre and twisted tale for another day. It aptly illustrates most of the chapters in the story of my life. So, I will make that the topic of a future blog post. It is a long and darkly comedic story.
Suffice to say, we meet at the store often and occasionally text about the discovery of interesting vehicles. And when he stops by the store during the annual book signing, he is always driving an interesting vehicle that provides opportunity for discussion.
Route 66, Jay Leno, and Road Trips 2024
The 2024 edition of the Route 66, Jay Leno and road trip adventure kicked off late Friday afternoon. As Route 66 in the Mojave Desert is missing a few bridges, and as my day had kicked off at 4:00 in the morning, I sucked it up and drove I40 to Barstow.
We grabbed a quck dinner in Victorville, and continued to our destination for the evening, Palmdale, California. At this point I must make a confession. Over the course of the past few years I have become overly dependent on modern navigation tools, especially at night. Well, less than a dozen miles from our hotel the trusty Garmin that we have used for two decades developed a form of technological dementia.
The screen went white. Only the blue arrow remained. And then it began looping, “turn left, turn left, turn left, turn left.” It was like loosing an old friend and traveling companion.
And Now A Brief Rant
A secondary reason for selecting Palmdale as our destination was lodging costs. On Saturday morning we would only need to drive fifty miles, but we would save about $50 by not staying in Burbank.
The Doubetree was an older property but it was clean, and the staff personable as well as professional. Amenities were basic, but we just needed a place to sleep, shower, and shave (me, not my dearest friend). And it was conveniently located to freeway access.
The continental breakfast was standrard fare. Self serve muffins, instant oatmeal, yogurt, sausage, bacon, potatoes and something that appeared to be eggs. A refreshing change was real china plates instead of paper ones, and real forks and spoons.
But there on the counter next to the eggs was a small sign. Breakfast $15.99 per person! What the hell! End of rant.
The Adventure Continues
The drive into Burbank from Palmdale is surprisingly scenic. But it is a six, eight, and even ten lane highway that isn’t conducive for the driver to take in the sites.
Saturday morning traffic was deemed light even though it was more chaotic than the busiest street in Kingman during rush hour. As noted on many occasions, in any place with more than three traffic lights I start to feel cramped.
We arrived a bit early to ensure that there was time to set up a proper display. Casey Claypool of Illinois Scenic Byways, Rhys Martin of the Oklahoma Route 66 Asscoation and a few other folk had provided visitors guides and similar material for the event. That greatly enhanced our ability to inspire a road trip by telling people where to go.
I also had a sample kiosk from the narrated, self guided Kingman, Arizona historic district. And Marion Pavel of Touch Media had provided some of the latest Mother Road Route 66 Passports. So, I was kept busy demonstrating the walking tour, introducing people to the Route 66 Navigation app developed by Touch media, signing books, handing out goodie bags filled by my dearest friend, and answering questions.
Friends New and Old
Any event that includes Route 66, Jay Leno and road trips is enhanced with visits from old friends.
Joining us for the event was author Steve McCarthy and his charming wife. He definitely had tales of adventures to share.
So we just had to purchase his book about a two month road trip in the UK. He had shipped a vintage sports car over from the states for that odyssey.
Shortly before the event wrapped up some old friends stopped by for a visit, which led to dinner and lively conversation. It is always a delight when we have an opportunity to visit with Scott Piotrowski, president of the California Route 66 Association. Rounding out the dinner party were Seigo Saito, and Toshi Goto of the Japanese Route 66 Association, and his charming wife Yoko.
As a bonus we all had the privilege of discovering a new restaurant that we could recommend to fellow travelers. The doors at the Coral Cafe in Burbank first opened in 1957. It was a living time capsule!
It also had the most expansive menu that I have yet to encounter. The food (Greek country salad for me) was delicious and modestly priced. Perfect on all counts.
A Hearty Thank you
I have to give a hearty thank you to Tina and Chuck, owner of Auto Books Aero Books. The invitation to be a part of such an amazing event was greatly appreciated.
