Hello! My name is Kaylen Wilson, and I am a graduate student in the History program here at NAU. I am super excited to be interning at Cline Library for the Route 66 Centennial Celebration Exhibit!

I grew up in the town of Taylor, Arizona, about 120 miles from Flagstaff. Growing up, driving to Flagstaff for the day always felt like a huge occasion, but looking back on it, I never really realized how much of that drive followed Route 66! It was such a regular part of my life that I didn’t realize just how special it is and was for years. When I came to Flagstaff to attend NAU, I started to see Route 66 advertised all over town and hear stories about traveling the road. I also gained an academic interest in studying the history of tourism locally. Those experiences really changed my perspective on the road! I think this exhibit and internship are a great opportunity to reach out to both those who love Route 66 and to encourage people who aren’t very familiar with it to appreciate the people, places, and stories that make it special.

I transferred to NAU from Northland Pioneer College in 2022. Looking back on it, I think choosing a university in northern Arizona quickly made it feel more like home for me. I also love the outdoors, so having so many hiking trails close by definitely impacted my decision! I grew up traveling to national parks throughout the American West, and my experiences there gave me a love for talking about history. I am pursuing a Master’s degree in History with an emphasis on Public History so that I can learn to share that passion with others. I think that learning local history and gaining experience with exhibit design during this internship will definitely help me enter the public history field and tell meaningful stories once I graduate!