Greg Aragon of Burbank (Calif.) Weekly paid a visit Oatman, the isolated Route 66 town in Arizona’s Black Mountains.

The former gold-mining town is known as a place for those who want a taste of the Old West. But Oatman’s biggest claim to fame is the wild burros that wander the streets.

“Give them a carrot and they will love you,” I overheard a kid tell his friend. “But watch out for their teeth.” [...]

“They are our number one attraction,” says Jerry Love, a member of the Oatman Chamber of Commerce. “People come from all over the world to see our burros and feed them.”

The animals were brought to town by early miners. When the mines closed they were left behind. Today, there are usually about 15 burros, including babies, wandering through Oatman on any given day.

For more about Oatman, go here.

Preservation Online, a publication by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has a story about the City of Albuquerque fending off an attempt by a developer to demolish the historic El Vado Motel on Route 66.

Much of the information in the Preservation Online story has already been reported here and in other media. But a couple of things stand out, including this comment by Mayor Marty Chavez:

Chavez says city officials have been brainstorming about a new use for the Pueblo-style motel. “One of the ideas we’re throwing around is a neon museum,” he says. The museum could display some of Route 66’s salvaged neon signs, Chavez says. “It would be almost like a drive-through museum.”

I’d rather have El Vado remain a motel, but I admit this sounds like a fine alternative if all else fails.

Most striking is the photo, shot by the City of Albuquerque, that goes with the story. I have no words. Just see it.

The New York Times has an excellent article about the rebirth of the Route 66 town of Winslow, Ariz.

When my wife and I first visited the town in 2001, it seemed  a bit down on its luck. But the story indicates that things are looking up after a long decline.

Empty storefronts still dot downtown, but there are also art spaces, a lively contemporary coffee shop, restaurants and bars and antiques stores where you can find a mint condition LP of “The Magic Organ Visits Hawaii” or a birdhouse made from reclaimed barn wood and rusted ceiling tin. The old Rialto, a 1927 Art Deco vaudeville house, has been renovated and reopened as the Winslow Theater.

On Historic Route 66, Winslow’s Main Street, a nifty little eight-seat, red-and-white diner is under restoration across from La Posada. Manufactured in 1946 by Valentine Lunch System in Kansas, the diner was shipped on flatbed railroad cars in prefabricated parts fitted with everything from stools to grills. “I’ve discovered that a lot of people are interested in Route 66 and the old Valentine Diners,” said Jessica O’Neal, who owns this one with her mother, Linda Thacker. They hope to open for business in the summer.

Winslow probably is best-known for its mention in the Eagles‘ hit song, “Take It Easy.” But I think Winslow’s renaissance began in earnest when the restored La Posada, a former Harvey House, reopened in 1997. Today, it, with its fabulous Turquoise Room restaurant, is now considered one of the finest lodging establishments in the Southwest. I can vouch for it.

The Painted Desert Trading Company along Route 66 in Flagstaff, Ariz., was damaged when a vehicle spun out of control during a traffic accident and went through the front window of the business, according to the Arizona Daily Sun.

The link to the article has a photo of the damage.

No injuries were reported, and no damage estimate was available. The driver who allegedly caused the accident was ticketed for driving on a suspended license and running a red light.