Tucumcari - Heart of the Mother Road
Legend has it that Apache Chief Wautonomah was nearing the end of his time on earth and was troubled by the question of who would succeed him as ruler of the tribe. In a classic portrait of love and competition, his two finest braves, Tonopah and Tocom, were not only rivals and sworn enemies of one another, but were both vying for the hand of Kari, Chief Wantonomah's daughter. Kari knew her heart belonged to Tocom. Chief Wautonomah beckened Tonopah and Tocom to his side and announced, "Soon I must die and one of you must succeed me as chief. Tonight you must take your long knives and meet in combat to settle the matter between you. He who survives shall be the Chief and have for his squaw, Kari, my daughter."
As ordered, the two braves met, with knives outstretched, in mortal combat. Unknown to either brave was the fact that Kari was hiding nearby. When Tonopah's knife found the heart of Tocom, the young squaw rushed from her hiding place and used a knife to take Tonopah's life, as well as her own.
When Chief Wautonomah was shown this tragic scene, heartbreak enveloped him and he buried his daughter's knife deep into his own heart, crying out in agony, "Tocom-Kari"!
A slight variation of the Chief's dying words live on today as "Tucumcari," and the mountain which bares this name stands as a stark reminder of unfulfilled love.
Some credit this folktale to Geronimo. More skeptical and less romantic historians believe the word "Tucumcari" is a derivation from the Comanche word "tukanukaru," which means to lie in wait for something. There may be some historical veracity to this explanation, since the mountain (actually a mesa) was known to be a Comanche lookout many years ago, but the legend will always live on.
Nestled on historic Route 66, Tucumcari has been, for many years, a popular stop for cross-country travelers on U.S. Route 66/Interstate 40. It is the largest city on the highway between Amarillo, Texas and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Numerous businesses, including gasoline service stations, restaurants and motels, were constructed to accommodate tourists as they traveled through on the Mother Road, U.S. Route 66, which runs through the heart of Tucumcari. A large number of the vintage motels and restaurants built in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s are still in business. The best known of these is the 12-unit Blue Swallow Motel which was built in 1939. Many of these establishments still feature neon signage, which lights up this small stretch of Route 66 each night like a little Las Vegas. On the west end of town in front of the Tucumcari Convention Center is an aluminum sculpture with working "tail lights" that pays homage to Route 66.
For movie buffs, Tucumcari is where the main action of Sergio Leone's 1965 film For a Few Dollars More, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Gian Maria Volonte, takes place. In addition, many of the scenes in the Clint 's early television show Rawhide were shot in the Tucumcari area.
Tucamcari is a must see on historic Route 66. You can visit our world-class Dinosaur Museum, or our Historical Museum while you are here. As you drive legendary Route 66, we encourage you to take advantage of the photo opportunities with our beautiful murals, grand mesas, gorgeous sunsets, and striking monuments. Because we are "The Gateway to New Mexico" for travelers on I-40 and US 54, and the intersection of State 209 and 104, we invite you to stop a while and make it "Tucumcari tonight, tomorrow, for a lifetime!"
Sources:
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
City of Tucumcari
Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce
