Anthony Reichardt has uploaded more videos from when he traveled Route 66 during the early and mid-1990s in a 1959 Cadillac.
Reichardt’s YouTube channel for the videos is here. The clips are notable for historical reasons, as many of the places he visited have vanished or changed drastically.
The first video is when Reichardt and a pal visited the Hackberry General Store in Hackberry, Arizona, shortly before Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire reopened it as a visitors center.
John and Kerry Pritchard bought the property in 1998 and continue to run it to this day. It remains one of the most-visited places in Arizona for those traveling on Route 66.
Next is a stop at the long-gone Brandin’ Iron Motel in Kingman, Arizona. There’s a lot of good conversation with the locals in this clip, along with the now-rare sight of a full-service gas station.
The Brandin’ Iron closed more than 20 years ago. But someone secured the neon sign, and it soon will be restored.
Next is the now-century-old Parks in the Pines General Store in Parks, Arizona. Luckily, the store has little changed over the years.
Finally, here is the old Whiting Bros. gas station in Ash Fork, Arizona. It already was abandoned when Reichardt stopped there in 1993. It was torn down in 1997.
(Screen-capture image of Hackberry General Store in Hackberry, Arizona, in 1993)
Actually the Brandin’ Iron Motel is not long-gone. Although Joe Sonderman, in his book “Route 66 in Arizona,” did say on page 112 that the Brandin’ Iron was demolished in 2001, it was not. It was heavily remodeled and now operates as the Andy Devine Apartments. If you “look past” the new Spanish-style facade you can tell it is the old Brandin’ Iron.
Does the 1959 Cadillac still exist and where is it?
Mr. Reichardt still has it, but it hasn’t run since 2001. He said on a recent video he wants to fix it up so it’s road-worthy again.