Route 66

Route 66 is special to my because we were married on it in 2004. It’s special to my kids- because it’s on the Disney movie Cars! Nonetheless, it is one of the most well-known highways in America today. The legislation for public highways began in 1916, and in 1926 the government began executing their plan for national highways.

In 1926 a highway route from Chicago to Los Angeles took place and was designated “66”. It was one of America’s main highways from east to west. With it brought industrial growth as farmers could now travel and distribute their goods and transport them from place to place. Route 66 finally was finished being paved in 1938.

As more people began to travel Route 66, more accomodations for overnight stays began to pop up- and are still around today. America was booming- and so was Rt. 66. But due to overexcessive military usage during World War II the roads quickly began to deteriorate, and we soon replaced by 4 lanes highways. By 1970 almost all segments of Route 66 became untravelled on. By 1985 Route 66 had officially been taken off of the National Highway list.

There is a new movement to try and restore the historic Route 66 road. It carried our country a long way as she was growing! It is part of America’s history.