Route 66 Celebrates 100th Anniversary
Route 66 turns 100 years old in 2026, with USA TODAY launching an interactive map to help travelers plan the ultimate journey from Illinois to California through eight states. The Tri-City Herald recommends discovering the highway "one boutique hotel at a time" for a blend of nostalgia and modern comfort. Social media users are sharing hidden gems like Arizona's Route 66 stretch from Two Guns to Seligman, featuring ghost towns and desert oddities.
- U.S. Highway 66 was officially established on November 11, 1926, though it wasn't fully paved until 1938. The route originally spanned 2,448 miles, connecting Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California. - Dubbed "The Mother Road" by John Steinbeck in his novel *The Grapes of Wrath*, Route 66 served as a primary path for migrants fleeing the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. It was also called the "Main Street of America" as it connected the main streets of rural and urban communities. - During World War II, the highway became a crucial artery for military transport, moving troops and supplies across the country to support the war effort on the West Coast. - The creation of the Interstate Highway System, beginning with the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, led to the road's decline as five new interstates bypassed its segments. The final section of the highway was bypassed by Interstate 40 in 1984, and Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985. - In 1999, the U.S. Congress passed legislation creating the National Park Service Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, which provides grants and assistance to help preserve historic sites along the route. - The road's culture is defined by its unique roadside attractions, including the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, and the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona. - Route 66 has been immortalized in popular culture, most notably by the 1946 hit song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66," recorded by artists like Nat King Cole and The Rolling Stones, and a CBS television series that aired in the 1960s.
