page_title: U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
section_title: Winslow to Holbrook
hierarchical_section_title: U.S. Route 66 in Arizona / Route description / Winslow to Holbrook
caption_attribution_description: English: Postcard showing streetview of US Route 66 Eastbound.
context_page_description: U.S. Route 66 also known as the Will Rogers Highway, was a major United States Numbered Highway in the state of Arizona from November 11, 1926 to June 26, 1985. US 66 covered a total of 385.20 miles through Arizona. The highway ran from west to east, starting in Needles, California, through Kingman and Seligman to the New Mexico state line. Nationally, US 66 ran from Santa Monica, California, to Chicago, Illinois. In its height of popularity, US 66 was one of the most popular highways in the state of Arizona, sometimes carrying over one million cars a year.
  In the early years, US 66 had to compete with other major U.S. Highways for construction and improvement funding. The highway also played and important role during the Dust Bowl as a means for refugees to escape the ruined farmlands of the Great Plains and migrate to California. Experiences of these refugees traveling through Arizona were largely detailed in John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath, and the 1940 movie adaption that followed. During the mid-20th century, the highway became a tourist destination, spawning the existence of several new motels, restaurants and other road-side businesses and attractions.
context_section_description: Heading east out of Winslow, US 66 split from SR 87 onto an old roadbed, and crossed the Little Colorado River over a bridge that no longer exists. US 66 rejoined SR 87 shortly before the current highway turns north towards I-40 exit 257 and Homolovi State Park. Just north of Winslow, Homolovi State Park preserves over 300 Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites. Where SR 87 turns north, US 66 continued northeast, merging into I-40. Where I-40 curves southeast, US 66 continued northeast onto Hibbard Road, then made a sharp turn east onto an old roadbed 0.4 miles (0.64 km) from the Interstate. US 66 proceeded to make a gradual S-curve to the southeast and cross a tributary of the Little Colorado River on another no longer extant bridge. The highway continued straight southeast from the bridge crossing for 2.8 miles (4.5 km), then made a sweeping curve south by southeast and crossed I-40.
  On the south side of I-40, US 66 made another gradual curve back to the southeast, then a second curve to the east, and merged back into Hibbard Road. Where Hibbard Road ends, US 66 continued diagonally across I-40, then turned immediately south again, crossing I-40 a second time onto the south frontage road. Here, US 66 arrived at the Jack Rabbit Trading Post. The trading post once posted signs up and down the highway for hundreds of miles between Arizona and Missouri. Today, one of the iconic billboards still stands next to the trading post. It is a wooden sign displaying a black jackrabbit on a yellow background with the phrase "Here It Is" spelled in large capitalized red letters on the left side of the jackrabbit. US 66 continued southeast from the trading post along the south frontage road, paralleling the Santa Fe Railway and Little Colorado River.
  At the point where the south frontage road curves northeast to straddle the south side of I-40, US 66 crossed the Interstate becoming Main Street into Joseph City. US 66 through Joseph City is designated today as I-40 Business. East of town, US 66 curved southeast across I-40 onto the south frontage road close to the town post office. Where the frontage road makes a quick U-shape near exit 247, US 66 continued straight. In front of the Cholla Power Plant, US 66 curved to rejoin I-40. US 66 followed I-40 southeast past a reservoir and earthen dam. Where I-40 curves to the east, US 66 split off to the north side of I-40, becoming the north side frontage road. US 66 followed the north frontage road for a short distance, then rejoined I-40 momentarily at exit 283. Immediately after rejoining the Interstate, US 66 diverged, turning to the northeast, and rejoined the north frontage road. Where the frontage road makes a sharp curve to the north, US 66 continued straight east on an abandoned roadbed to I-40 exit 285.
  At exit 285, US 66 crossed present-day I-40 into Holbrook becoming Hopi Drive (today signed as US 180 and I-40 Business). Along the western section of old US 66 in Holbrook is the Wigwam Village Motel, a motor court built to resemble a group of tipis. At the intersection of Hopi Drive and Navajo Boulevard, US 180 heads southeast towards Springerville and Silver City, New Mexico, concurrent for a short distance with southbound SR 77. In 1940, this intersection was the western terminus of US 260. US 260 followed the general path of present-day US 180 into New Mexico, where it ended in Deming. US 66 on the other hand, followed northbound SR 77 and I-40 Business on Navajo Boulevard.
caption: Street view of US 66 through downtown Winslow, c. 1955
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