a walkabout with jim hinckley
KINGMAN
Tours
About
Kingman Tours: A WALKABOUT WITH JIM HINCKLEY
A Walkabout Kingman with Jim Hinckley involves an interactive, self-guided tour of significant sites along Route 66 and in historic downtown Kingman – all beginning with a life-sized bronze sculpture of Mr. Hinckley himself.
Jim Hinckley is an internationally acclaimed author, historian, and tour guide specializing in Route 66 based right here in Kingman. Through this project, Kingman Main Street wishes to recognize Hinckley’s contributions to our community.
KMS commissioned Arizona-based J. Anne Butler, an experienced figurative bronze sculptor to create a sculpture piece to be placed at the historic Kingman Train Depot at 4th Street and Andy Devine. The “Depot Plaza” serves as a stop on several distinct interactive downtown walking tours, with virtual guidance and narration by Mr. Jim Hinckley.
Take a walkabout
Check out our current points of interests available for touring

Little Red School House
Elk's Lodge
Mohave County Courthouse
WWI Statue
Territorial Jail
US Post Office
Masonic Temple
Art Hub
Central Commercial
El Palacio
Railroad Depot
Statue of Jim Hinckley

About Jim Hinckley
Jim’s association with Kingman is rooted in route 66. His family made their first trip west from Virginia in 1959. In 1966 they relocated from Michigan and followed route 66 to Kingman. That his first impression was not favorable. He felt as though it was the place warned about in Sunday school, never the less, Route 66 soon became a focal point.
His father built a house along Oatman road, the pre 1952 alignment of route 66, where he learned to ride a bicycle and drive a truck. The first ranches that he worked on were along Route 66 and his wife Judy lovingly referred to as his dearest friend, has a route 66 connection dating to 1946 and her family’s establishment of Hoods Court and market, which was east of the El Travitor motel building on the work of route 66 Renaissance pioneers, such as Michael Wallace, Jerry McClanahan, and Jim Ross, Jim began writing feature articles and books about route 66 and his adopted hometown Kingman. With his wife, Judy, they established Jim Hinckley’s America as a multifaceted network to inspire road trips and to share the history of Route 66, the American auto industry, the Southwest and Kingman. They developed cooperative partnerships and international route 66 community to ensure the highway remained relevant into the Centennial and beyond .These partnerships were also used to transform Kingman into a destination for route 66 enthusiasts. Jim is a founding member of the Kingman Route 66 Association, and has served as the chairman of the Route 66 Fun Run committee, he has assisted with the development of numerous including the 2014 international Route 66 festival, the 2016 and 2018 European Route 66 festivals and Miles of Possibility Conferences.
Jim has also served on the economic development committee and historic preservation committee here in Kingman and the economic development advisory committee for the Route 66 road ahead partnership, an organization on which he was an original board member. At the route 66 festivals Jim facilitated creation of Route 66 information centers and was a keynote speaker.
Become A Sponsor
Sponsor a Brick
$125
- A commemorative brick paver featuring your name/inscription will be placed at the site of the “Jim Hinckley” bronze statue.

