KINGMAN –The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona is developing a new art space in the Arizona Route 66 Museum at the Powerhouse Visitor Center in Kingman. The exhibit space will feature Route 66 art on an annual rotating basis. The first exhibit will feature the work of Bob Waldmire. As a former member of the Association, and previous owner of a Route 66 Arizona business, the Hackberry General Store, the Association was eager to honor Bob for his contributions to Route 66 Arizona by exhibiting his works in the inaugural show.
The space was previously a Reading Room housing the Association’s documents, photos, and poster collection from the past 30 years. Visitors and journalists were welcome to look through our history or use records for their articles or projects. Over the last two years the Northern Arizona University’s Cline Library collected all of the Association’s historical records and transported them to Flagstaff for archiving and safe keeping. The Reading room was empty and needed some repairs.
The Association knew the space needed a new purpose. A rotating art exhibit that focused on Route 66, felt like a great addition to the Route 66 Museum’s current displays. It will add to the visitor experience and allow the Association to honor artists who are as passionate about Route 66 as we are. The Association donated $10,000 to the Mohave County Historical Society to cover repair and supply costs to repurpose the room.
The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona is excited to partner with the Mohave County Historical Society to advance our shared goals of preserving and promoting the history of Route 66 in the State of Arizona and Mohave County.
The exhibit will open to the public on Saturday, March 14th at 9 a.m. and run through January 2021. Entrance to the Route 66 Museum is $4 per person. The ticket is good for admission to two other Kingman attractions, the Mohave Museum and the Bonelli House.
