A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIVISION OF THE OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS TO RECOGNIZE UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 60 AS A HISTORIC HIGHWAY AND NOMINATE THE HIGHWAY TO THE STATE REGISTER OF CULTURAL PROPERTIES AND TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.

WHEREAS, United States highway 60 was one of the original highways commissioned in 1926; and

WHEREAS, United States highway 60 is a major transcontinental highway that runs from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Los Angeles, California; and

WHEREAS, United States highway 60 was widely known as the "ocean-to-ocean highway"; and

WHEREAS, United States highway 60 passes through several historic New Mexico towns, including Clovis, Melrose, Fort Sumner, Yeso, Vaughn, Encino, Willard, Mountainair, Abo, Bernardo, Socorro, Magdalena, Datil, Pie Town, Omega, Quemado and Red Hill; and

WHEREAS, recognition of United States highway 60 as a place of historical significance will promote tourism in the towns along its route, encourage preservation of the highway and the communities along the highway and encourage New Mexicans and tourists to learn about the rich history associated with United States highway 60; and

WHEREAS, the designation of United States highway 60 as a historical highway and registration of the highway on the state registry of cultural properties and the national register of historic places will encourage other states to preserve the transcontinental highway and its history;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the office of cultural affairs be requested to recognize United States highway 60 as a place of historical importance and that the historic preservation division of the office of cultural affairs nominate United States highway 60 to the state register of cultural properties and to the national register of historic places; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the historic preservation division of the office of cultural affairs and the cultural affairs officer.