page_title: U.S. Route 66 in Arizona
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: U.S. Route 66 in Arizona / History / Background
caption_attribution_description: English: The National Old Trails Road Photo Gallery East of Holbrook, AZ
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: In 1853, United States Army Lieutenant A. W. Whipple traversed the northern end of New Mexico Territory to survey a route for a proposed transcontinental railroad. Lieutenant Whipple was followed by Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald Beale in the winter of 1858 and 1859. Beale created a second survey of the northern territory along the 35th Parallel, this time for a proposed wagon road. The wagon road was to start in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and travel to the Colorado River on the California border. Beale returned later in 1859 with a group of men to construct the road. The outfit was complemented with 22 camels as well as tools and supplies needed to build the wagon road. Beale's men constructed a path 10 feet (3.0 m) wide by removing rocks and vegetation in the way. The new road became known as Beale's Wagon Road, becoming a major artery for westward expansion and immigration. The road remained a popular means of travel until 1883, when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway was completed through northern Arizona.
  In 1914, the state of Arizona had finished reorganizing an earlier system of territorial roads into a new state highway system, managed by the Office of the State Engineer. Besides converting the two existing territorial maintained roads into new state highways, the Office of the State Engineer also acquired several roads not previously maintained by the state. One of the new acquisitions was Beale's Wagon Road. Now a state highway, Beale's Wagon Road was designated the Santa Fe Highway by the state. Santa Fe Highway started at the Colorado River in Topock, extending north through Kingman, then east through Flagstaff to Holbrook, where it headed southeast through Springerville into New Mexico. Also in 1914, the National Old Trails Road, an early transcontinental auto trail, was designated over the Santa Fe Highway.
  Outside Arizona, the National Old Trails Road ran from Washington, DC, to Los Angeles, California. The National Old Trails Highway Association also had plans to construct a new road through Lupton for a shorter more direct route to New Mexico. For a short time, the National Old Trails Road was partnered with a local auto trail known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, which acted as an alternate route going from the National Old Trails Road to Phoenix and Yuma. Disagreements soon arose between the managers of both highways. The National Old Trails Highway Association preferred the main route be the highway to Topock, while the Ocean-to-Ocean Transcontinental Highway Association preferred the route to Yuma. Both organizations eventually ended their partnership and went in opposite directions.
  In the early days, National Old Trails Road traffic crossing the river utilized a ferry crossing between Topock and Needles on the California side of the river. The ferry, established in 1890, was used until 1914, when a river flood destroyed it. In response, the upstream Red Rock Bridge, owned by the Santa Fe Railway, became the new river crossing for National Old Trails Road motorists. The railroad had allowed cars to use the bridge so long as the drivers were willing to pay a toll. Construction started on the Old Trails Bridge, a dedicated automobile bridge, on June 30, 1915, and was completed several months later on February 20, 1916. The bridge was paid for by the states of California and Arizona as well as the Bureau of Indian Affairs at a cost of $75,000 (equivalent to $1.21 million in 2018). The bridge itself was a steel arch structure designed by San Bernardino County surveyor S. A. Sourwine. Once construction on the Old Trails Bridge had been completed, National Old Trails Road traffic was moved onto the new bridge and the Red Rock Bridge became train only once again. From 1916 to 1928, the Old Trails Bridge held the record of being the longest three-hinged arch bridge in the United States.
  Between 1915 and 1922, the National Old Trails Highway was surfaced with gravel between Topock and Oatman as well as between Seligman and Holbrook. A small section just outside Ash Fork was also reconstructed and realigned at
caption: An early automobile driving on the National Old Trails Road near Holbrook, c. 1915
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