Standin’ on a Corner
Winslow, Arizona
Until 1977, Winslow was a busy little town along the Route 66 highway in Arizona. However, like so many other towns, the interstate system happened. The new interstate completely bypassed the town of Winslow. Consequently, visitors declined, tourism suffered and the whole vitality of the town took a major hit. But eventually, someone got an idea to give the town a boost. There was a popular song from the early 1970s that mentioned Winslow, Arizona. So, the town of Winslow designated a corner of their downtown to recreate the lyrics of the song. Obviously, the purpose was to draw in nostalgic tourists that remembered that verse from the famous Eagles song…
“Well, I’m a-standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona; Such a fine sight to see “
“It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford; Slowin’ down to take a look at me“
Well, those are the lines from the Winslow verse. After a couple more verses, you eventually get the title of the Eagles hit song…“Take It Easy.”
The Rest of the Corner
I just wanted to back up the perspective of the picture so that you can see the corner that is the mainstay of Winslow’s tourism. If you look closely, you will notice that there are two figures standin’ on a corner. The original “standin’ on a corner” guy resembles Jackson Browne, who was the main writer of the song. The second stature on the right is Glenn Frey, the lead singer for the Eagles.
The writer of the song, Jackson Browne, got the inspiration for the song after his car broke down. Consequently, he had to do some hitchhiking along Route 66. While hitchhiking on the corner, near the Wienerschnitzel restaurant, he apparently spotted the girl that inspired the song. However, here’s the kicker. The Wienerschnitzel restaurant (now called Dog Haus) was in Flagstaff, Arizona, when all of this occurred…NOT Winslow, Arizona. For reasons unknown to me, Jackson Browne screwed over Flagstaff in favor of Winslow. Perhaps he thought Flagstaff had enough going for it, and Winslow could use some help.
How’s Winslow Doing?
I wondered how much impact this corner/statue had on the redevelopment of Winslow. And, the answer is…I have no idea. However, I visited every little town along the Route 66 corridor in northern Arizona. Let’s just say…some towns are doing much better than others. Furthermore, Winslow seems to be among the more fortunate of the Route 66 towns. Winslow is clean, well maintained, and relatively vibrant. There are nice parks and new construction to go with the well maintained Route 66 history. Here are just a few random points of my interest…
Wrap It Up
Never has a town so embraced a song with such success. Every Route 66 tourist wants to visit Winslow to get a picture with the “standin’ on a corner” guy. Never mind the fact that the actual event happened when he was standin’ in Flagstaff in front of the Wienerschnitzel. Oh well, it has worked out for Winslow. Winslow is a great Route 66 town with the right blend of charm and history. Be sure to have breakfast/lunch at the Turquoise Room of La Posada hotel when you visit. Have a wonderful day. PT
I hope you have enjoyed reading “Standin’ on a Corner” on Traveling with PugsleyTonks.
Here was my last post on Route 66 and Abe Lincoln’s crapper… https://travelingwithpt.com/time-to-revisit-route-66/
If you want more on Winslow, AZ, here you go https://www.visitwinslow.com/
