With temperatures dropping and the leaves changing into their party colors, it’s time for another update. Welcome to the autumn newsletter of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. I’m Roger Naylor, Arizona author and travel writer, and it’s my privilege to pen these quarterly
newsletters to keep you apprised of what’s happening along our stretch of beloved highway. Let’s get right to it.
We are closing in on a very big event, a once in a lifetime fiesta. On November 11, Route 66 turns 98 years old. Just two more trips around the sun, and the Mother Road will hit the century mark. And you better believe that the Route 66 Centennial will be a celebration for the ages.
Festivities will be going all through 2026, which is approaching fast. Start making plans now on how you want to be involved. It’s a party you’re not going to want to miss.
When it comes to weird, quirky, and memorable roadside attractions, Route 66 practically invented the concept. So naturally, the Poozeum decided to tap into that storied history and open in Williams. Poozeum is the world’s only museum dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of dinosaur poop! Founder George Frandsen holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of fossilized poo. Realizing that such an array of prehistoric time capsules should be shared with the world, he opened Poozeum. The museum is free. Just bring your sense of wonder as you gaze upon these ancient droppings from another era. Bonus: they have a gift shop! This is the perfect time to get your holiday shopping done. If you’re looking for that one-of-a-kind stocking stuffer, I think you struck the mother lode. 109 W. Railroad Ave., 928-225-8080, www.poozeum.com.
Over the summer I got to stay at the beautifully reimagined Americana Motor Hotel in Flagstaff and afterward I was rested, content, well-fed, and truly impressed. The motel originally opened along Route 66 at the eastern edge of Flag in 1962. It had a good run but once travelers took to the interstate in droves, the property went downhill. That’s all changed now. Under new ownership, the Americana offers guests a chance to once again experience the golden age of travel. I loved the retro vibe and relaxed atmosphere including the vibrant colors and décor, replica signage, and a swinging lobby where bicycles, telescopes, and board games are available. There’s a pool bar and walk-up window restaurant serving some of the best tacos I’ve had in a long time. Yet while keeping one foot firmly rooted in the past, the hotel also offers guests plenty of modern amenities. Welcome beverages, morning coffee, plush bathrobes, swanky showers stocked with high-end toiletries, heated pool, outdoor fire pit with seating areas and yard games, and a dog park. This is how we used to travel. Hanging out, relaxing, mingling—instead of being cocooned in impersonal rooms. Next time you’re spending a night in Flagstaff, treat yourself to a stay that feels nostalgic but thoroughly modern at the same time. How great it is to see another historic property, not torn down, but restored and rejuvenated. 2560 E. Route 66, 800-815-7506, www.americanamotorhotel.com.
While you’re spending the night in Flag, why not take a tour? For a few years, Freaky Foot Tours has been scaring guests with their historic and haunted walking tours through downtown Flagstaff. Now things have gotten even spookier. During the summer, Freaky Foot Tours expanded their operation to include Flag’s Southside District. You can just bet there’s plenty of history when you land on the other side of the tracks. This was where the red-light district was once located. Best of all, much of the tour takes place along Phoenix Avenue and Mikes Pike, which is the original alignment of Route 66 through town. No doubt there will be plenty of great stories from those rowdy days. Freaky Foot Tours operates throughout the year but there’s just something about the weeks before Halloween that make you want to go prowling for ghosts. Now you’ve got even more options. 928-224-0518, www.freakyfoottours.com.
Since Halloween is approaching here’s another ghostly Route 66 tale from the Oatman Hotel. Originally opened in 1902 as the Durlin Hotel, the two-story structure was ravaged by fire in 1921 but rebuilt in 1924. Only a few years later a lodger named William Ray Flour took up permanent residence. Flour had a hard life and a tragic one. The Irishman worked in the mines of Oatman to earn enough money to bring his family to this country. When his wife and children died on their voyage to America, the miner was unable to cope. He climbed into a bottle to drown his sorrows.
