Route 66 is known as "Mother Road", "The Main Street of America" and "The Will Rogers Highway".
Route 66 was commissioned in 1926, picking up as many as possible, bits and pieces of existing roads. John Steinbeck in his novel, Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939, was the first to refer to Route 66 as “Mother Road.”
Route 66 crosses 8 states and 3 time zones. The states that the Mother Road runs through are: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
In 1926 only 800 miles of Route 66 were paved. Only in 1937 did Route 66 get paved end-to-end. Current maps do not include old Route 66. The last stretch of the road disappeared from “official” maps in 1984.
According to most sources Route 66 is 2448 miles long (about 4000 km). However, this is a rough approximation as the road has had many different alignments through the years. Route 66 starts in Chicago, Illinois and ends in Santa Monica, California.
Originally, Route 66 began on Jackson Blvd. at Michigan Ave. In 1933, the start (and end) was moved east onto the reclaimed land for the world fair to Jackson and Lake Shore Drive. In 1955, Jackson Blvd became one way west of Michigan Ave. and Adams St. became the westbound US-66. However the start of US-66 remained on Jackson at Lake Shore Drive. Lou Mitchell’s Café has been providing breakfast for those beginning the long journey on Route 66 since the beginning. Opened in 1923 at 565 W. Jackson, breakfast is still served all day at Lou Mitchell’s in Chicago. The oldest hotel on Route 66 is the Eagle Hotel in Wilmington, Illinois. Though sitting empty today, the 1836 hotel that once serviced stagecoach travelers, has plans of restoration.
The Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis was used in the filming of the 1981 movie “Escape From New York.” The bridge was repaved for John Carpenter’s film and appears at the end of the movie when Kurt Russell rescues Donald Pleasance from certain doom. Though closed to vehicle traffic today, the Chain of Rocks Bridge remains open as the world’s longest pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge. A 4-LANE DIVIDED SECTION OF ROUTE 66 was completely paved in 1945 and was built during WW II to facilitate traffic to Fort Leonard Wood. This was the first used and last replaced (1981) 4-lane section of Route 66 in Missouri. At one time, this was the deepest rock cut in America and is known as HOOKER CUT. It is near the town of Devils Elbow.
Kansas has the shortest section of Route 66 with only 13 miles. However, three historic Route 66 towns are located on this short segment including Baxter Springs, Galena and Riverton.
Oklahoma has more miles of the original Route 66 than any other state. The old round barn in Arcadia, Oklahoma is the most famous and most often photographed barn on Route 66.
Adrian, Texas is said to be the “geo-mathematical” center of Route 66. However, many argue that this claim is actually in Vega, Texas. They're probably both right depending upon which alignment a traveler might have taken. 91% of the original Route 66 is still in use in Texas.
Because of a change in alignment of Route 66 in 1937, there is an intersection where Route 66 crosses itself at Central Avenue and 4th Street in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. Here, you can stand on the corner of Route 66 and Route 66. On the corner of Route 66 and First Street in Tucumcari, New Mexico is a Texaco Station that is the only service station to have operated continuously through the Route 66 era to the present. Tucumcari's Tee Pee Curios is the last curio store on Route 66 between Albuquerque and Amarillo.
Arizona has the longest stretch of the historic highways still in use today.
The first McDonald’s restaurant was located in San Bernardino, California in 1945 on the Mother Road. The site is currently home to the McDonald's Route 66 Museum.
In 1984 Route 66 was officially decommissioned as a federal highway. However, daily use of the road had been gradually replaced in earlier years by the Interstates. The road was decommissioned due to public demand for better transportation as the old road deteriorated after World War II.
A famous national museum, nowhere near Route 66, has an exhibit that includes an actual piece of Route 66 pavement. Entitled "America On the Move," the piece of the Mother Road is at the Smithsonian's National Museum in Washington D.C.
Bobby Troup wrote the song, Get Your Kicks on Route 66 in 1946. It has been performed and remixed by several musicians, including Nat King Cole, who first recorded it in 1946 scoring a major hit, the Rolling Stones, and Depeche Mode also did a recording.
Get Your Kicks (On Route 66) - Bobby Troupe, copyright 1946, Londontown Music
Well if you ever plan to motor west
Just take my way that's the highway that's the best
Get your kicks on Route 66
Well it winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than 2000 miles all the way
Get your kicks on Route 66
Well, goes from St. Louie down to Missouri
Oklahoma city looks oh so pretty
You'll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona don't forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino
Would you get hip to this kindly tip
And go take that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66
