U.S. Route 66

{{short description|Former US Highway between Chicago and Santa Monica}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}} {{use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Redirect|Route 66|other highways with the same number|List of highways numbered 66|other uses}} {{Infobox road | country = USA | type = US | route = 66 | alternate_name = Will Rogers Memorial Highway | map = {{maplink-road|from=U.S. Route 66.map}} | map_custom = yes | length_mi = 2448 | established = {{start date|1926|11|11}}<ref name="USH">{{Cite map |last=Bureau of Public Roads |last2=American Association of State Highway Officials |name-list-style=amp |title=United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials |date=November 11, 1926 |publisher=United States Geological Survey |place=Washington, DC |via=Wikimedia Commons |scale=1:7,000,000 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_System_of_Highways_Adopted_for_Uniform_Marking_by_the_American_Association_of_State_Highway_Officials.jpg |access-date=November 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413153913/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_System_of_Highways_Adopted_for_Uniform_Marking_by_the_American_Association_of_State_Highway_Officials.jpg |archive-date=April 13, 2017 |url-status=live |oclc=32889555}}</ref> | decommissioned = {{end date|1985|06|26}}<ref name="AASHTO85">{{AASHTO minutes |year = 1985S |link = yes |v-link = yes |access-date = April 16, 2014 }}</ref> | tourist = 20px|alt=|link= Historic Route 66 National Scenic Byway (selected segments)<ref name="NSB">{{cite web|url=https://fhwaapps.fhwa.dot.gov/bywaysp/byway/2489/map?mapId=561|title=Historic Route 66 National Scenic Byway Map|work=America's Byways|publisher=Federal Highway Administration|access-date=June 5, 2025}}</ref> | direction_a = West | terminus_a = Santa Monica, California | direction_b = East | terminus_b = Chicago, Illinois | states = California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois | previous_type = US | previous_route = 65 | next_type = US | next_route = 67 | map_notes = The final alignments of U.S. Route 66 in red, with older alignments in pink }}

'''U.S. Route 66''' or '''U.S. Highway 66''' ('''US 66''' or '''Route 66''') was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. Established on November 11, 1926, with signage erected the following year,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Route 66 Timeline |url=http://www.legendsofamerica.com/66-Timeline.html |website=Legends of America |access-date=April 15, 2012}}</ref> the highway ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before terminating in Santa Monica, California, covering {{convert|2448|mi|km|0}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Table of Mileposts for the Original US 66 Alignment of 1926 |url=http://www.stjo66.de/mileposts_1926.htm |website=Route 66 Web & Atlas |access-date=April 15, 2012}}</ref>

US 66 became a major route for westward migration, particularly during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and contributed to the economic development of communities along its path. It later faced decline as traffic was diverted to the Interstate Highway System in the mid-20th century.

The highway was officially removed from the United States Highway System in 1985<ref name="AASHTO85" /> after being largely replaced by Interstate highways. Many segments of the former route have since been preserved as '''Historic Route 66''', a National Scenic Byway, and incorporated into state and local road systems.<ref name="NSB" />

Route 66 has been widely represented in American popular culture and is often referred to by nicknames such as the '''Mother Road''', a term popularized by John Steinbeck's novel ''The Grapes of Wrath'' (1939), as well as the '''Main Street of America''' and the '''Will Rogers Highway'''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Longfellow |first=Rickie |title=Route '66' The Mother Road |url=https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/back-time/route-66-mother-road |publisher=Federal Highway Administration |date=June 30, 2023}}</ref> The road and impact of the Interstate Highway System bypassing small towns along the route was central to the story in Disney's 2006 animated film ''Cars''.

==History== {{lengths table|header=Lengths (1926 alignment)|length_ref=<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historic Route 66: Description |url=http://www.historic66.com/description/mileage.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129084152/http://www.historic66.com/description/mileage.html |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=November 22, 2014 |website=Historic66.com |publisher=Swa Frantzen}}</ref>}} |-align=center |California |{{convert|316|mi|km|disp=table}} |-align=center |Arizona |{{convert|401|mi|km|disp=table}} |-align=center |New Mexico |{{convert|487|mi|km|disp=table}} |-align=center |Texas |{{convert|186|mi|km|disp=table}} |-align=center |Oklahoma |{{convert|432|mi|km|disp=table}} |-align=center |Kansas |{{convert|13|mi|km|disp=table}} |-align=center |Missouri |{{convert|317|mi|km|disp=table}} |-align=center |Illinois |{{convert|301|mi|km|disp=table}} |-align=center |'''Total''' |{{convert|2448|mi|km|disp=table}} |}

