Flagstaff Arizona San Francisco Mountains Spruce Flowers 1910s Real Photo Postcard
The San Francisco Mountains Boulevard near Flagstaff, Arizona, represented an early automotive pathway through the lower elevations of the San Francisco Peaks. This route, specifically from "S. Spruce to Flowers," exemplifies the primitive road network prevalent in mountainous regions of the American West during the early 20th century, with the visible early automobile suggesting a period between the 1910s and 1920s. Flagstaff, having expanded significantly due to the railroad and timber industry, relied on such roads to connect to its surrounding natural resources and growing recreational areas.
These early mountain roads were crucial for both resource management within the then-newly established Coconino National Forest and for the nascent tourism industry. As automobile ownership increased, scenic drives like this boulevard provided public access to the region's vast Ponderosa pine forests and the iconic San Francisco Peaks. Such infrastructure development was vital in transitioning the local economy from one primarily based on resource extraction to one that also embraced outdoor recreation and scenic travel.
These early mountain roads were crucial for both resource management within the then-newly established Coconino National Forest and for the nascent tourism industry. As automobile ownership increased, scenic drives like this boulevard provided public access to the region's vast Ponderosa pine forests and the iconic San Francisco Peaks. Such infrastructure development was vital in transitioning the local economy from one primarily based on resource extraction to one that also embraced outdoor recreation and scenic travel.
