NEWS
New Route 66 monument celebrates 鈥榙eep connection鈥� between Laguna Pueblo and the Mother Road
Installation of time capsule also part of Friday鈥檚 66 centennial celebration ceremony
Published
Modified
LAGUNA 鈥� A new Route 66 monument was unveiled and a time capsule was buried outside the Route 66 Casino Hotel on Friday in tribute to the famous highway and Laguna Pueblo.
Monuments like the one put up Friday have been placed at , including the Route 66 Visitor Center in Albuquerque and the Gallup Cultural Center. Two others are scheduled to go up in Tijeras.
The monument 鈥渃elebrates the deep connection between the Pueblo of Laguna and the Mother Road,鈥� Laguna Development Corp. CEO Maxine Velasquez said.
鈥淲e hope it inspires visitors to learn more about the people, places, and traditions that helped shape this iconic American journey while recognizing the living Indigenous communities that continue to call this land home today,鈥� she said.
The 16-foot-tall, double-sided steel structure features a Route 66 shield with LED lighting and a QR code that connects visitors to a page telling the Route 66 story from the perspective of the pueblo and surrounding area, Tiffany Tirado, Laguna Development Corp. advertising manager, said in an email.
鈥淰isitors will be able to learn about the pueblo鈥檚 historic and continuing relationship with the highway, the communities located along the corridor and the role Laguna people have played in shaping the Route 66 experience,鈥� she said.
The project was designed by VOX Industries in collaboration with artist Stan Carroll, and it 鈥渉as been recognized as one of the largest coordinated public art installations associated with the Route 66 centennial,鈥� Tirado said.
Aside from the dedication of the new sign, a time capsule 鈥� containing items from the casino and Laguna Pueblo 鈥� was created 鈥渁s a tribute to the people, stories, and everyday experiences that define this moment in history,鈥� she said.
鈥�(It is) an opportunity to preserve not only the Route 66 centennial celebration, but also a record of what life, culture, entertainment, and hospitality looked like in New Mexico in 2026,鈥� Tirado said.
Friday鈥檚 event was part of a multiday Route 66 centennial at the casino, which will also feature a 5K run Saturday morning, a car show and performances by the musical group The O鈥橨ays and comedian Jay Leno.
Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.