=== Before the U.S. Highway System === thumb|upright|A remnant of an original state right-of-way marker from early construction of US 66

In 1857, Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale of the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers was directed by the United States Department of War to construct a wagon road along the 35th parallel. The route, later known as Beale's Wagon Road, was intended to improve transportation across the southwestern United States and included experiments with the use of camels as pack animals. Portions of this route were later incorporated into alignments of US 66.<ref>{{cite web |title=Beale Wagon Road |url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/beale-wagon-road.htm |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

Before the creation of a nationwide system of numbered highways, long-distance travel in the United States relied on a network of privately marked auto trails. The route that later became US 66 incorporated segments of several of these trails, including the National Old Trails Road, parts of the Ozark Trails system, and, in the Midwest and South, portions of routes such as the Lone Star Route.<ref>{{cite web |title=Route 66: The Main Street of America |url=https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/route-66-main-street-america |publisher=Federal Highway Administration}}</ref> These routes were often indirect and inconsistently marked, leading to calls for a standardized national highway system.

Like other early U.S. highways, Route 66 was assembled from existing local, state, and national road networks rather than built as an entirely new road. Its proposed Chicago–Los Angeles alignment gained support because it connected established regional centers along an existing transcontinental corridor.<ref>{{cite web |title=Route 66: 1926–1945 |url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/route-66-1926-1945.htm |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

Federal involvement in highway development expanded with the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 and the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921. In 1925, Congress authorized the creation of a national system of numbered highways, and the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) began developing a uniform plan for route designations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Creation of U.S. Numbered Highway System |url=https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/creation-us-numbered-highway-system |publisher=Federal Highway Administration}}</ref> Businessman Cyrus Avery and others advocated for a Chicago–Los Angeles route, which became US 66 when the system was implemented in 1926.

The numerical designation for U.S. Route 66 was assigned in 1926 as part of the initial planning of the United States Numbered Highway System. The route connected Chicago and Los Angeles, linking a series of existing regional roads into a continuous transcontinental highway.<ref name="FHWA planning">{{cite web |last=Weingroff |first=Richard F. |title=From Names to Numbers: The Origins of the U.S. Numbered Highway System |url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/numbers.cfm |publisher=Federal Highway Administration}}</ref>

The designation of U.S. Route 66 followed a dispute over numbering within the newly planned highway system. Promoter Cyrus Avery initially sought the designation US 60 for the Chicago–Los Angeles route, but officials in Kentucky successfully argued that US 60 should instead follow an east–west corridor through their state. Alternative proposals included assigning the Chicago–Los Angeles route to US 62 or splitting US 60 into multiple branches. The issue was resolved when Oklahoma highway engineer John M. Page identified 66 as an unassigned number, which Avery accepted as the designation for the route.<ref name="FHWA planning" />

Although the route was designated in 1926 and signed in 1927, it remained partly unpaved for several years. By 1938, US 66 became the first U.S. highway to be fully paved, improving long-distance travel across the central and southwestern United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Route 66: The Main Street of America |url=https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/route-66-main-street-america |publisher=Federal Highway Administration}}</ref><ref name="FHWA factsheet">{{cite web |title=Route 66 Fact Sheet |url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/candc/factsheets/route66.pdf |publisher=Federal Highway Administration}}</ref>

==== Promotion and growth ==== [[File:Chain of Rocks.jpg|thumb|The Chain of Rocks Bridge across the Mississippi River was built to carry the growing traffic of US 66 around the city of St. Louis.]] Following its designation, the U.S. Highway 66 Association was established in 1927 to promote paving, maintenance, and tourism along the route. Led by Cyrus Avery and others, the organization marketed US 66 as a major transcontinental highway and encouraged travel along it.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dedek |first=Peter B. |title=Hip to the Trip: A Cultural History of Route 66 |year=2007}}</ref>

Promotional efforts included national advertising campaigns and events such as the 1928 "Bunion Derby", a transcontinental footrace that followed much of the route and attracted national attention.<ref name="dedek-35">{{Cite book |last=Dedek |first=Peter B. |title=Hip to the Trip: A Cultural History of Route 66 |publisher=University of New Mexico Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0826341945 |location=Albuquerque |page=35}}</ref> The association also promoted travel through print advertising, including a 1932 campaign in the ''Saturday Evening Post'' encouraging Americans to travel US 66 to the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, which generated widespread public interest in the highway.<ref name="dedek-35" /> The organization continued to advocate for businesses and communities along the route until it disbanded in 1976.

