Small towns, big stories and road trips. That would be an apt title for a book. And that would be a great way to ensure the stories of vanishing towns are not forgotten. Oh, wait, that sounds like The Route 66 Encyclopedia!

Even on world famous Route 66 many towns are little more than obscure historic footnotes. Today they are less than a wide spot in the road, and are seldom given a second look. Except for the ardent Route 66 enthusiasts that take time to listen to the stories whispered on the wind, these quiet places fade from memory.

Case in point, Allantown, Arizona. This dusty desert outpost was established as a siding and the namesake was Allan Johnson a construction superintendent with the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad. It was a siding and a shipping point for cattle from the ranch of A.G. Johnson. But with establishment of the National Old Trails Highway, and later Route 66, it became an oasis for motorists. In 1946, according to Jack Rittenhouse, businesses included a gas station, grocery store, curio shop, and Stafford’s Café.

Manchester, Missouri

For the average Route 66 traveler, Manchester blends almost seamlessly with the sprawl of St. Louis. That blending beganin in the post WWII era when subdivisions and suburban commercial development transformed the rural landscape.

Located on the pre 1932 alignment of Route 66, the exact date of settlement is unknown. Unsubstantiated claims are that the name derives from an English immigrant who proposed use of the name in 1835 as reference to his hometown in England. This was the year of completion for the Manchester Road, the first state funded road in Missouri, which linked the small farming community with St. Louis.

That historic road served as the course for the original alignment of Route 66 west from St. Louis. Realignment in 1932 severed that link with the community of Manchester.

Zuzax, New Mexico

Today Zuzax is little more than a curiosity, an exit on I-40 east of Albuquerque near Tijeras. There is a bit of urban sprawl surrounding the exit but this doesn’t provide an explanation for the unusual name.

Zuzax was the creation of Herman Ardans. He derived the name to ensure his curio shop on U.S. 66 wasn’t overlooked by travelers. Ardans was quick add a tall tale or two. When asked about the name the stock answer was that it was a reference to the Zuzax Indians.

Using materials obtained from a surplus military barracks sale, Ardans built his trading post in 1954. As with the multitude of trading posts scattered along Route 66 in the southwest, he sold cider, post cards, arrowheads, taxidermied critters and polished rocks.

Shortly before the bypass of Route 66, the Zuzax trading post closed.

Laguna Pueblo and New Laguna, New Mexico

The tale of Laguna Pueblo and New Laguna is a bit confusing. But the story of these villages are an excellent example of why Route 66 is the American story made manifest.

Among the Keresan speaking Pueblo Indians legend has it that the site of Laguna Pueblo has been inhabited for at least seven centuries. That legend also claims that a natural dam on the Rio San Jose that created a lake was the reason the site was selected for settlement.

The first European references to the lake and the people here are contained in reports from the Coronado expedition of 1540. The lake existed well into the late 19^th century.

Laguna Pueblo

Construction of the current pueblo dates to 1698. A year later Governor Pedro Rodriguez Cubero attended a ceremony at the pueblo while enroute to Santa Fe. He reportedly named the community Laguna.

As the population increased, a network of satellite villages were established. Among these were Laguna, originally Cuba, and New Laguna.

A U.S. Post office has operated at Laguna Pueblo since 1879. The post office in New Laguna dates to 1900.

More Confusion

Laguna dates to the establishment of a village named Nacimiento that appears on maps of the Dominguez-Escalante expedition of 1776. The site for this settlement is just to the east of present day Laguna.

Persistent Navajo raids led to abandonment of this village in the first years of the 19^th century. And forced resettlement that commenced in about 1878 led to establishment of Cuba on the site. Shortly after its founding, a suburb at the present site eclipsed the original community resulting in a second abandonment.  For reasons unknown the Cuba name was not continued. Establishment of a post office in 1887 was under the name Laguna.

Jack Rittenhouse in A Guide Book to Highway 66 published in 1946 provided a lengthy overview of Laguna Pueblo and Laguna. He noted that services were limited to a small grocery store and service station.

Telling America’s Story

Telling America’s story. It’s what we do at Jim Hinckley’s America. Encouraging people to discover that story by telling people where to go. That is also our specialty.

Every town, city, and even a few wide spots along the highway have a story. These are chapters in the America story. And on Route 66, the Main Street of America, these stories blur the line between past and present on the most famous highway in America.