WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
ARROWHEAD TRAIL
(aka Arrowhead Trail Highway, aka Arrowhead Highway)
ROUTE
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Passed through Leeds on what is now Main Street. |
HISTORY
The Arrowhead Trail was built in various stages around 1910-3.The route was proven definitely in 1915 when Charles H. Bigelow drove the route repeatedly to publicize its viability. Between 1915 and 1916, he drove the entire route many times in the twin-six Packard he named "Cactus Kate."
Bigelow is credited with naming the Arrowhead Trail which was the official name from 1914 to 1924.
The Arrowhead Trail Highway (or Arrowhead Highway) was the first all-weather road connecting Los Angeles to Salt Lake City. It became the major north-south artery through Washington County.
In 1926 the federal system of numbered highways was initiated, and the Arrowhead Trail Highway became known as US Highway 91.
PHOTOS
WCHS-03862 Photo of Highway 91 about 5 miles west of Santa Clara in 1929
REFERENCES
Wikipedia article about the Arrowhead Highway"The Arrowhead Trails Highway: The Beginnings of Utah's Other Route to the Pacific Coast"
by Edward Leo Lyman
Utah Historical Quarterly (UHQ), Volume 67, Number 3 (Summer 1999)
Pages 242-264
Red Rocks and Race Cars: Charles Bigelow and the Arrowhead Highway
A draft essay with photos by Lisa Michele Church, September 27, 2018
Red Rocks and Race Cars: Charles H. Bigelow and Tourism Development along the Arrowhead Highway
By Lisa Michele Church
A PowerPoint presentation at the Utah State History Conference, September 28, 2018
Red Rocks and Race Cars: Charles H. Bigelow and Tourism Development along the Arrowhead Highway
By Lisa Michele Church
A PowerPoint presentation to the Washington County Historical Society, November 17, 2018
Discussion about Charles H. Bigelow and the Arrowhead Trail
A 1 hour & 28 minute discussion with Lisa Michele Church, Dr. Edward Leo Lyman, Richard Kohler, and
Kathleen Broeder on November 17, 2018 in the Special Collections & Archives at Dixie State University.
An audio recording of this session is in the Special Collections & Archives at DSU, reference OH 2018-021.
To listen to it click here. For related photos, see WCHS-04006, WCHS-04007, and WCHS-04008.
Arrowhead Trail in St. George
By Richard R. Kohler, November 17, 2018
Arrowhead Trail & Roundabouts
By Karen L. Monsen, View On Magazine, Volume 12, Number 6, November/December 2019