==== Migration and economic impact ====

During the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, US 66 became a major route for westward migration, particularly for people traveling from the southern Great Plains to California in search of work. Many of these migrants—often referred to at the time as "Okies", especially those from Oklahoma—traveled along the highway, a movement later depicted in works such as John Steinbeck's ''The Grapes of Wrath'' (1939). Increased traffic along the route contributed to the growth of service industries in communities along the highway, including filling stations, restaurants, and motor courts.<ref name="FHWA planning" />

==== Tourism and roadside culture ==== [[File:Magnolia gasoline station, Shamrock, TX IMG 6141.JPG|thumb|Restored Magnolia gasoline station museum on Route 66 in Shamrock in Wheeler County, Texas]] By the mid-20th century, U.S. Route 66 had become a major corridor for automobile tourism, particularly for travelers heading to destinations in the American Southwest such as the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert. Increased traffic contributed to the growth of roadside businesses, including motels, restaurants, and service stations, many of which became characteristic of long-distance travel in the United States.<ref name="R66">{{Cite book |last=Wallis |first=Michael |title=Route 66: The Mother Road |publisher=St. Martin's |isbn=0-312-08285-1 |location=New York |pages=90–92}}</ref>

This growth also led to the development of distinctive roadside architecture and attractions, such as teepee-shaped motels and themed service stations. Notable surviving examples include the U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas, an art deco–style service station and café listed on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref name="NRHP">{{Cite web |last=National Park Service |date=n.d. |title=Texas: Wheeler County |url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/tx/Wheeler/state.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615064334/http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/TX/Wheeler/state.html |archive-date=June 15, 2010 |access-date=March 25, 2010 |website=National Register of Historic Places |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

The expansion of automobile travel along the route also contributed to the early development of the fast-food industry, including drive-through restaurants and regional chains that catered to motorists.<ref name="R66" />

=== Changes in routing === [[File:Route66 sign.jpg|thumb|Modern-day sign in New Mexico, along a section of Route 66 designated a National Scenic Byway]]

As the highway system developed, U.S. Route 66 underwent numerous realignments to improve safety and efficiency. In Illinois, the route was shifted in 1930 between Springfield and East St. Louis to a more direct alignment, roughly corresponding to present-day Interstate 55.<ref name="nps" />

Similar changes occurred elsewhere. In Oklahoma, a straighter route completed in 1933 bypassed earlier alignments through smaller towns, while in New Mexico a major realignment in 1937 created a more direct east–west route through Albuquerque, significantly reducing travel time.<ref name="nps" />

In 1936, the western terminus of US 66 was extended from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica, connecting with U.S. Route 101.<ref name="nps" /> The highway was also incorporated into early freeway development; in 1940, the Arroyo Seco Parkway in Los Angeles became part of US 66.

[[File:Rte66btwnOatmanAndKingman.JPG|thumb|Route 66 just west of the Sitgreaves Pass between Oatman and Kingman]] By the 1950s, many segments of US 66 were bypassed by new, higher-speed alignments. In Arizona, for example, the steep and winding route through the Black Mountains near Oatman was replaced in 1953 by a more direct highway between Kingman and Needles, contributing to the decline or abandonment of communities along the older alignment.<ref name="nps">{{Cite web |last=National Park Service |date=n.d. |title=Route 66 |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/text_only.html#illinois_road_segments |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920204858/https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/text_only.html#illinois_road_segments |archive-date=September 20, 2016 |access-date=November 19, 2014 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

With the construction of the Interstate Highway System in the mid-20th century, sections of US 66 were progressively replaced or rerouted onto new freeways. The reassignment of the route onto interstates, along with restrictions on roadside advertising following the 1965 Highway Beautification Act, contributed to reduced traffic on older alignments and the decline of many businesses that had depended on highway travelers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Route 66 in Arizona Multiple Property Submission |url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/64500038_text |publisher=National Park Service |date=April 5, 1989 |pages=25–26}}</ref>

