ARIZONA: THEN & NOW

THEN &

This dirt road into Sedona has become the paved State Route 179, part of which is known as the Red Rock Scenic Byway. The route begins at Interstate 17 and ends at State Route 89A in Sedona. Several trailheads line SR 179, and the road offers breathtaking views of Bell Rock. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Transportation made the Red Rock Scenic Byway an All-American Road - a designation reserved for the most scenic byways in America. NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY CLINE LIBRARY

NOW

Oh, my, how things have changed.

A PORTFOLIO EDITED BY NOAH AUSTIN & JEFF KIDA "NOW" PHOTOGRAPHS BY KAREN SHELL

www.arizonahighways.com 17

1920 OATMAN

Walk through Oatman today, and you'll have no trouble finding reminders of the town's gold-mining origins. Several wild burros roam the town's streets, happily gobbling up handouts of food from visitors. The burros are the descendants of donkeys turned loose by prospectors after Oatman's mines closed. More than 3,500 people lived in Oatman during the gold rush, but today, only about 150 call the town home.

1940s WILLIAMS

Williams' story wouldn't be the same without Historic Route 66, a major westward migration path that ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. And the town held onto its ties to the historic highway until the bitter end: In 1984, Williams became the last town on Route 66 to be bypassed by Interstate 40. The route's "historic" designation continues to bring tourists to Williams, as does the town's importance as the "Gateway to the Grand Canyon." These photos show the view east from the corner of Route 66 and Second Street.

1934 MESA

In the 1930s, crews were busy paving Mesa's Main Street. These days, there's even more work being done: The Valley Metro light-rail line is being extended through downtown Mesa. Formerly a somewhat sleepy area, Mesa's downtown has been revitalized by the Mesa Arts Center, a performance and visual-arts complex that opened in 2005. Home to nearly a halfmillion people, Mesa is Arizona's third-largest city, behind Phoenix and Tucson.

1890 CROWN KING

The community of Crown King sprang up around the Crowned King Mine, and it was connected to the outside world by a branch of the Bradshaw Mountain Railroad. The branch was known as "Murphy's Impossible Railroad," after its chief proponent, mine owner Frank Murphy. The route from Crown King to Mayer was so steep that naysayers said a rail line was impossible, but tight switchbacks, high trestles and a tunnel made it a reality. Today, the main road into Crown King follows the old railroad bed.

STOP. $50% FINE for PASSING

EXCEPT BETWEEN

DANGER. THIS GATEWAY. THE FOLLOWING HOURS:

1945 MOUNT LEMMON

This winding, unpaved road used to be the best way up Mount Lemmon, which dominates the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson. The road is still there today and now is designated Forest Road 38. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle and a day to spare, you can tackle the climb. These days, though, most people use the paved Catalina Highway, which starts in Tucson and ends in Summerhaven near the summit of Mount Lemmon.

1900 GRAND CANYON

Bright Angel Hotel, built in 1896, offered the first permanent accommodations at the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Around the same time, William "Buckey" O'Neill built a cabin just west of the hotel; it's on the right in these photos. O'Neill was killed in action with the Rough Riders in 1898, but the hotel served Grand Canyon visitors until 1935, when the new, Mary Colter-designed Bright Angel Lodge replaced it. Colter incorporated the Buckey O'Neill Cabin into the lodge's design, and it's available to rent today.

1954 TOMBST ONE

We had a little trouble figuring out the year this photograph was made, but the movie marquee (The Black Shield of Falworth, starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh) gave it away. The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral made Tombstone famous, and the town's Wild West history and gunfight re-enactments continue to draw visitors today. Among other events, Tombstone hosts Helldorado Days, which celebrates the town's miningboom origins, every October.

CIRCA 1950 PARADISE VALLEY

The Camelback Inn cost $75,000 to build back in 1936. In its early days, the resort was accessible only via a 12-mile trek down bumpy dirt roads. Early guests included Clark Gable, Bette Davis and J.W. Marriott, who purchased the property in 1967. Paradise Valley has grown up around the inn, but it continues to attract big names, including Oprah Winfrey and Tom Selleck. A 31,000-square-foot spa addition opened in 1989.