Quinta Scott, a historian and photographer of Route 66 years before the highway’s renaissance that started in the 1990s, died on Sept. 24. She was 83.
Her obituary states:
As a celebrated photographer and author, her work left an indelible mark on the world of art and storytelling. Through her lens and her words, she captured the beauty and essence of places and people, sharing her vision in several acclaimed books, including The Eads Bridge, Route 66: The Highway and Its People, Along Route 66, The Mississippi: A Visual Biography, and Images of St. Louis, among others. These works stand as a testament to her passion, creativity, and dedication to preserving the stories of the American landscape.
Her daughter Kalon Scott, who announced her death on the Historic Route 66 page on Facebook, stated:
Quinta believed that every mile of Route 66 held a unique story, and through her lens and words, she ensured those stories would be remembered and cherished for generations. For her, Route 66 wasn’t just a road; it was a tapestry woven with the histories, dreams, and struggles of countless people.
To those of you who shared your stories and welcomed her into your lives along the journey, thank you. You were more than just subjects in her books—you were friends and partners in her mission to preserve the legacy of Route 66.
Scott’s website still was online as of this writing.
Scott was the co-author with Susan Croce Kelly of 1989’s “Route 66: The Highway and Its People” (Amazon link), which claims to be the first U.S. Highway 66 book. The stories they dug up during their research were preserved before several of those people died.
Years later, Scott published “Along Route 66” (Amazon link), which collected photographs and stories from dozens of sites along the highway.
Route 66 News interviewed Quinta Scott by phone about 15 years ago, where she talked about the genesis of “Route 66: The Highway and Its People” and, eventually, “Along Route 66.”
She said she possessed more than 2,000 images on black-and-white negatives, about 100 hours of taped interviews with longtime Route 66 businesspeople and a handful of color photographs.
At the time of the interview, she said she was considering bequeathing the collection to the archives at the University of Missouri-St. Louis or Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, but it’s unknown whether she did so. Missouri State University, which has amassed a considerable Route 66 archive, probably would be amenable to accepting it.
Scott is survived by her husband of 57 years, Barrie; one son, one stepson and one granddaughter.
A celebration of life will be scheduled later. An expression of sympathy should be sent to the donor’s choice.