=== Decline === [[File:Whiting bros.jpg|thumb|right|Abandoned Whiting Brothers gas station along former US 66]] thumb|An abandoned early US 66 alignment in Illinois, 2006

The decline of U.S. Route 66 began with the passage of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which authorized construction of the Interstate Highway System. The new limited-access highways provided faster, more direct routes and gradually replaced older highways such as US 66.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Petroski |first=Henry |year=2006 |title=On the Road |magazine=American Scientist |volume=94 |issue=5 |pages=396–399}}</ref>

Even before the Interstate era, sections of US 66 had been widened or realigned to accommodate increasing traffic. In states such as Illinois and Missouri, large portions of the highway were expanded to four lanes and included bypasses around towns, many of which were later incorporated into Interstate routes.

In 1953, one of the first major bypasses occurred with the opening of the Turner Turnpike between Tulsa and Oklahoma City, followed by the Will Rogers Turnpike in 1957. These toll roads paralleled US 66 and diverted traffic away from towns along the original route.

[[File:Abandoned gas station - Two Guns, Arizona.jpg|thumb|right|The ghost town of Two Guns, Arizona, once featured a zoo, gift shop, restaurant, campground, gas station and "death cave"]] Similar changes occurred across the Southwest. In New Mexico, plans for Interstate 40 encountered resistance from communities concerned about economic impacts, but most towns were eventually bypassed during the 1960s and 1970s. As Interstate construction progressed, traffic increasingly shifted away from US 66.

In several states, local business owners and civic leaders opposed the construction of interstate bypasses, fearing the loss of traffic and revenue. In New Mexico, for example, some communities resisted plans for Interstate 40 to bypass their towns, prompting negotiations over route placement to preserve access to local businesses. Similar concerns were raised elsewhere along US 66 as interstates diverted travelers away from established commercial corridors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Route 66 in Arizona Multiple Property Submission |url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/64500038_text |publisher=National Park Service |date=April 5, 1989 |pages=25–26}}</ref>

The decline of roadside businesses was accelerated by the 1965 Highway Beautification Act, which restricted roadside advertising along interstate highways, making it more difficult for travelers to locate businesses on older alignments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Route 66 in Arizona Multiple Property Submission |url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/64500038_text |publisher=National Park Service |date=April 5, 1989 |pages=25–26}}</ref>

thumb|Old Route 66 near Amboy, California By the late 1970s, most sections of US 66 had been replaced by Interstate highways. The route was gradually decommissioned, and in 1985 the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials officially removed US 66 from the United States Highway System.<ref name="AASHTO85"/>

=== After decertification === [[File:Sidewalk Highway (3).jpg|thumb|"Sidewalk highway" section of former US 66 near Miami, Oklahoma]]

Following its decommissioning, segments of former U.S. Route 66 were incorporated into a variety of local, state, and federal road systems. In many urban areas, portions of the route were redesignated as business loops for nearby interstates, while other segments became state highways, local roads, or were abandoned.

Although US 66 no longer exists as a continuous route, substantial portions of its original alignment and later realignments remain in use. Some stretches have been preserved in near-original condition, including narrow early alignments known as "sidewalk highways", which consist of a single paved lane with curbs and gravel shoulders.<ref name="OK ribbon">{{cite web |title=Historic Route 66 |url=https://oklahoma.gov/odot/programs-and-projects/projects/environmental/cultural-resources-program/historic-route-66.html |publisher=Oklahoma Department of Transportation}}</ref>

In several states, portions of the former route retain the "66" designation as part of state highway systems, such as State Highway 66 in Oklahoma and State Route 66 in Arizona. Other segments are marked as "Historic Route 66" and maintained for tourism and preservation purposes. Some municipal roads along the old route have also retained the "66" number.<ref>{{cite web |title=Route 66: The Main Street of America |url=https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/route-66-main-street-america |publisher=Federal Highway Administration}}</ref><ref name="NPS Seligman">{{cite web |title=Seligman Historic District |url=https://www.nps.gov/places/seligman-historic-district.htm |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

Preservation efforts by local and national organizations have contributed to the continued visibility of Route 66 as a historic transportation corridor.

