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Route 66 Wednesdays; Jack Rabbit Trading Post

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The famous Jack Rabbit Trading Post and billboard - Adam Prince, April 2010.

HERE IT IS!!!

On the western outskirts of Joseph City in Navajo County on the north bank of the Little Colorado River is an old US Route 66 stop known as the Jack Rabbit Trading Post.  Finding the Jack Rabbit Trading Post is obvious - given there is a giant billboard denoting the site.

If you have never stopped at Jack Rabbit, what "it is" is a large statue of a jack rabbit out front of Jack Rabbit Trade Post.

The Jack Rabbit statue - Tom Fearer, 2011

In operation since 1949, the Jack Rabbit Trading Post is the creation of Jim Taylor.  Taylor had a small statue of a black rabbit that tourists enjoyed taking photos of.  With a catch yellow and black billboard and a 'tourist attraction', Taylor set up shop in a former AT & SF Railroad Building. 

Jack Rabbit Trading Post - Tom Fearer, 2011.

The Jack Rabbit statue on site today is a fiberglass construction and has been replaced numerous times. Inside the trading post are numerous Route 66 collectibles and memorabilia. 

The Jack Rabbit Trading Post is located south of I-40/US 180 at Exit 239.  

US 66 Through Joseph City:

Old US 66 approaching Joseph City - Adam Prince, April 2010.

Regarding the routing of US 66 in Joseph City, it continued east over Manilla Wash and originally cut over the travel lanes of I-40/US 180 onto Main Street.  East of downtown, Main Street and US 66 crossed back over the travel lanes of I-40/US 180 and ran on the southern frontage road, which is sometimes called "Old Highway 66."  Joseph City was bypassed by I-40 in the late-1970s.

Interestingly Joseph City wasn't settled as a rail siding of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad.  Joseph City was settled by a Mormon party in 1876.  Joseph City was one of four settlements that the Mormons founded. The others were; Sunset, Brigham City, and Obed.  Joseph City is the only remaining settlement out of the four.  Brigham City and Sunset were located north of present-day Winslow. Obed was located approximately three miles south of Joseph City.


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Update Log:
  • Originally published - August 18, 2018
  • Updated text and photos from Adam Prince - January 8, 2023.
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