Mrs. Orcutt’s Driveway

Once upon a time, in the dusty desert town of Newberry Springs, California, there lived a spunky widow named Bonnie Margaret McMains Orcutt. One day, the federal government decided to build an interstate that cut off access to Mrs. Orcutt’s beloved home on Route 66. “Oh no, you don’t!” she declared. “I need access to my home, and I’m not going to take this lying down!”

So, what did Mrs. Orcutt do? She demanded that the federal government build her a 4-mile-long driveway so she could still reach her home. “I don’t care if it’s expensive, and I don’t care if it’s impractical,” she said. “I want my driveway, and I want it now!”

The government, not wanting to mess with Mrs. Orcutt, complied with her demand and built her the driveway she so desperately wanted. And boy, was it a sight to behold! The straightaway was so long and so flat that it became an illegal test track for Car and Driver magazine. Cars zoomed down the driveway at speeds of up to 200 mph, engines melting down from the strain of the high-speed blasts.

Mrs. Orcutt, ever the maverick, didn’t seem to mind the high-speed antics on her driveway. In fact, some reports suggest that she may have even installed gun portholes in her home to keep an eye on things. But alas, all good things must come to an end, and after Mrs. Orcutt’s death in 1987, the driveway fell into disrepair.

Today, the once-pristine road is not suitable for high-speed testing, and drivers are advised to steer clear. But the legacy of Mrs. Orcutt’s driveway lives on, a testament to the enduring spirit of one determined woman who refused to take no for an answer.