NM Route 66 Series - An Iconic View: Route 66 in Downtown Albuquerque by Richard Ruddy

Richard Ruddy’s talk looks at the impact that Route 66 had on Albuquerque’s main street, Central Avenue. We see downtown grow from before Route 66 was founded to a vibrant business district the Saturday Evening Post said had “a blazing main drag” and which the Chamber of Commerce claimed to be the brightest main street in America. But there is a downside to this growth which the iconic photographs also show as the city today valiantly fights to find a new identity for its central business district.

Historic Albuquerque, along with three other historic preservation groups, are putting on the New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series. The presentations will be provided free to the public on the 4th Saturday of each month in 2026 (except December) from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm at 12 different locations simultaneously. Most of these locations on along the Mother Road.

Note: There will be free parking in the lot at the northeast corner of Edith and Central, courtesy of the Albuquerque Historical Society.