Ode to Route 60

Story by Amanda Larch

Aaron and Monica Maxwell get their kicks on Route...60. Learn how the couple celebrates this historic highway by collaborating with local and regional artists to create a unique Route 60-inspired brand.

U.S.Route 60 is more than just a well-traveled highway; it’s an iconic staple of American— and West Virginia—history. And for Aaron and Monica Maxwell, their love for Route 60 led them to launch a brand dedicated to celebrating it and its impact on the state. “Route 60 was a super important road for this part of the country and, frankly, still is,” Aaron Maxwell says. “There’s a reason so many towns are on it because it was the main thing running through this part of the state. “We got this idea of doing something acknowledging Route 60 because we felt like people weren’t really talking about it,” he says.
The Maxwells’ shop, Harmony Ridge Gallery, is located right on Route 60— Washington Street in Lewisburg—and this connection gave them even more reason to celebrate the highway with their Route 60 brand project.

Aaron and Monica collaborated with local artists to do their own take on Route 60 and create designs that are specific to West Virginia towns situated along 60, beginning with Lewisburg. Since the brand launched in April, shirts, stickers and other items part of the Route 60 brand are now available at Harmony Ridge Gallery.

“We got individuals to do shirts for us for our Route 60 project, and you can only get them here,” Aaron says. “They’re not something that was generic that we just added our name to. “If you’re in a tourist town, or you want to buy something as a memory of the town you’re in, oftentimes if you go to buy a T-shirt or something, it’s a generic graphic that the shop has purchased and they’ve just dropped the name in,” Aaron explains.

While this impersonal approach may be an inexpensive way to produce souvenirs and other mementos, the Maxwells wanted something handmade, created by individuals for their project. Their focus in their shop has always been selling things made by people—not companies.

“Our goal is to do something that’s kind of an ever-changing art project,” Aaron says. “We’re trying to do a thing that supports artists and at the same time, it’s something cool and interesting.”

They hope in the future to be able to do personalized shirts for other towns along Route 60 in West Virginia and possibly other states that the highway runs through as well.

“Those other towns and shops that are on Route 60, we would like to help them in celebrating Route 60 and do these shirts for them with their town and try to connect all these dots across the country,” Aaron says. Visitors and customers have gravitated toward some of the different designs for different reasons, especially the shirt with the road shaped like a coiling snake.

“People like that because they think of the road as a windy road and something that can bite you if you’re not careful,” Aaron laughs. This was just one of the concepts Aaron visualized and sent to a local artist as a reference piece.

“I’ll send artists reference pieces and say, ‘Listen, I think this looks really cool. Do your thing,’” he says. “Because every artist has their own style that they’re known for, and the different artists that we’ve worked with, we’ve just given them ideas and showed them some pieces that we liked and they’ve done their own thing.”

“Ultimately, it’s the artists and their talent that makes the thing work,” Aaron says.

The Maxwells are always trying to find new artists and designers to work with. They encourage anyone interested to just reach out or stop by their shop.

So far, the couple has found success with their Route 60 project, and the reception has been positive. Aaron says there’s a lot of affection for Route 60, with many people having fond memories of road trips and other adventures on the highway.

“We’re happy we could do something that people liked and they can take with them if they were visiting or for people that live in the area that have affections of road trips,” he says. “We just tried to do something that was good and hoped that people would like it, and we’ve been fortunate that they have liked it.”

Aside from commemorating Route 60 itself, the Maxwells think the people on the road are just as important, so they’ve also launched an Instagram page, separate than the brand itself, to celebrate the road and the people who travel it. Find it on Instagram at @route60usa.

It’s apparent that their favorite thing about the entire project is the cool people they meet and connect with.

“The thing about Route 60 that I don’t think a lot of people realize is that there’s a ton of people out there who intentionally take Route 60,” Aaron says. “We meet them. We meet them all the time on motorcycles and in cars that are driving that road.

“I think as West Virginians, we might avoid it because it’s time consuming and there’s a faster way to get there or whatever, but people intentionally take it and enjoy it,” he says. One thing Aaron notes is that for many planning a road trip, Route 60 is almost always needed to go on to reach their destination. The Maxwells have even planned cross-country road trips and noticed they needed to spend a spell on 60 before reaching their destination. “To this day, if you’re going on a road trip in this area, I believe it’s going to take you on 60, and so it’s still a wide widely traveled road,” Aaron says. Driving Route 60 in the Mountain State is also just an enjoyable experience, with beautiful views and fun landmarks along the way, which the Route 60 brand recognizes. Monica and Aaron—who was born near where Route 60 originally terminated in Los Angeles—moved to the Mountain State a few years ago and have made it their permanent home. They’ve picked up on a few quirks natives have.

“This is the thing that we discovered about West Virginians: they drive a lot,” Aaron says. “People drive long distances for their daily work or just to go places, and in a lot of states long drives are hellish because of traffic but in West Virginia, it’s a beautiful drive.

“Going on Route 60 is not a chore. It’s a fun thing to do.”

Stops on Route 60 in West Virginia

The Midland Trail National Scenic Byway—also known as U.S. Route 60—is West Virginia’s oldest scenic byway. It’s almost as if Midland Trail, which spans 180 miles in the state, was made for road trips, and the two go hand in hand in West Virginia.

While Route 60 mostly runs alongside Interstate 64 in West Virginia, there are some landmarks and historical sites you miss if you don’t take the scenic route. Drivers can take this scenic byway into West Virginia and follow it past Charleston into some of America’s coolest small towns, like Fayetteville, Lewisburg, White Sulphur Springs, Sam Black Church, and Rainelle.

“You’ve got things catering to all walks of life along Route 60, especially in our neck of the woods, and some of the most beautiful scenery you’re going to see in the country,” Aaron Maxwell, curator of the Route 60 brand project, says.

Route 60 really has something for everyone.

Blenko Glass: Blenko Glass, located in Milton, is right off of Route 60 and has been an iconic part of West Virginia culture and history for more than a century. One of the only glass factories still in existence in the Mountain State, Blenko produces colorful hand-blown glass and offers tours of its factory, as well as a gift shop.

The Mystery Hole: Most people who have traveled 60 through Fayette County most likely remember stopping at The Mystery Hole at least once. This wacky and over the top hole in the wall joint is full of and thrills. The Mystery Hole gift shop certainly lives up to its name, as it defies laws of gravity.

The Greenbrier: America’s Resort can be found right off at U.S. Route 60 in White Sulphur Springs. Stay the night in one of the resort’s 700 rooms, or enjoy other amenities such as golf, fine dining, designer boutiques, spa services and an entertainment venue.

Hawks Nest: This beautiful West Virginia State Park is right off of Route 60 in Ansted and is home to hiking, boating and scenic views for miles. Take an aerial tram ride into the gorge itself. And don’t forget to the enjoy the stunning views of the New River from the Overlook.

Waterfalls: Portions of the Midland Trail National Scenic Byway could also be named the Waterfall Trail Scenic Byway, with the number of falls located in just a short distance from each other. Located in Gauley Bridge, Cathedral Falls is one West Virginia’s highest waterfalls. Kanawha Falls, near the historic Glen Ferris Inn, is an essential step on the way to Fayetteville and beyond on Midland Trail.