On a cold winter night in 1930, he passed out drunk behind the hotel and never woke up. Flour’s ghost, now nicknamed “Oatie” has become a bit of a prankster at the hotel, moving items around, laughing, and generally calling attention to himself. He’s possibly joined by a couple of celebrities. Clark Gable and Carole Lombard stayed here on their honeymoon and then returned in later years. Some believe that their ghosts also linger at the hotel where they enjoyed such happy times in life. In the 1960s, the Durlin changed its name to the Oatman Hotel. While they no longer rent out rooms, the historic building does house a legendary saloon and restaurant on the first floor. Stop in for a meal and to enjoy some live music. Post a dollar on the wall if you can find a space. Then hoist a glass to Oatie, and to Clark and Carole. They are gone but not forgotten. 181 Main St., 928-768-4408.
While you’re in Oatman, think about a little water adventure as well. This is the perfect time of year for an aquatic outing. Summer crowds are gone and it’s too early for snowbirds. Many folks forget just how connected Arizona’s Route 66 is to the water. The western terminus in Topock sits right on the Colorado River. If you head south, in just a few minutes you’re on the shore of Lake Havasu. Turn north, and you’re at the bottom tip of Lake Mohave. Katherine Landing sits just north of Bullhead City and Davis Dam, a quick drive from Oatman. The lake feels intimate here, cupped by rugged hills. You’ll find plenty of creature comforts because Katherine Landing offers motel rooms, full hookup RV sites, tent camping, a restaurant, store, a public swim beach, and watercraft rentals 928-754-3245, www.katherinelanding.com.
Yet if you want a little seclusion, just north of the marina you’ll find a series of inlets—Princess Cove, Cabinsite Cove, North Telephone Cove, and South Telephone Cove. These are quiet places with nothing but a few picnic tables and long stretches of beachfront. Swim, fish, kayak, whatever your heart desires. Just one more unexpected delight for Arizona’s Route 66 travelers.
It’s one of the most recognizable eateries on the Mother Road. No seasoned traveler can resist the chance to pull into a place known for the slogan “You kill it, we grill it.” The Roadkill Café is just one part of a family-run complex in the heart of Seligman that includes the O.K. Saloon, Historic Route 66 Motel, Route 66 General Store, and more. The friendly Pope family has been seeing to motorists’ needs since 1983.
And of course, despite the quirky menu offerings, they’re not actually cooking fender tenders or swirl of squirrel. This is where you’ll find heaping portions of tasty comfort food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Expect piles of pancakes and big, juicy burgers, including their popular bison burger. And just to reiterate, the bison was not scraped off the highway. Heck, you hit a big buffalo and the only thing flattened will be your car. Bison will just be standing there swishing his tail, going “Are flies bothering anybody else or just me?” 22830 W. Old Hwy 66, 928-422-
3554, www.route66seligmanarizona.com.
Soon as we take down the Halloween decorations it’s time to start thinking about Christmas. And who knew that Santa Claus resides so close to Route 66? Find out for yourself when you hop aboard the Polar Express in Williams. For some families this is the ultimate holiday experience. And the Grand Canyon Railway has been bringing the beloved children’s book to life for years. Beginning November 8, the Polar Express chugs out of Williams bound for the North Pole, which is surprisingly close thanks to a “magic tunnel.” Squirmy, pajama-clad kids barely have time to finish hot chocolate and cookies before they’re arriving at Santa’s doorstep where he waits with his reindeer. Mr. Kringle boards the train and passes out gifts to each child. What a memory. Overnight packages are also available.
800-843-8724, www.thetrain.com.
Finally, on a personal note, my new book Arizona National Parks and Monuments is scheduled for a mid-October release. The book covers the extraordinary array of national park units that blanket the state. We have a total of 34 park units and here’s something that may come as a bit of
a surprise—at least 14 of them are less than a two-hour drive from Route 66. That’s a lot of scenic wonders and cultural treasures wrapped around our cherished Mother Road. The book is a wonderful guide designed to encourage even more exploration of this amazing state. Add it to
your holiday list! So between my book, a Roadkill Café t-shirt, an Americana Motor Hotel gift certificate, and a fossilized dinosaur turd paperweight from Poozeum, your holiday shopping is done. You’re welcome.
Well, that’s about all I can think of for now. Every season makes its own special magic on the Arizona portion of the Mother Road. Look for the next newsletter to arrive in your inbox just as you’re recovering from holiday stress in January. If you have items of interest you’d like to share in an upcoming newsletter, we’d love to hear from you. You can email them to me, Roger Naylor, at [email protected], or to Nikki
Terlesky, Director of Operations at Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona at [email protected].
Thanks for being part of the Route 66 family. Happy motoring!