Once considered to be “the main street of America”, Route 66, the old cross country highway that ran from Chicago Illinois to Los Angles California was the ultimate road trip highway.
Immortalized in song “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” written by Bobby Troup and sung by Nat King Cole, in a 1960’s TV series, Route 66 (one of the main reasons that middle aged men own baby blue corvettes) and in a Hollywood movie about a real life cross country car race – the Cannonball Run, Route 66 has captured the imagination of road warriors since its inauguration in 1927.
Route 66 was 2,448 miles long (about 4,000 kilometers) went through eight states and three time zones from Chicago to Los Angles although it officially ended in Santa Monica, CA.
Nicknamed “the mother road” or alternatively “the main street of America” or “the Will Rogers Highway” this was how America traveled cross country from the 1920’s until the 1960’s when new and improved motor ways replaced parts of the old two lane black top of Route 66.
Route 66 started in Chicago, Illinois, went through Springfield, Il then on to St. Louis, Missouri, through the south east tip of Kansas to Tulsa and Oklahoma City, OK, then to Amarillo, Texas, onto Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico then to Flagstaff and Kingman Arizona and through Barstow CA onto Los Angles and officially ending in Santa Monica, California. Check out a Map to get a better idea of where the highway went.
Today 85% of the old highway is still drivable and motorists nostalgic for cross country road trips drive the old Route 66 even though it no longer appears on current maps. The highway was decommissioned prior to 1984 and has vanished from recent maps.
A cult has emerged around the road. The National Historic Route 66 Foundation promotes the highway and provides historical information to interested people, including Route 66 merchandise and access to old Route 66 maps such as their publication “EZ 66 Guide for Travelers” They are a non-profit organization whose goal is to preserve and promote America’s historic highway. Membership is open to all interested parties world wide.
Route 66 has its own website where you can find up to date information about the highway. Another website, Legends of America which bills itself as “a travel site for the nostalgic and historic minded” has a page of facts and trivia about Route 66.
The Route 66 Preservation Foundation not only supports preservation of the surviving links of the highway but also promotes businesses along the route, some that have been there since the road first opened in the 1920’s.
In 2006 I have the opportunity to drive part of Route 66 from Flagstaff, Arizona to the Grand Canyon. One of the unique stops along the way was the Road Kill Café in Silgman, AZ where their motto is “you kill it, we grill it.” There menu featured items such as “fender tenders” and “bad-break steak.” They are famous for their burgers but you don’t really want to know where the special of the day came from but you can be sure it will be fresh. This is just one of the interesting and entertaining stops you can make along the “Mother Road.”
Route 66 is as popular today as it was in its glory days. Those longing to take a nostalgic road trip or just looking for adventure will want to drive all or part of this main street of America’s past. So as the song goes:
“If you ever plan to motor west
Travel my way, take the highway that's the best.
Get your kicks on Route 66!”
I know I certainly plan to.
