The Heart of Historic Route 66—Kingman, AZ

Kingman, AZ, if known among motorists by the not-so-humble moniker of the Heart of Historic Route 66. The city has certainly earned the nickname, as almost its entire history revolves around the Mother Road.

Our story begins before the city even existed. In 1857, Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale arrived in the area that would become Kingman, not on a motorcycle or a classic car, but a camel. He led a camel caravan through the region as part of his commission to build a federal wagon road across the 35th parallel.

Then, in 1882, Kingman was officially founded. Although Beale’s Wagon Road was there, the city was originally so dependent on the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad that it was named after engineer Lewis Kingman.

Eventually, what was Beale’s Wagon Road was paved over, and it became part of Route 66 (and later I-40). Yet, you can still find signs of the old wagons at the White Cliffs Wagon Trail. This short hike takes you to the path of the old trail, where ruts left by mining wagons are still visible in the sandstone 150 years later.

But as a motorcyclist, you’re naturally in Kingman for its Route 66 history. You should start exploring the Mother Road in Kingman by riding under the Drive-Through Route 66 Shield and getting a memorable photo.

Next, head to the neighboring historical Powerhouse Building. This ex-powerplant once supplied electricity to Kingman and Hoover Dam, but since its renovation in 1997, it’s served as the city’s visitor center.

In the same building is also the Arizona Route 66 Museum, which showcases local history from Native Americans through to Route 66. The exhibits feature memorabilia, photos, life-sized dioramas, and the concluding Main Street America Display with a ‘50s bullet nose-style Studebaker. There’s also the Route 66 EV Museum, which shows that electric cars are not a new invention by any means.

Kingman is more than just Route 66, though. You can explore other aspects of its colorful history at the Mohave Museum of History and Arts.

Trainspotters are well catered to in Kingman. The Locomotive Park, across the road from the R66 Museum, has on display an original Santa Fe Railroad steam engine. For a deeper dive into the history of the iron horse, visit the 1907 Kingman Railroad Station, which houses a museum.