New neon sign, lizard statue goes up in Kingman

Route 66 author and tour guide Jim Hinckley recently sent a long list of additions in Kingman, Arizona — including a new neon sign along Route 66 and a statue of a big lizard.

Based on those two things, it’s safe to say Kingman no longer is a sleepy Route 66 town.

Hinckley wrote:

Improvements to the Route 66 corridor in Kingman are taking place at a rapid pace. The Graves family that manages the downtown post office on Andy Devine Avenue (Route 66) commissioned Legacy Signs to create a sign.

A few weeks ago, the Graves family also shepherded the restoration of the historic Desert Drugs neon sign that once stood on Route 66. Another sign the Graves family restored was a 1930s-era Packard sign at the Old Trails Garage.

The City of Kingman commissioned a public art piece (an oversized chuckawala lizard) and it was installed on Friday. Judging from comments made on the Promote Kingman page, the cost made it a bit controversial.

The Kingman Daily Miner published a story about the sculpture, which was created by California artist Solomon Bassoff. The lizard is 7 feet long, weighs more than 1,800 pounds and cost $10,000. It’s made of concrete, glass and bronze.

It’s at Andy Devine Boulevard (aka Route 66) and Fourth Street.

Even though tourism abandoned and aborted the Route 66 Walk of Fame project, additions such as these are facilitating an increase in foot traffic along the Route 66 corridor in the historic business district.

Grassroots initiatives are behind almost all the projects transforming the district and the Route 66 corridor. East of the downtown district, Ramada Kingman that opened in 1964 as a Holiday Inn, is expanding its mural project. Murals and other touches are being added to the outdoor patio at Rutherford’s 66 Family Diner, originally a Denny’s that opened in the 1960s.

Beale Street one block north of Route 66 is experiencing a dramatic renaissance; neon signage, murals, eclectic shops ranging from Savon Bath Treats (in store made bath products) and microbreweries, to Southwest Trading Company and restaurants.

The Promote Kingman initiative (not affiliated with tourism) has launched historic district walking tours. I often serve as the guide and use hundreds of photos from the archives of the Mohave Museum of History & Arts to provide historic context. Promote Kingman is also developing a diverse, linked network that includes Promote Route 66. Tied in with this are projects facilitated by the Route 66 Association of Kingman which includes a monthly meet & greet that is open to the public, neon sign acquisition and restoration, and the creation of partnerships with state and international Route 66 associations as well as communities along the Route 66 corridor in Arizona.

And Hinckley provides interesting data on his Facebook Live programs, which he began in the past year.

The weekly Facebook live program under Jim Hinckley’s America had a reach of nearly 79,000 people in 2017. The idea behind the program was to foster development of a sense of community (in Kingman as well as along the Route 66 corridor) and to place authors, artists, photographers, community leaders, and small business owners in the spotlight. The programs are often developed in partnership with Promote Kingman.

I’m not sure whether Facebook Live segments will continue to be viable in the long haul, mostly because many consume a lot of viewers’ time. (The now-offline Revive 66 live segments a few weeks ago saw mostly anemic viewership, for example.)

A few years ago, many media outlets were convinced video was the way to boost internet revenue. They learned that unless the videos contained extraordinary images or were crisply edited, they weren’t going to gain a lot of eyeballs.

The Historic Electric Vehicle Foundation has received an array of vehicle donations including 14 cars from the prestigious Peterson Museum. The Route 66 Electric Vehicle Museum is set to dramatically expand once a suitable location is found.

For now, some of the historic electric vehicles may be found at the Powerhouse Museum in Kingman.

(Images courtesy of Jim Hinckley)

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