Route 66 centennial highlights cosmic sites across Northern Arizona

FLAGSTAFF, N.C. – U.S. Route 66 is celebrating 100 years since it became 1 of the astir iconic corridors successful American history.

The roadworthy stretches 2,448 miles, starting successful Chicago and ending successful Santa Monica, California. Although the historical road was decommissioned successful the mid-1980s, towns and states created organizations to sphere what was near of the road.

With hundreds of miles moving done the American Southwest, immoderate of the out-of-this-world landmarks are recovered successful Northern Arizona. 

There is small uncertainty that Meteor Crater, considered 1 of the world’s best-preserved meteorite interaction sites, is 1 of the route’s astir notable cosmic stops. But successful the 1950s, radical besides reported a UFO clang successful Kingman, Arizona, connected the occidental information of the route. Midway crossed Arizona’s agelong of Route 66 is Flagstaff, which locals telephone a gateway to the Grand Canyon — and to outer space.

FOX'S STEVE DOOCY VISITS KANSAS FOR ROUTE 66'S CENTENNIAL

Route 66 celebrates 100 years, with historical sites on the way.  (Chelsea Torres)

Before Route 66 was built, astronomer Percival Lowell moved to Flagstaff to physique an observatory.

"They look up, and they spot what looks similar a large day barroom up connected the broadside of the hill," Lowell Observatory historiographer Kevin Schindler said.

Percival Lowell believed determination could beryllium beingness connected different planet, specifically Mars.

"And we cognize contiguous that we haven’t recovered immoderate intelligent beingness connected Mars. But helium built this consciousness that it could beryllium there," Schindler said.

THE ‘END OF THE ROAD’ FOR ROUTE 66

Then, successful 1930, different astronomer, Clyde Tombaugh, discovered what was past considered the ninth planet, Pluto.

The Lowell Observatory is the spot wherever Astronomer, Clyde Tombaugh discovered the dwarf planet, Pluto. (Chelsea Torres)

"And the chap who discovered Pluto, Clyde Tombaugh, was calved successful Streator, Illinois," Schindler said, "Not each that acold disconnected of Route 66, and past helium made his large find close here."

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The observatory inactive has the scope utilized to place Pluto and uses it for acquisition purposes.

Lowell Observatory helps observe 100 years of Route 66. (Chelsea Torres)

NASA has besides gravitated to Flagstaff for training. In the 1960s, Apollo astronauts did lunar grooming astatine the Cinder Lake Crater Field, conscionable northeast of the town. NASA scientists besides utilized the terrain northbound of Flagstaff arsenic a simulation of the moon, investigating rovers and equipment.