US 89 Mesa

Mesa's Main Street was a Classic Americana Main Street. Interestingly, in addition to being the quintessential, iconic Main Street, it also had the distinction of carrying not one but FOUR major US numbered highways.

Eventually, Mesa's Main Street would become a veritable gauntlet of mo-tels, motor courts, tourist camps and their ilk, many of which survive in one form or another today.  YOu would think photos of Mesa's busy Main Street would be a dime-a-dozen. You'd be wrong.  We've found very few Mesa photos.  We suspect we will have to go to the Mesa Historical Society in person to find the Mother Lode of such photos.

The photo above is said to be from 1927, a year after US 60-70-80-89 were designed.  This is what it would have looked like to drive down Mesa's Main Street when those four highways were newly minted.

Here's a late 1930's or perhaps a 1940 view of Mesa's Main Street.

Here's the classic 1950's view.

Believe it or not, this is so far the only motor court photo we can find!  We will keep looking.