And, of course, I have to say thank you for everyone that turned out. We enjoyed talking and answering questions. I do hope that the conversation, the goodie bags, and the books inspire a road trip or two.
Last, but not least, to the supporters of our Patreon based crowdfunding initiative, thank you. Aside from royalties derived from books sold there was no compensation for this apperance. It was your financial support that made it possible for the Jim HInckley’s America team to participate, to inspire a road trip or two, and to tell America’s story.
A photo of the Hotel Lyons hints of better times in Jericho, Texas, a ghost of Route 66. Photo Jericho on 66
Ghosts of Route 66 are found all along that storied highway between Chicago and Santa Monica. They haunt long shuttered gas stations, motels and diners, and even ghost towns.
Their voices are a faint whisper carried on the wind. But there are folks that take the time to listen, and then let fate lead them into an adventure where the line between past and present blurs. Blair and Blanca Schaffer listened. And fate led them to Jericho, Texas.
Ghosts of Route 66 in The Panhandle
According to the Texas State Historical Association, Jericho in northern Donley County was established in 1902. That was the year a townsite was platted and a station on the Chicago, Rock Island & Gulf Railroad was built. And that was also the year that a post office application was approved.
Until the Schaffer’s began their quest to document and preserve the history of Jericho, information was scarce, and vague. Only a tumble down farm house, and a derelict auto court that defied the odds and stood Texas tough against the winds of time were monuments to better times.
According to the association, “At its height in the 1930s, Jericho had three stores, a grain elevator, a tourist court, and a garage and filling station. Jericho’s population was estimated to be 100 in 1933 and fifty by 1939. Its post office was discontinued in 1955, and by the 1980s little remained at the townsite.”
Less Than Half The Story
But that sparse epitaph is less than half the story. Delbert Trew, a rancher at the infamous Jericho Gap, and the Schaffer’s, have traced the towns history to about 1880. At that time it was a mail coach stop for the changing of horses and the feeding of passengers.
After the end of the Red River Wars in the 1870s, adventurersome pioneers staked their future on the high plains of the Panhandle. They farmed, built ranches, and hardscrabble towns.
The stage stop, Jericho’s cornerstone, was little more than a dugout with access to a spring located along the road that connected Fort Elliott, later the small townof Mobeetie, and Saint’s Roost, now Clarendon. But what really put Jericho on the map was the laying of rails for the Choctaw, Oklahoma & Texas Railroad Company in 1902. The cemetery officially established in 1894 chronicles the town’s growth, it’s boom, and it’s decline.
The Good Times
One of the ghosts of Route 66 is being given a new lease on life.
The first official train arrived in Jericho on July 6, 1902. In the years that followed the construction of railroad related infrastucture, and cattle loading facilities to meet the needs of local ranchers, fueled a sense of optimism about the future of Jericho.
Then in 1926, Jericho was given another boost. That was the year that the newly minted US highway system was unveiled. One of those highways signed with a double 66 passed through Jericho, and the infamous Jericho Gap.
Delbert Trew says, “The main reason for fame came from the stretch of highway between Alanreed and Groom which went through Jericho. Called “Jericho Gap” any rains caused the dirt roads to turn into black-gumbo-mud becoming almost impassible to the vehicles of the time. Nearby farmers made a good living with their teams of work horses pulling the travellers from the mud holes. Legend has it that the enterprising farmers hauled water at night to dump in the mud holes to prolong their source of income.”
The town boomed.
End times and The Renaissance
To bypass the infamous gap, Route 66 was rerouted a half mile north of Jericho in the mid 1930s. That severed an economic lifeline. Jericho was an agricultural town struggling to survive the ravages of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. The last nail in the coffin was closure of the railroad after WWII.
Jericho withered on the vine. Soon, it was just one of the ghosts of Route 66. Buildings were razed and materials salvaged. Or they simply succumbed to the elements. Soon only cow, deer, ranchers, and the occasional adventurer in search of links to Route 66 history wandered what was once a town rich with promise.
