Preservation

Since beginning my involvement with this remarkable road, I have worked to preserve it.

In 1992, I was invited to a meeting hosted by a National Park Service study group tasked with exploring the creation of a recognized federal corridor for the route. As a result, the Route 66 Corridor Act was passed by congress in 2001. I later participated in other meetings where guidelines for the program were set.

In 1999, I helped draft language for an Oklahoma State Senate resolution that stopped a proposed bypass of Arcadia, my hometown. This effort prompted me to write a National Register of Historic Places nomination for a rare section of surviving roadbed where I live.

In 2002, I was a principal in preparing the Oklahoma Route 66 Roadbed Documentation Project, commissioned by the State Historic Preservation Office. It was designed to account for all of the road’s alignments statewide. This document made it possible for the SHPO to prioritize its efforts in preserving Oklahoma Route 66.

LOST: Horse Creek Bridge - Afton Oklahoma

LOST: Sand Creek Bridge - Bristow Oklahoma

The same year, I was appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to a federal advisory council for the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, which was established after passage of the Route 66 Corridor Act. Fellow members in this dynamic group included professional preservationists, architectural historians, department of transportation officials, and other experts. The advisory council assisted the National Park Service in effectively administering the program, which has since provided vital funding and widespread support for worthy projects along the route.

Photo courtesy of Steve Rider

In 2018, I joined with nine other preservation-minded roadies to purchase the derelict and highly endangered Painted Desert Trading Post in Arizona. We formed a non-profit, raised money, acquired a federal grant, and with a small army of volunteers worked hands-on for three years to stabilize and enhance the structure, guaranteeing its presence on the landscape for future generations. It has been my most gratifying preservation experience.

Organizations and enthusiasts continue to actively work toward the preservation of the route. There have been significant losses and there will be more. But there have been some impressive rescues, and the level of cooperation among everyone involved is on the rise. Every initiative, even those that fail, elevates awareness and further advances the need to protect and preserve America’s beloved Mother Road.

The Rise and Fall and Rise of the Painted Desert Trading Post

First day of the first work session in 2018 - photo by Shellee Graham

Completed restoration 2021 - photo by Shellee Graham

The Bypass of the Painted Desert Trading Post