U. s. highway 66—popularly known as route 66—holds a special place in american consciousness. its name commonly evokes images of simpler times, small businesses, and the icons of a mobile nation on the road. travelers on highway 66 today can easily experience this past through the many motels, gas stations, cafés, trading posts, and roadbeds that remain along the highway.
route 66 embodies a complex, rich history that goes well beyond any history of the road itself. it acts as an artery of transportation, an agent of social transformation, and a remnant of america's past. it stretches 2,400 miles across much of the continent. the highway winds from the shores of lake michigan to the "land of milk and honey," the metropolis of los angeles. surrounded by diverse cultural resources, route 66 slices across the continent, revealing the process of historical change that transformed the lives of people, their communities, and the nation. this fabled highway's multiple alignments are bridges between not only the east and the west, but also between the past and the present.
route 66 had its official beginnings in 1926 when the nation's first federal highway system was launched. like other highways, the path of route 66 was a cobbling together of existing local, state, and national roads. the highway quickly became a popular route because of active promotion and advertisements. it was sold as "the shortest, best, and most scenic route from chicago through st. louis to los angeles."
merchants in small and large towns along the highway looked to route 66 as an opportunity for attracting new revenue to their often rural and isolated communities. as the highway became busier, the roadbed received improvements, and the infrastructure of support businesses expanded. even through tough times, the road promote economic opportunities by allowing people to travel to different places for work and by providing employment at the commercial centers along it.
in 2008, the significance of route 66 and the importance of preserving it were again recognized when route 66 was listed on the "watch list of 100 most endangered sites." there is a spirit, a feeling that resides along this highway. the spirit of route 66 lives in the people and their stories, the views and buildings, and travelers' perceptions of the highway. today's travelers can still experience a remarkable journey traveling through time on route 66.