On Saturday, Feb. 28 at 11 a.m., the Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series returns with simultaneous talks across Albuquerque and surrounding communities, each exploring a different thread of the Mother Road’s history.
This month, two presentations stand out for the way they frame Route 66 not just as a highway, but as a turning point in the city’s identity.
At the Martha Liebert Public Library in Bernalillo, Abraham Santillanes will present Why Turn Left at Albuquerque? Albuquerque, Route 66 and the Many Roads That Came Before. The title nods to the famous Looney Tunes character Bugs Bunny, whose wrong turn in Albuquerque became a pop culture catchphrase. Santillanes uses that familiar line as an entry point into a much deeper history.
“So basically, what I do is the precursors of all the routes,” says Santillanes.
Santillanes’ talk traces the routes that predated the famous highway, from Indigenous trails to Spanish expeditions, the Santa Fe Trail and the railroad – all of which shaped the city long before 1926.
From there, the presentation widens into a broader historical arc.
“Basically, now that the Americans knew of the area, the Santa Fe Trail was opened up. From the Santa Fe Trail came the railroad. So, what I do is I talk about all the versions,” says Santillanes.
Santillanes also explores the political maneuvering that rerouted 66 and reshaped economic fortunes across New Mexico.
Meanwhile, at the Wheels Museum, Jacqueline Murray Loring will present The KiMo Theatre: Fact and Folklore, a visual and story-driven exploration of one of Route 66’s most beloved landmarks, the KiMo Theatre.
“I wrote a book called KiMo Theatre: Fact and Folklore, and because the theatres on route 66 they got in touch with me about talking about the book,” says Loring.
Her presentation draws from historic photographs and community memories.
“There are three or four pictures of the KiMo Theatre actually being built. And there is nothing on that corner. And then the construction got started,” says Loring, noting how the theatre and Route 66 “kind of grew up together.”
Loring says what surprised her most during research was “the willingness of people to tell their stories.” Former employees, performers and longtime residents came forward with personal memories that shaped the book.
“That’s why the book is written the way it is. It was never meant to be a great piece of literature. What it is is remembrances of people who were part of the vision of it,” says Loring.
Loring hopes the presentation continues that tradition. “I would love to think that somebody would write another book,” says Loring. “There are more people with more stories.”
Other Feb. 28 talks include Roger Zimmerman’s Rerouting Route 66 through New Mexico at the Patrick J. Baca Library, Joseph Sabatini’s look at North Fourth Street at East Mountain Library, and presentations on Chinese merchants, Italian business owners, Tijeras Canyon, Civil War battles and more across the metro area. The scheduled lecture at the Pueblo of Isleta Cultural Center has been canceled due to an unforeseen closure.
Together, the series reminds audiences that Route 66 is more than asphalt. It is a story of movement, memory and the many turns that built Albuquerque.For a full schedule of upcoming talks, locations and topics, visit the Route 66 Speaker Series website (route66speakers.org).