The Portales News-Tribune in New Mexico scored an interview with a man who actually helped build Route 66.
The man is Elmer Jones. He is 95 years old. He is the only member left from Portales’ Class of 1931.
As a young man in Childress, Texas, Jones, with his brother Allen, drove a team and a wagon of forms, to help in the construction of Route 66. During those times, much of the work was done with horses and mules, he said.
“I don’t remember the wages, but they weren’t too high though,” Jones said.