The New York Times has an excellent article about the rebirth of the Route 66 town of Winslow, Ariz.
When my wife and I first visited the town in 2001, it seemed a bit down on its luck. But the story indicates that things are looking up after a long decline.
Empty storefronts still dot downtown, but there are also art spaces, a lively contemporary coffee shop, restaurants and bars and antiques stores where you can find a mint condition LP of “The Magic Organ Visits Hawaii” or a birdhouse made from reclaimed barn wood and rusted ceiling tin. The old Rialto, a 1927 Art Deco vaudeville house, has been renovated and reopened as the Winslow Theater.
On Historic Route 66, Winslow’s Main Street, a nifty little eight-seat, red-and-white diner is under restoration across from La Posada. Manufactured in 1946 by Valentine Lunch System in Kansas, the diner was shipped on flatbed railroad cars in prefabricated parts fitted with everything from stools to grills. “I’ve discovered that a lot of people are interested in Route 66 and the old Valentine Diners,” said Jessica O’Neal, who owns this one with her mother, Linda Thacker. They hope to open for business in the summer.
Winslow probably is best-known for its mention in the Eagles‘ hit song, “Take It Easy.” But I think Winslow’s renaissance began in earnest when the restored La Posada, a former Harvey House, reopened in 1997. Today, it, with its fabulous Turquoise Room restaurant, is now considered one of the finest lodging establishments in the Southwest. I can vouch for it.