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The U.S. Route 66 or U.S Highway 66 names are also identified in the short form US 66 or Route 66. All these names refer to one Route 66.
The road was among the first highways listed on the Highway System of the U.S. The road goes by several nicknames which are Will Rogers Highway, the Mother Road, and The Main Street of America.
Though US 66 was decommissioned in 1985, it has fascinating truths that you will find intriguing. Get to know 10 interesting facts about Route 66 in these ten-point listings.
1. Beginning and end
The commissioning of Route 66 happened in the year 1926, on November 11. By the 1930s it boasted of paving. The start point of U.S. Highway 66 was considered to be Chicago.
Most people traveled to the west in search of jobs and new life in California or on vacations in the Wild West. But U.S. Highways have no start and endpoint except for the terminus that marks the beginning and endpoint of the highways.
The eastern terminus was at Chicago and the western terminus was at Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California. US 66 was a connection for hundreds of small towns through the southwest. It also provided a trucking route in the same direction.
In October 1984 Route 66 succumbed to the interstate system. It happened when the final section of the original road was replaced at Interstate 40-Williams, Arizona. In June 1985 US Highway 66 was decommissioned.
2. Route 66 began as 60
In November 1925 the U.S. secretary of agriculture approved a proposal put forward by the American Association of State Highway Officials. The proposal included a system of major interstate routes that would run north to south and east to west.
The north to south proposed highways were 12 odd-numbered roads. Those that would run east to west were 10 highways allocated even numbers and U.S. Highway 66 was among the number designated number 60.
Kentucky was among the States that objected to the designation 60 for the Chicago-Los Angeles road. They argued that they were left out and their area ought to be part of the route’s network.
Kentucky was considered and issued route 60. But changes from 60 began with a proposal of 62 but in the final version of the plan, the number 66 was agreed on.
Some maps that didn’t update the designation changes still had Route 60 as the designation for Route 66. Many of the maps published before the final version of the plan never made the changes to capture Route 66 and not 60.
3. It was an interstate link
U.S. Route 66 markers representing different states posted outside Midpoint Café in Adrian Photo by Marcin Wichary-Wikimedia
Route 66 traversed 8 states which include Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. The other states were Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California the end of the road.
4. Nicknamed the mother road
The Grapes of Wrath novelist John Steinbeck originated with the name mother road. A whole chapter in the novel is dedicated to Route 66. Throughout the chapter, he refers to US 66 as the mother road.
The nickname stuck since then. Grapes of Wrath is themed on the 1930s Dust Bowl migrants. The book won several awards like the Pulitzer prize in about 1939.
5. The Main Street of America
Different suggestions may have sparked Route 66 named the Main Street of America. The first is that huge numbers flocked US 66 to see iconic sites in Arizona and California such as the Grand Canyon during summer.
This is another reason Route 66 was called the Main Street of America. Because the farming families in states the road went through moved in large numbers to California via the route.
They went in search of jobs and hailed from states such as Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Kansas. The Arkies or Okies were derogatory references to the moving families. This happened in the 1930s Dust Bowl.
6. The Will Rogers Highway
In 1935 there was a resolution by Congress to honor Will Rogers by naming Route 66 after him. The resolution was never approved. But in 1952, the U.S. Highway 66 Association dubbed Route 66 the Will Rogers Highway.
7. Get to Know the father of Route 66
The father of Route 66 was Cyrus Stevens Avery who was born in Stevensville, Pennsylvania on 31, August 1871. Avery died in California on 2 July 1963. In his lifetime he served in different careers. He was a teacher, politician, farmer, oil investor, and real estate broker.
In the early 1900s Avery lead the Good Roads Movement. In his leadership, the movement championed for America to have better roads. He created Route 66 when he became Oklahoma highway commissioner.
At the same time, he served as a member of the federal board appointed to create the Federal Highway System. After that Avery pushed for U. S. Highway 66 Association establishment. It was meant to promote and pave the highway.
8. How long to drive along
Route 66 is estimated to be 2278 miles or 3665 kilometers. You can take as long as a month to explore the route. It would take you on average two weeks to drive the entire U.S. 66 Highway.
The 2 weeks timing includes stops to visit the cities and sights along the way. It can take you less time about 8 days on a daily drive with no stops at the sights or cities on the way.
A road trip on Route 66 would be a perfect fit between early summer and late spring as well as early fall time. Because such times have temperate weather, roads and businesses along the way are open too.
9. Impossible to drive the entire route
It is impossible to drive through the entire Route 66 in modern today. But you can drive through the few sections of the original route that are preserved. Route 66 was no longer a U.S. Highway after it was decommissioned in 1985 on June 27.
10. It is the epicenter of pop culture
Route 66 is the foundation for music, literature, film, and television shows. Bobby Troup’s song Get your kicks on route 66 is a well-known feature of Route 66. It mentions cities along the route. The tune has been covered by other different artists in large numbers.
Bruce Springsteen’s song Cadillac Ranch in the album The River features the route. The inspiration for the song came from Route 66 road attractions.
Bobby Troup’s Route 66 hit has been used in many films among them the RV movie starring Robin Williams. Also in Disney’s Cars animated feature.
Sections of Route 66 have featured in 1988’s Rain Man film and Route 66 film that aired on network television between 1960 to 64 during prime time.
Literature representation of Route 66 is On the Roadbook by Jack Kerouac. Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath is another classic representation that birthed the nickname mother road referencing route 66.
US 66 still has an impact in the modern-day. Route 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum, is one among many places that have preserved any related memorabilia linked to the Route 66.
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