=== Revival === [[File:SoulsbyServiceStation MtOliveIL.jpg|thumb|Restored service station in Mount Olive, Illinois]]

==== Early preservation efforts ==== Following the decommissioning of U.S. Route 66, preservation efforts began at the state and local levels. The first Route 66 associations were established in Arizona in 1987 and in Missouri and Illinois shortly thereafter, promoting the preservation and commemoration of the historic highway.<ref name="bosglobe">{{Cite news |last=Cobb |first=Nathan |date=May 3, 1992 |title=Searching for Route 66 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/61756809.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131194616/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/61756809.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |work=Boston Globe |page=18|id={{ProQuest| }}}}</ref>

States also began designating surviving segments as "Historic Route 66". In 1990, Missouri declared its portion of the highway a state historic route, a model later followed by other states. Many states and communities now mark the route with highway markers or route shield pavement marking, especially as Route 66 markers are common targets of street sign theft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Finding Your Way on Route 66 |url=http://www.route-66.tv/finding-your-way-route66.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230172153/http://www.route-66.tv/finding-your-way-route66.html |archive-date=December 30, 2014 |access-date=November 18, 2014 |website=Route-66.tv}}</ref>

==== Federal and national recognition ==== Preservation efforts expanded at the national level in the late 20th century. In 1999, President Bill Clinton signed the ''National Route 66 Preservation Act'', which provided federal support for preserving and restoring historic features along the route.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Welch |first=Kevin |date=July 1, 1999 |title=House OKs Route 66 Bill |work=Amarillo Globe-News |url=http://www.amarillo.com/stories/070199/new_route.shtml}}</ref>

The National Park Service developed the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program and a ''Discover Our Shared Heritage'' travel itinerary documenting historically significant locations along the route.<ref>{{cite web |title=Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program |url=https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1453/route-66-corridor-preservation-program.htm |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

In 2008, the World Monuments Fund included Route 66 on its World Monuments Watch, citing threats to historic roadside architecture from development and neglect.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historic Route 66 |url=http://www.wmf.org/project/historic-route-66 |publisher=World Monuments Fund}}</ref>

==== Cultural revival and tourism ==== [[File:Snow cap seligman.jpg|thumb|left|Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In in Seligman, Arizona. The eatery is still a popular tourist stop.]] Since the late 20th century, Route 66 has experienced a revival as a heritage tourism destination, attracting both domestic and international travelers.<ref>{{cite web |title=LAST FINAL VOLUME I-kf-ea REV |url=https://www.npshistory.com/publications/transportation/route-66-economic-impact-study-v1.pdf |publisher=National Park Service |page=4}}</ref> Preservation groups have worked to restore historic motels, gas stations, and neon signage associated with mid-20th-century automobile travel.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Juozapavicius |first=Justin |date=May 20, 2007 |title=Route 66 Motels an Endangered Species |work=The Oklahoman |agency=Associated Press |url=https://oklahoman.com/article/3056671/route-66-motels-an-endangered-species}}</ref>

Festivals, museums, and local initiatives have contributed to renewed public interest in the route and its cultural significance.

Route 66 is also commemorated in museums and interpretive sites along its former route. Examples include the National Route 66 & Transportation Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma, which covers all eight Route 66 states;<ref>{{cite web |title=National Route 66 Museum |url=https://www.elkcity.com/city-hall/departments/elk-city-museums/national-route-66-museum/ |publisher=City of Elk City, Oklahoma}}</ref> the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma, operated by the Oklahoma Historical Society;<ref>{{cite web |title=Oklahoma Route 66 Museum |url=https://www.okhistory.org/sites/route66 |publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society}}</ref> and the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, Illinois, which houses Route 66 memorabilia and artifacts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum |url=https://visitpontiac.org/experience/museums-exhibits/route-66-museum/ |publisher=City of Pontiac, Illinois}}</ref> The route is also interpreted by the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., in its "America on the Move" exhibition, which highlights the role of highways in American transportation and culture.<ref>{{cite web |title=The People's Highway |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/america-on-the-move/online/route-66 |publisher=National Museum of American History}}</ref>

==== Modern initiatives ==== Efforts to commemorate and reinterpret Route 66 have continued into the 21st century. Proposals have been made to restore the route as a continuous highway, though these have raised concerns about balancing modernization with historic preservation.

