Historic Route 66, United States
Overview
U.S. Highway 66—better known as Route 66—is a remnant of America’s past and evidence of the origins of its current automobile influenced society.
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Historic Route 66, United States
Route 66, once the primary highway from America’s interior to the West Coast, has played a now legendary role in U.S. history since its designation in 1926. It originally covered a total of 3,940 kilometers (2,448 miles) and ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona before ending in Los Angles, California. During the 1930s, it carried Dust Bowl farmers west to California. Throughout World War II, it was a lifeline conveying troops and supplies across eight states. By the 1950s, when the car became king and millions discovered the road trip, America’s “Mother Road” had come to symbolize the freedom of the open highway. Lined with eclectic curiosities—diners, motels, gas stations, and fanciful attractions—Route 66 delighted travelers and supported the economies of hundreds of small towns along its length.
Starting in the 1960s, drivers largely abandoned Route 66 in favor of newer interstate highways. In 1985, the highway was decommissioned. Today, its surviving businesses are struggling, and its roadside architecture—a tapestry of 20th century Americana—is deteriorating. Individuals, nonprofits, local, state, tribal and federal agencies and others are helping to preserve the most significant and representative historic resources along the route. Some places are threatened by development. Others are falling prey to vandals, decay, and abandonment. More importantly, the communities whose economies they once supported are no longer thriving.
The vast stretch of landscape along Route 66 tells a story of America that is still unfolding. Preserving Route 66 is not simply about nostalgia; it is about valuing heritage as an important tool for education, community building, and sustainable development. Through collective action and shared stewardship, the highway from the past still holds a bright future.
