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Albuquerque Route 66 Photographic Survey Collection

 Collection
Identifier: PICT-2013-005

Scope and Content

The Center for Regional Studies funded this project to visually document all existing structures on Route 66 in Albuquerque. From August 2013 to May 2014, Donatella Davanzo photographed each site corresponding to a street address along Central Avenue from Tramway on the east to 66 Casino on the west. The survey documented 731 buildings in 7266 images along 18 miles of the post 1936 east-west alignment. The following year, from August... 2014 to May 2015, the second phase of the project followed the historic north-south pre-1937 corridor, entering Albuquerque on Fourth Street and continuing along Isleta Blvd. This path, also 18 miles long, documents 636 buildings in 4013 images. See more

Dates

  • 2013-2015

Access Restrictions

The collection is available for research. 1364 fully described images are available through New Mexico Digital Collections Online at: Albuquerque Route 66 Photographic Survey Collection.

The full set of original digital photographs is available for in person review on a portable external hard drive.

Copy Restrictions

Duplication of photographic material is allowed for research purposes. Center for Southwest Research holds copyright. For more information see the Photographs and Images Research Guide and contact the Pictorial Archivist.

History

U.S. Route 66, also known as the Will Rogers Highway and colloquially known as the Main Street of America or the Mother Road, was one of the original highways within the U.S. Highway System. Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 with road signs erected in 1927. The highway originally ran from Chicago, Illinois through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending at Santa Monica, California, covering... a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km). US 66 underwent many improvements and realignments over its lifetime. It was officially removed from the United States Highway System on June 27, 1985, when its final segments were replaced by the Interstate Highway System. The label "Historic Route 66," designating a National Scenic Byway, has been applied to portions of the road passing through Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, and Arizona; and several states use State Route 66 to designate bypassed sections of the former US 66.

In New Mexico, Route 66 covers 380 miles (610km), generally covering an east-west path. From 1926 to 1937, a longer route cobbling together existing roads included a north-south jog through Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Los Lunas. Circa 1936-1937, the current east-west alignment was established. In Albuquerque, the earlier North-South route generally follows Forth Street, part of the historic El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. The east-west realignment follows Central Avenue through the city.
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Extent

13,326 items (1 box) : hard drive with 13,326 digital images

Language of Materials

English

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