From four-time best-selling author C. V. Wooster

MRS. ORCUTT'S DRIVEWAY

A legendary road - An unstoppable woman

About the book

When the construction of Interstate 40 threatened to cut off her desert home in 1964, Bonnie Margaret Orcutt refused to be stranded. Taking her fight to government officials—including the White House—she secured the construction of a four-mile road connecting her property to Route 66. Her persistence turned a bureaucratic battle into a personal victory, proving that one determined woman could stand up to the system and win.

More than a fight for access, Mrs. Orcutt’s Driveway is the story of resilience, independence, and defiance against the forces of progress that often overlooked individuals. At a time when women’s voices were dismissed, Mrs. Orcutt made herself heard. Her legendary road later became an infamous high-speed testing ground, further cementing its place in history and lore.

Set against the backdrop of political change, the rise of feminism, and the unforgiving Mojave Desert, this book explores one woman’s relentless pursuit of freedom—and the road that became her legacy. Her fight was never just about a driveway; it was about her right to stay connected to the world on her own terms.

Bonnie Orcutt: The Woman Behind the 4-Mile Driveway

In a remarkable true story, the U.S. government built a 4-mile-long driveway for widow Bonnie Orcutt near Newberry Springs, California, to provide access to old Route 66. In the 1980s, Car and Driver magazine illegally used this stretch of road to test high-speed sports cars, sometimes reaching 200 mph. The road, once pristine, deteriorated after Orcutt's death in 1987. Her now-abandoned house reportedly includes gun portholes, which have been confirmed by evidence. The driveway, often called Memorial Drive, still exists north of Interstate 40 but is no longer suitable for high-speed driving.

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