A panel that’s working to re-energize Route 66 from Moriarty, N.M., to the Rio Puerco west of Albuquerque wants to designate it as “Retribution Road,” reported the Mountain View Telegraph.
The “retribution” part comes from the diabolical deed of Gov. A.T. Hannett in the late 1920s. When he lost re-election, he gained his revenge on Santa Fe by using allies to build a new path of U.S. 66 straight west from Santa Rosa to Albuquerque and bypassing the capital. The new road shaved 90 miles off the journey to New Mexico’s largest city.
The new alignment wasn’t designated U.S. 66 until the late 1930s. But Hannett had already gained his revenge against Santa Fe because westbound motorists were more than willing to take a shorter and less-arduous path to Albuquerque.
The committee, dubbed “Retro — Relive the Route” and led by co-chairman Roger Holden, floated good ideas to draw more tourists to Route 66:
Some committee members talked about procuring equipment used in the actual construction [of Route 66], others hoped to add more neon signs along the route. […] There was also discussion of heightening legislative interest in Santa Fe, involving Moriarty High School students in art projects, adding Route 66 to official maps and websites, and promoting the highway at the state fair, the Balloon Fiesta and other public events.
Everyone seemed to like the idea of planting a midway point marker — somewhere between Edgewood and Moriarty [that marks the midway point of Route 66 in New Mexico. — Ed.] And plans are in the works for foot races between towns, old-car shows, new signs, historical markers, and, hopefully, changing the formal designation of N.M. 333 to U.S. Hwy 66.
Pogue, who with her husband owns the Sunset Motel, announced that the state’s Historic Preservation Division on Tuesday had just decided that the highway is eligible for a berth on the National Register of Historic Places.
I like most of these ideas, and the panel should pursue them.
However, I’m not sold on rebranding Route 66 as “Retribution Road.” Motorists have a hard enough time following Route 66 in their travels, and adding a name inferred from an obscure story in New Mexico’s history wouldn’t help.
Perhaps a kiosk or display telling the story of Hannett’s Revenge would be proper. But slapping another name on Route 66 road markers would confuse, not help, travelers.
Couldn’t agree more, Ron. No one benefits from additional name confusion.
And while this political wound is apparently something still fresh in some locals memories, as a traveler (and out-of-state resident) out to have a good time, I couldn’t care less. If you want to raise a marker/sign at the spot where the road “might have” taken a different path, go ahead. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to stop and read it.
I am one of Governor Hannett’s few remaining relatives and the last male Hannett bearing the Hannett name left in New Mexico. I am very much against calling this Retribution Road. It is an inaccurate name that does not truthfully tell the story of how the east-west alignment of Route 66 came about during the latter days of Governor Hannett’s administration. For those interested in knowing the fulll story, I can be contacted and will supply anyone who is interested with the full story of what happened and why. I can be reached at my e-mail account, GFHannett@aol.com. Thanks.