David K. Dunaway, Across the Tracks: A Route 66 Story [Audio documentary series]

Abstract

The old U.S. Route 66 is an American icon: The highway cut a path across the heart of nation, the embodiment of American culture, and a metaphor for the American experience. The “Mother Road” has been documented in story and song, in books, films, radio, and television documentaries. In choosing this subject, Dunaway sets himself a formidable task to bring something new to the meaning of the Great American Road. This documentary series proves that Dunaway is up to the task. Applying a historian’s eye (and ear) for detail to the colorful stories and insights of dozens of sources, Dunaway has assembled a broad cultural narrative of Route 66, related through the memories of travelers and residents and the through insights of historians, sociologists, and artists. Program 1, Route 66 Forever, relates the highway’s history, from its 19th-century railroad-era roots to its eventual demise at the hands of the Interstate Highway System. Program 2, Prairies & Plains, explores the history and culture of the road’s eastern portion, from Chicago to Texas, whereas Program 3, Mountains & Desert, takes a similar approach to the southwestern portion of the route between New Mexico and Los Angeles. Although the programs recall the nostalgia of American automobile travel, Dunaway moves beyond this romantic story to explore the cultural collisions and conflicts that took place along this 2,500-mile corridor that linked major urban centers with previously isolated small towns. In addition to the familiar tales of Woody Guthrie, Bob Wills, and Orson Welles, the programs feature the voices of African Americans, Latinos, and Native people who were caught up in the cultural divisions that came to life along the highway. Hollywood actor Martin Milner, most famous for his role in the Route 66 television series, narrates the programs. Milner’s brash, rambling style is appropriate to the documentary’s western theme, although the voice of the uncredited narrator (presumably Dunaway) seems more reflective and authoritative and might have been a better choice given the mood and depth of the programs. The editing is crisp, and the music track features many obscure gems that were inspired by America’s love of cars, travel, and the west. That love affair may now be coming to a close: The price of gas threatens to end our romance with the automobile. Luckily, Dunaway’s research and presentation can help us remember a time when gas was 25¢ a gallon, and the road west always led to a world of unknown possibilities.