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FALGSTAFF |
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Redolent with the charm of both the nineteenth-century Wild West and
the twentieth-century heyday of Route 66 , the small college town of
FLAGSTAFF ranks among the most atmospheric and attractive places to stay
in the entire Southwest. It's split in two by the twin eastwest routes
of the main drag, Santa Fe Avenue, which was once Route 66, and before
that the pioneer trail west, and the tracks of the Santa Fe Railroad
whose mournfully whistling trains still reverberate through the desert
night. Immediately north lies the characterful downtown area, while the
lively blocks to the south are predominantly the preserve of the town's
student population.
Flagstaff's first Anglo settlers arrived in 1876, lured from Boston by
widely publicized accounts of mineral wealth and fertile land, but they
soon moved on, disappointed, towards Prescott. However, they stayed long
enough to celebrate the centenary of American independence by flying the
Stars and Stripes from a towering pine tree. This flagpole became a
familiar landmark on the route west, and as the community grew it
inevitably became known as Flagstaff. Right from the start, it was a
cosmopolitan town, with a diverse ethnic population working in the (originally
Mormon-owned) lumber mills and in the cattle industry, and with Navajo
and Hopi Indians heading in from their nearby reservations to trade.
Today, Flagstaff makes an ideal base for travelers, with hotels,
restaurants, bars and shops aplenty within easy strolling range of the
center (and a number of food and lodging chains a couple of miles away
beside the interstate). The countryside in every direction is very much
worth exploring.
The Town
Flagstaff's appealing downtown stretches for a few redbrick blocks north
of the railroad. Filled with cafés, bars, and stores selling Route 66
souvenirs and Indian crafts, it's a fun place to stroll around, even if
it holds no significant |
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