Atlantic and Pacific Railroad construction crews reached mile marker 157.5 in 1881, and as the rails moved west, railroad crews and suppliers went to paymaster David L. Gallup for their pay, giving the community its name. Abundant coal, timber, and ranching resources around the community drew people seeking work, and beautiful scenery attracted the movie industry. The community campaigned to have Route 66 pass through Gallup on its way from Chicago to Los Angeles, and in 1927 Gallup became part of Route 66, beginning an era of tourism. Today, population swells from 20,000 to 50,000 on weekends as people come to town, and travelers still wait at railroad crossings while freight trains pass through Gallup.