Kingman, Arizona
I'll go back to our recent trip around California and Nevada, to tell you about Kingman, Arizona.
After our Las Vegas days, we swung down to Arizona by way of Hoover Dam, which I still prefer to call Boulder Dam. What a mistake! It took forever to wind down the hill from Boulder City to the dam, then it was single file through the entire approach, across the dam, and then up to the main highway on the Arizona side.
Of course, during this, pedestrians crossing the road have the right of way, and there were thousands of them! They were there to tour the dam itself or to just walk across it and take pictures. And they took pictures from both sides.
What was really irksome was the drivers who would stop their cars so they could get a picture of something. If we hadn't been doing the same thing, I'd have been really angry!
The new bridge crossing over the Colorado River just below the dam is going to be something else. Suzy says she doesn't ever want to drive over it, especially with the motor home!
At the end of that travel day we found ourselves in Kingman, Arizona, a major stop along old Highway 66, "The Mother Road." We had wanted to see the "Keepers of the Wild," a refuge for damaged or abused animals, several miles along old Highway 66. Turns out they are closed on Tuesdays, and that's when we were in Kingman.
So we visited a couple of museums covering the history of Kingman and Route 66. At the Mojave Museum of History and Arts, a corner room was given over to Kingman's favorite son, the gravel-voiced western sidekick actor, Andy Devine.
Andy was often a comic character, but often he had a more serious role along with the comic relief. He starred with legendary John Wayne in Stagecoach and other films. In all, Andy made over 400 films and more radio, stage and television appearances than anyone cared to count. He was in the first pictures that Hollywood greats Henry Fonda, Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne made.
For more on Andy Devine, check out this web write-up.
Another museum room was called the Hall of Presidents, featuring oil portraits of every U.S. President and his Frst Lady.
Of course they didn't leave out the current First Family.
The museum also had an "Old Western Town" and displays of old mining and railroad equipment.
The other museum in town, the Powerhouse, was quite interesting, but we'll save that for a later post along ... Our Life on Wheels.
We haven't driven over Hoover/Boulder Dam since 1991. Since the construction began we have avoided it. That new bridge is a biggie!
ReplyDeleteInteresting museum, and we've never heard of it. Great suggestion to see it someday.
Have never been through that section of Arizona around Kingman. Had I got my (I seldom do) this year & left home earlier, our route would have been through there heading for the Death Valley area. Have been to Boulder/Hoover dam a couple times & it was always crowded. Humanoids everywhere!! I remember Andy Devine from the 'Wild Bill Hickock' TV series.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit to Kingman. The longest I've ever stopped there was for fuel and maybe lunch, so it's great to know of other attractions!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the picture of tne new bridge. Hadn't seen it since they first started building it. Got to agree with Suzy. Looks pretty scary!
ReplyDeleteWe'll have to spend more time in Kingman next time we're down that way. We crossed Hoover Dam on April 29, 2010 and didn't have too much traffic. That new bridge looks amazing! We stopped for lunch at Cracker Barrel in Kingman, then headed for the Grand Canyon, where we ran into snow.
ReplyDeleteThat's the first picture I've seen of the new bridge with the spans completed. When we were there a few years ago, there was a huge gap in the middle and I always wondered how they were going to join the 2 parts.
ReplyDeleteWe drove thru Kingman but didn't know about the Andy Devine exhibit or we probably would have stopped to have a look. I remember him, and Gabby Hayes, from the old TV westerns.
So much to see in this big country! Thanks for the personal posts.
ReplyDeleteAndy came to our little town in NEBRASKA one day back in about 1950 and My brother got to sit on his lap and have his picture taken....I remember seeing that picture a long time ago, sure wish I could see it again,,,wonder where it is?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memories...
What a difference a day makes (was that a song?).
ReplyDeleteI crossed Boulder Dam (my preferred name) on October 2, the day after you, and had light traffic. There was some pedestrian traffic but it was not bothersome. The only stop that I made was at the security check-point where they did a quick look-see.