Arthur Thomas Hannett was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 politician who rose to become the seventh Governor of New Mexico.

He was born in Lyons, New York

Lyons, New York

Lyons, New York may refer to either of two places in Wayne County, New York, USA:* Lyons , New York* Lyons , New York...

, the son of William and Mary McCarthy Hannett. After completing high school he entered Syracuse University

Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...

, where he was graduated in 1910. Hannett came to Gallup, New Mexico

Gallup, New Mexico

- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 20,209 people, 6,810 households, and 4,869 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,513.7 people per square mile...

 in 1911, where he began to practice law. His first public office was City Attorney and he also served as Mayor of Gallup for four years. Hannett married Louise Westfall, daughter of William and Estella Westfall, at Clyde, New York

Clyde, New York

Clyde is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 2,269 at the 2000 census.The Village of Clyde is in the Town of Galen and is northeast of Geneva, NY...

 on August 13, 1913. He was an alternate delegate from New Mexico

New Mexico

New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...

 to the Democratic National Convention

Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...

 at Baltimore in 1912, and chairman of the New Mexico delegation at the Democratic National Convention at San Francisco in 1920.

After serving as a member of the State Highway Commission from March 1923, until December 1924, Hannett was elected Governor of New Mexico and served from January 1, 1925 until January 1, 1927.

During his tenure U.S. Route 66

U.S. Route 66

U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...

 was rerouted to avoid Santa Fe and instead passed through Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...

. The rerouting saves drivers traveling across the state nearly four hours. Legend says Hannett did the rerouting to punish the Republican Santa Fe Ring

Santa Fe Ring

The Santa Fe Ring was a group of powerful attorneys and land speculators in the United States during the late 19th century and into the early 20th century. It amassed a fortune through political corruption and fraudulent land deals. Many prominent people in New Mexico Territory including future...

which had controlled New Mexico politics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.