In 2018, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials designated the first sections of U.S. Bicycle Route 66, part of the United States Bicycle Route System, in Kansas and Missouri.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Charboneau |first=Michael |date=July 16, 2018 |title=Get Your Kicks Biking Route 66 |work=CityLab |url=https://www.citylab.com/life/2018/07/get-your-kicks-biking-route-66/565175/}}</ref>

In 2026, the United States Postal Service issued Forever stamps featuring designs from Route 66 to commemorate the route's centennial.<ref>{{cite web |title=Postal Service Announces 19 New Issuances for 2026 |url=https://www.stampsforever.com/posts/draft-press-release-post-of-2026-issuances |publisher=United States Postal Service}}</ref>

==Route description== Over the years, U.S. Route 66 received several nicknames. Early in its history it was referred to as "The Great Diagonal Way", reflecting its diagonal alignment across the Midwest. The U.S. Highway 66 Association later promoted it as "The Main Street of America". In John Steinbeck's novel ''The Grapes of Wrath'', the highway was called "The Mother Road", a name that became widely associated with the route.<ref name="mother road">{{Cite news |last=McClure |first=Rosemary |date=November 29, 2010 |title=Get Your Kicks on Route 66—and 499 Other Great Highways |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-nov-29-la-trb-drives-20101124-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206073258/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/29/news/la-trb-drives-20101124 |archive-date=December 6, 2010 |access-date=December 7, 2010 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

===California=== {{Main|U.S. Route 66 in California}}

[[File:End of Route 66.jpg|thumb|The replica of a movie prop sign found on the Santa Monica Pier. The western terminus of US 66 is nine blocks east of this sign. ]]

US 66 ran for approximately {{convert|315|mi|km}} in California, from the Arizona state line to its western terminus in Santa Monica. The highway passed through San Bernardino, Pasadena, and Los Angeles before reaching the Pacific coast at the intersection of Lincoln and Olympic boulevards.<ref name="FHWA mainstreet" />

===Arizona=== {{Main|U.S. Route 66 in Arizona}}

[[File:Route 66 in Holbrook.JPG|thumb|upright|US 66 marker on the corner of Navajo Boulevard and Hopi Drive in Holbrook, Arizona|left]] In Arizona, US 66 covered roughly {{convert|401|mi|km}} and closely paralleled what is now Interstate 40. The route entered near Topock, passed through Kingman, Seligman, and Flagstaff, and continued east toward New Mexico. The town of Williams was the last community on the route to be bypassed by an Interstate highway.<ref name="FHWA mainstreet" />

===New Mexico=== {{Main|U.S. Route 66 in New Mexico}}

US 66 covered {{convert|380|mi|km}} in the state and passed through many Indian reservations in the western half of New Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Route 66 |url=http://www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/route_66/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617025009/http://www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/route_66/ |archive-date=June 17, 2016 |access-date=November 18, 2014 |website=AmericanSouthwest.net |publisher=John Crossley}}</ref> East of those reservations, the highway passed through Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Vegas. As in Arizona, in New Mexico, U.S. 66 paralleled I-40.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Route 66 History |url=http://www.visitalbuquerque.org/albuquerque/route-66/history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629112509/http://www.visitalbuquerque.org/albuquerque/route-66/history/ |archive-date=June 29, 2016 |access-date=November 18, 2014 |publisher=Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau}}</ref>

===Texas=== {{Main|U.S. Route 66 in Texas}}

[[File:US66 midpoint café Adrian TX.jpg|thumb|The Midpoint Café in Adrian, Texas, at the midpoint of the route]]

US 66 covered {{convert|178|mi|km}} in the Texas Panhandle, travelling in an east–west line between Glenrio and Texola.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiser |first=Kathy |year=2011 |title=About Texas Route 66 – Info & History |url=http://www.legendsofamerica.com/66-texasroad.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702064803/http://www.legendsofamerica.com/66-texasroad.html |archive-date=July 2, 2016 |access-date=November 18, 2014 |website=Legends of America}}</ref> Adrian, in the western Panhandle, was notable as the midpoint of the route. East of there, the highway passed through Amarillo (famous for the Cadillac Ranch), Conway, Groom and Shamrock.

=== Oklahoma and Kansas === {{Main|U.S. Route 66 in Oklahoma|U.S. Route 66 in Kansas|l2 = Kansas}}

U.S. Route 66 ran for approximately {{convert|376|mi|km}} across Oklahoma, generally following a west–east alignment that is now paralleled by Interstate 40 in the western part of the state and by State Highway 66 in the central and northeastern regions.<ref name="FHWA mainstreet">{{cite web |title=Route 66: The Main Street of America |url=https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/route-66-main-street-america |publisher=Federal Highway Administration}}</ref> The highway entered the state at Texola and passed through major communities including Elk City, Clinton, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa before continuing toward the Kansas state line.

