Your Lot and Parcel
Your Lot and Parcel
A True Story of Big Government vs. A Determined Widow
Set in the harsh, windswept beauty of Newberry Springs, California in 1964, Mrs. Orcutt’s Driveway tells the remarkable true story of an independent, retired woman living alone with her goats, tortoises, and a homemade lake—on a quiet, forgotten stretch of Route 66. But when the state tried to force her off her land in the name of "progress," she dug in her heels—and made national headlines.
She tenaciously defied government plans to isolate her desert home by fighting for a four-mile road connecting her property to Route 66. Her story is one of fierce resilience and independence, showing how a determined woman stood up to bureaucracy and secured her place in history. More than just a fight for access, Mrs. Orcutt’s Driveway symbolizes the power of persistence and a woman’s right to be heard.
When state bulldozers came to carve a highway through her Mojave property, Margaret “Bonnie” Orcutt refused to budge. She was not just defending her land—she was taking a stand against the full weight of government authority, and her fight reached all the way to the White House.
My guest is the author of "Mrs. Orcutt's Driveway: A Legendary Road - An Unstoppable Woman"