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| Historic Route 66 in California | |
|---|---|
| State | CA |
| Route | Route 66 |
| Type | Historic |
| Length mi | 315 |
| Established | 1926 |
| Decommissioned | 1985 |
| Terminus a | Santa Monica |
| Terminus b | Needles |
| Counties | Los Angeles, San Bernardino |
Historic Route 66 in California Historic Route 66 in California denotes the California segment of the former U.S. Route 66, running from Santa Monica, California through Los Angeles, California and San Bernardino County, California to the Arizona border near Needles, California. The corridor traverses diverse landscapes including the Pacific Ocean, the Los Angeles Basin, the San Gabriel Mountains, and the Mojave Desert, linking coastal ports, industrial centers, and desert communities. The route influenced growth in Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, El Monte, California, Rialto, California, Barstow, California, and Kingman, Arizona via cross-border commerce and migration associated with the Dust Bowl and later interstate development.
The California alignment begins at the terminus near Santa Monica Pier and proceeds east on historic alignments including Santa Monica Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard, Broadway (Los Angeles), Alhambra Road, and the original alignments through Pasadena, California and Glendora, California. It continues via San Bernardino, California and Rialto, California into the Victor Valley towns of Victorville, California and Barstow, California before traversing the Fort Irwin vicinity and desert approaches to Needles, California at the Colorado River. The corridor intersects major corridors like former U.S. Route 99, Interstate 5, Interstate 10, Interstate 15, and State Route 66 (California), reflecting changing federal and state highway designations. Key junctions connect to Los Angeles International Airport, downtown arteries near Union Station (Los Angeles), and freight routes serving the Port of Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles.
Planning for the transcontinental U.S. Highway System in 1926 designated Route 66 to link Chicago, Illinois to the Santa Monica Pier; the California section absorbed preexisting auto trails like the National Old Trails Road and Arrowhead Trail. During the Great Depression, mass migration along Route 66, chronicled in works associated with figures such as John Steinbeck and organizations like the Farm Security Administration, shaped demographic shifts to California. Military mobilization during World War II increased traffic to Los Angeles County defense industries and installations including Camp Anza and March Field Air Museum (Riverside County, California). Postwar suburbanization driven by developers tied to William Levitt-era projects and corporate centers in Downey, California and Torrance, California transformed many Route 66 corridors. The creation of the Interstate Highway System under Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 led to progressive realignment and eventual decommissioning in 1985 as interstates like I-40 and I-10 supplanted the route.
Historic Route 66 in California hosts landmarks such as the Santa Monica Pier carousel and sign, the UCLA-adjacent stretches of Wilshire Boulevard, the Bradbury Building in Los Angeles City Hall area, the neon signage of the El Rey Theatre (Los Angeles), and the Mission Inn influences near Riverside, California. Roadside architecture includes the distinctive neon of Wigwam Motel (San Bernardino, California), the kitsch of Elmer Long's Bottle Tree Ranch near Oro Grande, California, and the preserved diners like Jax Truck Stop and historic motels along National Trails Highway. Museums and cultural institutions related to the corridor include the Route 66 Museum (Barstow), the collections at Petersen Automotive Museum, and exhibits in the California Route 66 Museum (Victorville). Historic commercial districts in Pasadena, California and Downtown Los Angeles display façades from the Art Deco and Googie architecture periods, with works by architects tied to Richard Neutra and associations with entertainment venues on Hollywood Boulevard.
Route 66 inspired literature and media, notably through John Steinbeck's references, the 1940s migrations recorded by the Farm Security Administration, and the popular song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" associated with Bobby Troup and performances by Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry, and The Rolling Stones. Television exposure via the 1960s series Route 66 (TV series) and depictions in films produced by Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures reinforced romanticized imagery of road travel. The road shaped music scenes in Los Angeles clubs linked to Sunset Strip venues, influenced painters in the Chicano Park movement, and intersected with automotive culture celebrated by organizations like the Hot Rod Magazine community and events at Pomona Fairplex and Irwindale Speedway. Writers and photographers including Ansel Adams and journalists from Los Angeles Times documented landscapes and displacement along the corridor.
Preservation efforts involve collaborations among National Park Service, California Office of Historic Preservation, county historical societies such as the San Bernardino County Museum and civic groups in Santa Monica Conservancy. Designations include segments listed in state registers and nominations to the National Register of Historic Places supported by advocates including Route 66 Association of California and National Trust for Historic Preservation. Local ordinances in municipalities like Barstow, California and Victorville, California protect neon signage and motel architecture; community-led initiatives mirror broader preservation campaigns exemplified by the Historic American Buildings Survey and programs modeled on Preserve America principles.
Modernization altered alignments: segments were bypassed by Interstate 15 construction serving San Bernardino Mountains freight routes and by Interstate 40 across the Mojave National Preserve. Freight and passenger rail parallels include corridors used by Union Pacific Railroad and historic services of Santa Fe Railway; Amtrak's routes and Metrolink (Southern California), plus bus services by Greyhound Lines and Omnitrans (San Bernardino County), reflect multimodal shifts. Road engineering projects addressed desert pavement preservation in the Mojave Desert and seismic retrofits near fault zones like the San Andreas Fault and Garlock Fault, with coordination among agencies such as Caltrans.
Contemporary travelers follow signed historic alignments promoted by organizations like the Route 66 Tourism network and regional chambers of commerce in San Bernardino, Riverside County, California, and Los Angeles County. Itineraries link sites such as Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood Bowl, Old Town Pasadena, Cajon Pass, Barstow Harvey House (Casa del Desierto), Calico Ghost Town, and Mojave National Preserve with lodging in Santa Monica, Pasadena, Victorville, and Needles, California. Festivals, car shows, and guided tours organized by groups including the Antelope Valley historical associations, LA Conservancy, and local Main Street programs attract enthusiasts tracing segments once traversed by travelers bound for Los Angeles or returning east toward Chicago, Illinois.
Category:U.S. Route 66 Category:Roads in California