In Kansas, US 66 covered a short distance of about {{convert|13|mi|km}}, passing through Galena, Riverton, and Baxter Springs before entering Missouri.<ref name="FHWA mainstreet" />

===Missouri=== {{Main|U.S. Route 66 in Missouri}}

US 66 covered {{convert|292|mi|km}} in Missouri. Upon entering from Galena, Kansas, the highway passed through Joplin. From there, it passed through Carthage; Springfield, where Red's Giant Hamburg, the world's first drive-thru was located; Lebanon; Waynesville, Devils Elbow; and Rolla before passing through St. Louis.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiser |first=Kathy |date=2012 |title=About Missouri Route 66: Info & History |url=http://www.legendsofamerica.com/66-missouriroad.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629143447/http://www.legendsofamerica.com/66-missouriroad.html |archive-date=June 29, 2016 |access-date=November 18, 2014 |website=Legends of America}}</ref>

===Illinois=== {{Main|U.S. Route 66 in Illinois}}

US 66 covered {{convert|301|mi|km}} in Illinois. It entered Illinois in East St. Louis after crossing the Mississippi River. Near there, it passed by Cahokia Mounds, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The highway then passed through Hamel, Springfield (passing by the Illinois State Capitol), Bloomington-Normal, Pontiac and Gardner.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historic Route 66: Illinois |url=http://www.historic66.com/illinois/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623184752/http://www.historic66.com/illinois/ |archive-date=June 23, 2016 |access-date=November 18, 2014 |website=Historic66.com}}</ref> It then entered the Chicago area, originally through Joliet and later through Plainfield. After passing through the suburbs, U.S. 66 entered Chicago itself, where it terminated at Lake Shore Drive<ref name="Ill1955">{{Cite map |last=Illinois Division of Highways |title=Illinois Official Highway Map |date=April 1, 1955 |publisher=Illinois Division of Highways |place=Springfield |via=Illinois Digital Collections |scale=1:805,000 |inset=Chicago and Vicinity |url=http://www.idaillinois.org/u?/isl9,84 |access-date=November 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203210744/http://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/isl9/id/84 |archive-date=December 3, 2020 |url-status=live |oclc=713840599}}</ref> starting in 1938, having originally ended at Michigan Avenue.

==Special routes== {{Main|Special routes of U.S. Route 66}}

Several alternate alignments of US 66 occurred because of traffic issues. Business routes (BUS), bypass routes (BYP), alternate routes (ALT) and "optional routes" (OPT) (an early designation for alternate routes) came into being. An Alternate 66 existed in the Los Angeles area. Business routes also existed in San Bernardino, Amarillo, Clinton (OK), Oklahoma City, and Tulsa. Various business, bypass, and alternate routes were located in the Joplin and Springfield (MO) areas and in several locations in Illinois.

== In popular culture ==

U.S. Route 66 has been widely represented in American popular culture, reflecting its historical role in travel, migration, and the development of automobile culture. The highway was popularized in music by Bobby Troup's 1946 song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66", first recorded by Nat King Cole, which became a standard later performed by numerous artists across many genres.<ref>{{cite web |title=Route 66: The Main Street of America |url=https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/route-66-main-street-america |publisher=Federal Highway Administration}}</ref>

The route also lent its name to the television series ''Route 66'' (1960–1964), which followed two young men traveling across the United States.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Snyder |first=Tom |title=Welcome to the Old Road |publisher=St. Martin's Press |year=2000}}</ref>

In literature, John Steinbeck's novel ''The Grapes of Wrath'' (1939) portrays westward migration along US 66 during the Dust Bowl, referring to it as the "Mother Road", a phrase that became closely associated with the highway.<ref>{{cite book |last=Steinbeck |first=John |title=The Grapes of Wrath |year=1939}}</ref>

Route 66 has also been depicted in film, including the animated feature ''Cars'' (2006), which portrays a fictional town bypassed by an Interstate Highway, reflecting the decline experienced by communities along the route.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pixar's Cars revisits Route 66 |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-12 |title=How Route 66 inspired Disney's ‘Cars’ and Cars Land — and the ride that never came to be |url=https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2026-05-12/how-route-66-inspired-disneys-cars-car |access-date=2026-05-17 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

In the 21st century, Route 66 has continued to be recognized in popular media and public commemorations, including its depiction in digital media such as Google Doodle features marking significant anniversaries of the highway.