Then came the Schaffer’s, a family with a Jericho connection. They were a passionate young couple that listened to the voices carried by the wind. And they were willing to let fate lead them on a grand adventure that promises to give Jericho a new lease on life.
And that takes us to the January 21, 2024, episode of Coffee With Jim. I will let Blanca tell the rest of the story in her own words on this episode of the Jim HInckley’s America podcast. .
In episode four of the series I share the adventure that is exploration of a desert oasis in Arizona. This little corner of paradise is linked to legendary American frontier era explorers, territorial and Hualapai tribal history, and lost highways. It’s a story of camels, a clash of cultures, mysteries without answers, and changing times. It is another road trip inspiring adventure.
In Search of Lost Highway Adventures
In retrospect it seems as though much of my life has been consumed with adventures on lost highways. So, as sharing America’s story, and inspiring road trips by telling people where to go, is the foundation for Jim Hinckley’s America, a video series was long overdue.
Episode four was exploration of Beale Springs, near Kingman Arizona. Located less than two miles from the historic heart of this desert crossroads, the springs could easily be added to a Route 66 travelers itinerary. It is a part of the expansive Cerbat Foothills Recreation Area trail system.
As a bonus the trail to the springs from the parking lot is smooth and short. In fact, it is almost wheelchair accesible.
A Tale of Two Histories
At the entrance to the historic site that is Beale Springs stand two monuments. One tells the tale of “Manifest Destiny.” That is a story about the importance of the springs in the development of northwest Arizona.
The second monument is a memorial. For the Hualapai people manifest destiny and all that it represented was genocide.
Beale Springs, and Coyote Pass, figures prominently in both stories. So, I appreciate the two monuments. Together they present a complete picture.
I have been greatly troubled by the trend of whitewashing history. That is akin to tossing the blue pieces from a jigsaw puzzle because that color is offensive. You can’t use history as an educational tool, or as a guide to move forward, without a full picture. That is more applicable if the history is uncomfortable.
Stating the obvious, water is more precious than gold in the desert. Beale Springs and nearby Atlantic Springs were the difference between life and death for the Cerbat clan of the Hualapai people. Likewise for travelers on a trade route that connected tribes on the coast of California with villages in northern Arizona. And that trail was linked to a rich turquoise mine in the Cerbat Mountains.
That trail would be followed by the expedition of Father Garces in 1776. And it would be used by the Sitgreaves Expeditions in the early 1850s, as well as the 1857, an expedition led by Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale.
Beale, namesake for the springs, was commissioned to survey a wagon road along the 35th parallel. Eventually that road would be extended to Fort Smith, Arkansas. When connected the Mojave Road at the Colorado River, it allowed the traveler to journey all the way to the village of Los Angeles.
Beale had a secondary task. That was testing the viability of camels for use in military transport in the southwest. As an historic footnote, this endeavor was authorized by Secretary of War Jefferson Davis. Davis would become the first and only president of the Confederate States of America in the early 1860s.
Dawn of A New Era
In the 1860s and 1870s a road was built connecting Colorado River ports, and a military outpost, with a fort and the territorial capitol at Prescott. The importance of that road, and development of mines and ranches in northwest Arizona, led to the Hualapai War. And that led to establishment of a military outpost at Beale Springs.
And that resulted in the springs being used as an internment camp for the Hualapai people. That was before the tribe experienced their Trail of Tears episode when they were marched to reservation on the Colorado River.
After the military outpost was abandoned, a ranch was built at the springs. And then a hotel. When Kingman began the transition from railroad construction camp to town, the springs was tapped for a water supply.
In about 1913 a new road was built through Coyote Pass. It was built for automobiles and connected Kingman with Chloride. And the springs figured prominently in that chapter as well.
Episode Four
In episode one of the In Search of Lost Highways series I shared the adventure that was exploring the historic roads at the top of Coyote Pass. So, in episode four I continued the story with exploration of Beal Springs.
But this is not the end of the story. In future episodes we will explore other remnants of this lost highways. So, stay tuned. Become a subscriber. And come along for the ride.
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here:
Cookie Policy
