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and Your Sunday Best.Saturday, November 17, 2012
The Original Desert Shoe Tree (or what's left of it!)
The "shoe tree" on old Route 66 about one mile east of Amboy is, I think, the original desert shoe tree. There are others, but they aren't as well known or as heavily decorated with shoes. People driving along Route 66 see the shoe tree and some decide to make their own contribution. Here's what the tree looked like in January, 2005.
Photo credit: http://www.ericrench.com/GRAFFITI/SHOE/AMBOY/index.htm. It's a good read if you have a few minutes. The author of this blog noted in 2005 that the tree "looks nearly dead". Last weekend, Gayle and I drove out to Route 66 and headed east through Amboy to the little towns of Chambless and Cadiz. We got some really great photos which I'll share on future posts. But here's what's left of the Route 66 shoe tree.
The tree appears to be a victim of it's own success, toppled under the weight of too many "contributions". People do funny things in the desert. The Amboy shoe tree is no more, but if you're traveling in the area, keep an eye out for the dead tree on the south side of Route 66 covered with shoes.
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and Your Sunday Best.
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I remember that tree. Now it just looks like litter.
ReplyDeleteModern day Americana... abundance! :)
ReplyDeleteIt may be dead - but its sole lives on! (sorry!)
ReplyDeleteNice picture and story.
Stewart M - Australia
Everyone needs only a pair of shoes.
ReplyDeleteThis tree too.
Is that on the road through the Mojave preserve? I believe we passed by it one time on our way to Vegas.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos ~ sad about the tree ~ (A Creative Harbor) ^_^
ReplyDeletePoor tree :-(. "People do funny things in the desert" - wonder if it's the heat or the feeling that you are all alone out there, no one will see you and you can do whatever you want.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Warsaw. Thanks for stopping by.
Great photo's! How interesting! I have never heard of the shoe tree. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteCool pictures!
ReplyDeleteI love the weird and wonderful things you come upon while driving around this slightly crazed country. I remember an enormous ball of twine -- and then there were the odd gas station designs. I've posted about the Teapot Dome gas station in eastern Washington that's on the historic register now.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't expecting the second shot to be as it is. Darn! Super photographs.
ReplyDeletepoor tree! what a sad post :( but I'm grateful that you share it as a tribute to the tree. xxo
ReplyDeletepoor thing. 'soled' out. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post ... never seen something like it before :)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, what a scene is that! Thank you for sharing on Weekly Top Shot #57!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had the previous shot, or I'd have no idea what I was looking at!
ReplyDeleteI like this tree very much. Every time I see a tree looking like this one ( even a little bit) I always stop and photograph it.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photographs!!!
Guess I didn't drive far enough east on Old 66 to see this tree. Always made the turn to head to 29.
ReplyDeleteToo bad the tree couldn't take all the generous shoe givers. A neat idea gone bad. Cool story, thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame!!!! I loved this idea...very unique. Hopefully, it can start somewhere else. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLaulrie @ Pride in Photos
Too many years of donations killed the tree!! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletePoor tree, people don't realize how we hurt the mother nature until we experience severe floods! thanks for sharing I'm your new follower hope you could follow back.
ReplyDelete