==See also== {{portal|U.S. Roads|National Register of Historic Places}} * Inland Empire 66ers, named after US 66 * List of landmarks on U.S. Route 66 * List of Route 66 museums * Phillips 66, a petroleum company named for the route * Southern Transcon railroad equivalent, runs parallel to US 66 for significant portions of its length * Tulsa 66ers, named after US 66

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== {{refbegin}} * {{Cite journal |date=July 1981 |title=Arizona Highways |journal=Arizona Highways: The Window of the West |issn=0004-1521}} Entire issue about Route 66. * {{Cite book |last=Baker |first=T. Lindsay |title=Portrait of Route 66: Images from the Curt Teich Postcard Archives |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |year=2016 |isbn=978-0806153414 |location=Norman |oclc=932618601}} * {{Cite book |last=Bischoff |first=Matt D. |title=Life in the Past Lane the Route 66 Experience: Historic Management Contexts for the Route 66 Corridor in California |publisher=Statistical Research, Inc. |year=2005 |isbn=978-1879442887 |oclc=68569034}} * {{Cite book |last=Freeth |first=Nick |title=Route 66 |publisher=MBI Publishing |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-7603-0864-6 |location=St. Paul, MN}} * {{Cite book |last1=Krim |first1=Arthur |author-link1=Arthur J. Krim |url=https://archive.org/details/route66iconograp0000krim |title=Route 66: Iconography of the American Highway |last2=Wood |first2=Denis |publisher=Center for American Places |year=2005 |isbn=978-1930066359 |edition=1st |location=Santa Fe, NM}} * {{Cite book |last=Mahar |first=Lisa |title=American Signs: Form and Meaning on Route 66 |publisher=Monacelli Press |year=2002 |isbn=97-81580931199 |location=New York}} * {{Cite book |last=Miller |first=Blue |title=Abandoned Route 66 Arizona: Where the Road Came to an End |date=2021 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-1634993043 |series=America Through Time |location=Charleston, South Carolina}} * {{cite book |last = Milowski |first = Daniel |year = 2023 |title = Route 66 and the Formation of a National Cultural Icon: Mother Road to Mythic American Byway |location = Lanham, Maryland |publisher = Rowman & Littlefield }} * {{Cite book |last=Rittenhouse |first=Jack D. |title=A Guide Book to Highway 66 |publisher=University of New Mexico Press |year=1989 |isbn=978-0-8263-1148-1 |location=Albuquerque |orig-year=1946}} * {{Cite book |last1=Robson |first1=Ellen |title=Haunted highway : the spirits of Route 66 |last2=Freeman |first2=Dianne |date=1999 |publisher=Golden West Publishers |isbn=9781885590435 |location=Phoenix |oclc=40964950}} * {{Cite book |last1=Ross |first1=Jim |title=Secret Route 66: a guide to the weird, wonderful and obscure |last2=Graham |first2=Shellee |date=2017 |publisher=Reedy Press |isbn=978-1681061078 |location=St. Louis, MO |oclc=980845474}} * {{Cite book |last=Schneider |first=Jill |title=Route 66 Across New Mexico: A Wanderer's Guide |publisher=University of New Mexico Press |year=1991 |isbn=978-0-8263-1280-8 |location=Albuquerque}} * {{Cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Quinta |url=https://archive.org/details/route6600susa |title=Route 66: A Highway and Its People |last2=Kelly |first2=Susan Croce |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |year=1988 |isbn=978-0-8061-2291-5 |location=Norman}} *{{cite news |last1=Taseer |first1=Aatish |last2=Moore |first2=Andrew |title=What a New American Citizen Learned on Route 66 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/15/t-magazine/american-road-trip-route-66.html |work=The New York Times |date=May 15, 2025}} * {{Cite book |last=Wallis |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Wallis |url=https://archive.org/details/route6675thanniv00mich |title=Route 66: The Mother Road |publisher=St. Martin's Press |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-312-28167-0 |location=New York}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|U.S. Route 66}} *{{Wikivoyage inline|Route 66|U.S. Route 66}}

Category:U.S. Route 66 Category:1926 establishments in the United States Category:1985 disestablishments in the United States Category:All-American Roads Category:Culture of the United States 66 Routeandnbsp;66 Category:Scenic highways in Arizona 66