Old Route 66

Old Route 66
Name	Old Route 66
Established	1926
Decommissioned	1985
Length mi	2448
Termini	Chicago — Santa Monica, California
States	Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California
Significance	Transcontinental highway; cultural icon

Old Route 66 Old Route 66 was a historic transcontinental highway linking Chicago and Santa Monica, California that played a formative role in twentieth‑century United States transportation, migration, and popular culture. Conceived during the rise of automobile travel and formalized in 1926, the route traversed major cities, small towns, and diverse landscapes while intersecting with infrastructure projects and social movements such as the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Over decades it inspired artists, writers, musicians, and preservationists, and its corridors remain the subject of designation efforts, heritage tourism, and infrastructure adaptation.

Route description

Old Route 66 began in downtown Chicago and proceeded southwest through suburbs and industrial corridors toward St. Louis, skirting the Illinois River basin and passing through communities like Springfield, Illinois and Decatur, Illinois. Crossing the Missouri River near St. Louis, Missouri, the highway continued through Chicago Heights-era suburbs into Rolla, Missouri, Joplin, Missouri and the short Kansas panhandle near Galena, Kansas. In Oklahoma, the alignment threaded through Tulsa and Oklahoma City, intersecting oilfields developed by companies such as Standard Oil and communities affected by the Okie migration. The Texas segment crossed the Panhandle and entered Amarillo, Texas before linking to Albuquerque, New Mexico and Santa Fe, New Mexico via roads passing near Sandia Peak. In Arizona, the route traversed high desert and canyons near Flagstaff, skirted Grand Canyon approaches, and descended through Kingman, Arizona and Needles, California into California's Mojave Basin toward Los Angeles and the coastal terminus at Santa Monica Pier.

History

Planning and numbering of Old Route 66 occurred amid policies influenced by figures like Herbert Hoover and agencies including the Bureau of Public Roads. Constructed during the era of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1921 and the later New Deal programs administered by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration, the highway saw systematic paving, bridge construction, and realignment. During the Great Depression, the corridor became a conduit for migrants fleeing the Dust Bowl to California destinations; literature by John Steinbeck and reportage in outlets such as The New York Times chronicled these movements. World War II mobilization increased strategic importance as supply and troop transport connected to installations like Fort Bliss and ports such as Long Beach, California. Postwar growth and the passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 and construction of the Interstate Highway System—notably Interstate 55, Interstate 44, Interstate 40, and Interstate 15—led to realignments, bypasses, and eventual decommissioning in 1985 under policies administered by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Cultural impact and legacy

Old Route 66's cultural resonance is reflected in works by Bobby Troup, whose song popularized its name through recordings by Nat King Cole and later The Rolling Stones, and in prose by John Steinbeck, who referenced migrants destined for California in "The Grapes of Wrath." Visual artists such as Edward Hopper and photographers associated with the Farm Security Administration documented roadside vernacular and motoring culture. Television series like productions from CBS and music producers at Capitol Records propagated motifs of mobility, small‑town Americana, and the open road. Civic initiatives by National Trust for Historic Preservation affiliates and university studies at institutions like University of Oklahoma and Arizona State University have examined socioeconomic change along the corridor, while heritage movements invoke figures such as Dorothy Parker in literary tourism and composers like Woody Guthrie in folk revival contexts.

Historic preservation and designation

Preservation efforts have been undertaken by non‑profits including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and state historic preservation offices such as the California Office of Historic Preservation and the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office. Legislative tools like listings on the National Register of Historic Places and designation programs administered by National Park Service units have been applied to segments, motels, neon signs, and service stations. Local entities such as the Route 66 Association of Illinois, the Missouri Route 66 Alliance, and the New Mexico Route 66 Association coordinate grassroots conservation, while municipal governments in Santa Monica and Flagstaff incorporate heritage zoning. Partnerships with agencies like Federal Highway Administration and foundations such as the Getty Foundation support documentation, public history exhibits in museums like the Smithsonian Institution and regional museums, and rehabilitation projects for landmarks including Art Deco depots and Streamline Moderne eateries.

Route 66 in popular media

Old Route 66 has been a recurrent subject in films by John Ford and Billy Wilder, television programs produced by studios like Warner Bros. Television and NBC, and literature from authors including Jack Kerouac and Ray Bradbury. Songs recorded by artists on labels such as Columbia Records and Atlantic Records—from Chuck Berry to B.B. King—invoke roadside imagery. Documentaries produced by PBS and BBC examined cultural landscapes, while advertising campaigns from corporations such as Standard Oil and Goodyear used highway motifs. Classic radio programs and comic strips syndicated by organizations like King Features Syndicate included Route 66 episodes; contemporary streaming series on platforms like Netflix and HBO have revived interest through period dramas and travelogues.

Tourism and attractions

Heritage tourism along the route draws visitors to preserved motels like the Blue Swallow Motel, diners and neon landmarks, museums such as the Route 66 Museum (Clinton, Oklahoma), and roadside oddities promoted by regional chambers of commerce. Festivals organized by entities such as the Chamber of Commerce of Amarillo and cultural events in Winslow, Arizona and Seligman, Arizona celebrate automobile culture, while motor clubs like the Vintage Car Club of America and Route 66 Association of California organize rallies. Nearby attractions include Grand Canyon National Park, Petrified Forest National Park, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Santa Monica Pier, integrating Route 66 itineraries with national park visitation and urban cultural institutions such as the Getty Center and Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Infrastructure and modern status

Much of the original roadway survives as state or local highways, business loops, and municipal streets maintained by departments such as the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Missouri Department of Transportation, and the Arizona Department of Transportation. Upgrades have included bridge retrofits, pavement rehabilitation funded through Federal Highway Administration grants, and traffic engineering performed by firms contracted by agencies like the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Segments face challenges from urban development in Chicago and Los Angeles, desert erosion in Arizona and New Mexico, and maintenance funding priorities set by state legislatures and governors such as Rod Blagojevich (Illinois) and Jerry Brown (California). Adaptive reuse projects convert former filling stations into museums and cafes, often supported by local historical societies and economic development corporations.

Category:Historic roads in the United States