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PRESERVATION

Members of the Route 66 Co-Op come from varied backgrounds and geographical locations, but have certain things in common. Chief among them is their advocacy of Route 66 and their desire to preserve its history and its vulnerable roadside icons.

When the Route 66 renaissance began in the late 1980s, the Mother Road revealed itself to be mostly still intact, though somewhat battered and stripped of its identity. The roadway itself had become disjointed, paved over, and in some places obliterated. Roadside relics, many of which stood in various stages of decomposition, generally had become endangered for reasons that went beyond the passing of time. There was much work to be done.

Over the coming decades a lot was accomplished in terms of raising awareness to the historical significance of this national treasure and from grass roots preservation projects. Some of the efforts to keep what was left got some help from city, county, state, and federal agencies, who put up modest amounts of taxpayer dollars. At the same time, bridges continued to be destroyed, property owners and developers continued to demolish roadside attractions, and way too little value was seen in the potential economic impact the route generated from tourism.

Today, the fight continues. Associations in all eight Route 66 states, along with at-large preservation groups and individual initiatives, build on past successes and work hard to make a difference when a call to action arises. As one might expect, some battles are won and some lost. The struggle is ongoing.

The Route 66 Co-Op came into existence to rescue one of the route's crown jewels from physical collapse. All of its members had for years helplessly watched the slow demise of eastern Arizona's wonderful old Painted Desert Trading Post. Abandoned for sixty years, wind and sand erosion had caused the foundation to sink and the walls to slump. The roof had gaping holes, and cattle had caused significant damage, both inside and out. Collapse was imminent. Voices were raised from time to time, and even the property's absentee owner promised action. Still, the deterioration continued.

The property finally came up for sale. Co-Op founder Rich Dinkela was the first to hear about it, and within twenty-four hours he had recruited eight other investors to purchase the property. The Route 66 Co-Op was born, its sole purpose to rescue the forsaken trading post. The sale was closed in early 2018. The Co-Op then performed an on-site assessment, became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, applied for a National Park Service grant, pumped more of their own cash into the bank account, and conducted a fund raiser for the first phase of the rescue. The cavalry had arrived.

The generosity of roadies from around the world and response to calls for volunteer workers was nothing short of jaw-dropping, and since that time there have been additional work sessions and more funds raised. While work remains to be done, the Painted Desert Trading Post serves as a testament to what can be achieved by the Route 66 community and those who value our nation's heritage. The Co-Op can now proudly say that this landmark will stand on the roadside for generations to come.

Note: Please view the RESCUE REPORT page to see the photos and narrative of work completed under the terms of the National Park Service grant.

Co-Op members and volunteers took photographs, documenting the manifold efforts to stabilize and to preserve the trading post. They have shared their images on these web sites.

 

			John Jimenez and Sandy King have documented the preservation work in a comprehensive and impressive display at this site.
	Mike Ward, Co-Op member, took these photos from July 2001 through October 2019. More photos appear below.		Frank Maloney, Co-Op member, took photos during our Phase III preservation effort. They are at this site.		Shellee Graham, Co-Op member, took photos from November 2018 to October 2019. They are at this site.