Ash Fork, Arizona Road 66!

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     Ash Fork, Arizona Route 66!

     The ascent together with autumn of small-scale towns inward the Southwest is an interesting report inward itself.  Infrastructural evolution progressed speedily inward many boom towns, patch long term community planning was totally depended upon the limitations of local economical resources.  For example, when the local economical resources played out inward a aureate rush town, the wheels of progress came to a screeching halt.  Likewise, when the golden historic menses of railroad go came to an end, many of the small-scale railroad towns inward the Southwest became ghost towns overnight.  Railroad towns that were lucky plenty to lead hold a Federal Highway run through the community during the dawn of the historic menses of car go were extended economical prosperity, but inward some cases the local highway projects turned into a curse of sorts too.  This is particularly truthful inward former Route 66 towns that were bypassed yesteryear Interstate Highway 40.  

     Ash Fork is a prime number illustration of a small-scale town inward the Southwest that has been champaign of report to many setbacks over the years, yet this community has survived.  Ash Fork began every bit a railroad town inward the 1880's.  A post away burnt the small-scale town to the the world inward the mid 1890's, but fortunately the rebuilding procedure began when the historic menses of railroad rider car touring was coming to a peak.  

     In 1907 the landmark Escalante Hotel was built yesteryear Fred Harvey inward Ash Fork.  The Escalante was i of many Harvey House facilities that accommodated western railroad travelers together with visitors of the National Parks.  On a side note, I worked at the Harvey House facility inward the Grand Canyon National Park inward recent years, together with thus I am familiar amongst the history of this famous company.  By placing hotel resorts inward strategic tourism locations along railroad lines, Fred Harvey develop the standards for traveler accommodations that all others follow to this day.  Any town that had a Harvey House at i time became role of the thriving tourism economy, together with thus the Escalante sure enough was an property for the town of Ash Fork.  

     People from dorsum eastward together with simply about the public wanted to sense the natural wonders of the newly settled west.  The Grand Canyon was yesteryear far the close pop scenic finish dorsum inward those days together with nearby towns similar Ash Fork that offered Harvey House accommodations benefited from the overflow numbers.  Ash Fork also had natural wonders of its ain that tourists flocked to.  The Cathedral Caves together with Dante's Descent are located close Ash Fork together with these attractions were pop dorsum inward the day.  Currently, Cathedral Caves tin alone live accessed yesteryear individual guided tours together with the State Of Arizona has shut access to the gigantic sinkhole called Dante's Descent.  

     When the historic menses of railroad tourism started to steadily decline, car tourism was on the rise.  Route 66 presently became America's Mother Road later it was paved together with this go route went correct through downtown Ash Fork.  The Escalante Hotel inward Ash Fork flora itself positioned to overstep away i of the close famous landmarks on the Mother Road.  This Harvey House resort in conclusion shut inward the belatedly 1940's later serving thousands of travelers during the golden historic menses of Route 66 tourism.  

     Because of the high book of traffic on Route 66, many sections of the former 2 lane route were expanded to 4 lanes inward the 1950's.  The Route 66 expansion projection inward Ash Fork involved razing much of the master downtown expanse to brand agency for the widened road.  Needless to say, the Federal Highway expansion projection coldly destroyed much of the master grapheme of this former historic town.  

     The Route 66 route widening projection was ho-hum to progress together with this dramatically slowed the economical projections of Ash Fork.  A 2nd blow to the economical outlook of Ash Fork took house inward the early on 1960's when the railroad delineate was moved due north away from town.  Then a 3rd devastating economical blow was dealt to Ash Fork when close of the downtown businesses were destroyed yesteryear post away inward the mid 1970's.  The controversial Interstate Highway twoscore was completed inward this same decade together with this modern Federal Highway completely bypassed former Route 66.  The completion of I-40 was similar the proverbial smash inward the economical coffin, every bit far every bit Ash Fork was concerned.   

    Basically, the historic town of Ash Fork was left inward abattoir yesteryear the route widening projection together with it never recovered from the devastating post away earlier beingness totally bypassed yesteryear Interstate Highway 40.  Travelers at nowadays zoom yesteryear on the motorway without giving much idea to stopping to banking firm check out Ash Fork at all.  This is sort of a shame, because Ash Fork i time was a premier finish agency dorsum when.

     After getting off the motorway at Ash Fork, visitors volition discovery themselves inward a Route 66 wasteland of sorts.  Ash Fork looks similar a town that has been inward abattoir for many years through no mistake of this town's ain making.  After a few minutes, it is like shooting fish in a barrel to encounter that a rigid sense of community pride exists together with this it what keeps Ash Fork live inward modern times.  

     Ash Fork is the Flagstone Capitol Of America together with the local quarries are yet inward business.  Places similar the former Escalante together with the plough of the century businesses from the early on 1900's are long gone, but some of the 1940's era Route 66 concern buildings lead hold survived.  Hollywood flick scenes lead hold also been filmed inward Ash Fork inward recent years, because the belongings prices are much lower than average.  Remnants of the railroad together with the steel H2O towers tin yet live seen.  All simply about town at that topographic point are former pieces of memorabilia from the golden historic menses of Ash Fork that nostalgia buffs volition lead hold involvement in.  There also are a few novel restaurants together with shops that cater to the trickle of Route 66 tourists that overstep through, but the local diner yet looks similar the busiest house inward town.  

     The town of Ash Fork does lead hold a bully tourist attraction that is good worth recommending.  As mentioned before, community pride runs thick inward this town together with this heartfelt pride tin live experienced at the Ash Fork Historical Society Museum.  This local museum is non heavily promoted inward tourist brochures, together with thus a catch tin easily plough into a personalized learning experience.  The museum facility is surprisingly large together with at that topographic point are plenty of interesting exhibits.  The Ash Fork Historical Society Museum serves every bit a consummate fourth dimension capsule of the grand former hospitality that this town was i time famous for together with at that topographic point are many stories waiting to live told.  It is best to telephone phone to brand reservations inward advance, together with thus the doors volition live guaranteed to live opened upwards on days when the tourist stream is slow. 

     Is Ash Fork a house that is worth driving an extra few hundred miles to see?  Most folks volition belike say no, but a devoted Route 66 nostalgia buff volition definitely say yes!  Visiting places similar Ash Fork does assistance to maintain Route 66 tourism alive.        

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