Blog
Articles on Route 66, the Mojave Desert, Newberry Springs, eminent domain, and the research behind the book.
The 1956 Highway Act and the Mojave Towns It Passed By
October 5, 2026 · 4 min read
How the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 planned the interstates, why Interstate 40 took a new line across the Mojave, and what that meant for Route 66 towns and for one desert driveway.
Eminent Domain in Plain English: What "Public Use" and "Just Compensation" Mean
October 5, 2026 · 4 min read
A plain-English guide to eminent domain, from the Fifth Amendment to California's "taken or damaged" clause, and why access to a road can matter as much as the land itself. History and background, not legal advice.
How to Write a Letter to an Official That Actually Gets Read
October 5, 2026 · 4 min read
Lessons from the typewriter era for anyone writing to a governor, an agency, or a member of Congress today: one clear ask, the right desk, dated facts, copies, and polite persistence.
Before Route 66: The National Old Trails Road Across the Mojave
October 5, 2026 · 4 min read
The highway that came before Route 66 in the desert: the National Old Trails Road, the Madonna of the Trail statues, the railroad towns it followed, and how its alignment became U.S. 66 in 1926.
Bagdad Cafe and Newberry Springs: A Film, a Diner, and a Ghost Town
October 5, 2026 · 4 min read
Why a 1987 German film made a small cafe in Newberry Springs famous around the world, how it differs from the real ghost town of Bagdad, and what the cafe means to the Route 66 story.
Jackrabbit Homesteads: How Ordinary People Came to Own the Mojave
October 5, 2026 · 4 min read
The Small Tract Act of 1938 let Americans lease and buy five-acre parcels of desert land. Here is how it worked, why the Mojave filled with tiny cabins, and how mid-century desert land ownership shaped stories like Bonnie Orcutt's.
Driving the Mojave Safely: Heat, Water, Cell Gaps, and the Old Road
October 5, 2026 · 4 min read
Practical safety advice for driving Route 66 and Interstate 40 through the Mojave Desert, from summer heat and water to flash floods, cell coverage, road closures, and respecting private land.
Route 66 in California, Barstow to Needles: A Stop-by-Stop Guide
October 5, 2026 · 4 min read
A stop-by-stop guide to the desert stretch of Route 66 between Barstow and Needles, from the Harvey House in Barstow through Newberry Springs, Ludlow, Amboy, Goffs, and the El Garces in Needles.
How to Research Old Land and Family Records: Deeds, Patents, Newspapers, and Letters
October 5, 2026 · 4 min read
A practical guide to the free records behind true stories like Mrs. Orcutt's Driveway: county deeds, federal land patents, city directories, old newspapers, yearbooks, and family letters.
Route 66 in Popular Culture: From The Grapes of Wrath to Cars
October 5, 2026 · 4 min read
How a highway became an American myth: John Steinbeck's "mother road," Bobby Troup's song, the 1960s TV series, the revival led by Angel Delgadillo, and Pixar's Cars.