Route 66 "The Mother Road" is approximately 2,448 miles from the windy city Chicago to L.A. with amazing scenery, old luminous diners, trading posts, historic run down motels and tons of road-side attractions. Traveling abound on Route 66 is a journey through time. No other road has more a zestful appeal and history than Route 66. Route 66 is an American phenomenon that invites enthusiasts from all over the world to follow its path and adventures.
In 1925 the U.S. government executed its plan for national highway construction and expansion across the north American continent.

The numerical designation 66 was assigned to the Chicago to Los Angeles highway route in 1926. Highway planners intended U.S. 66 to connect the rural and urban communities along the highway from these two major cities. With the rapid changes happening in America, Route 66 connected communities from Chicago to Los Angeles. And in the Midwest Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas, connected rural farmers helping them transport there products to market in Chicago. Route 66 was not just appealing for the every day trucker, but also for commuters.
Route 66 was the first highway of such length to be paved from end to end. Along the original road, travelers drove along Main Street(s) of America at eye-level with pedestrians instead of skirting towns on freeways.

The novel The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck proclaimed Route 66 the " Mother Road." Trading Post, Motel, Motor Court and Gas Station owners recognized that travelers required food, automobile maintenance, and lodging along Route 66. Henry Fonda made a great presence in the movie showing countless motels, attractions, garages, and diners began to spawn along Route 66.

There are many serial points of interest and landmarks along Route 66 for tourists and motorists to visit and gaze over. A television series, "Route 66", starring Martin Milner and George Maharis visited many of these landmarks along the Route 66 bringing the " Mother Road" to televisions across America in the 60’s.

In the 1970's, nearly all of original Route 66 was replaced by a modern four-lane highway's. On October 15, 1984 the final section of the original road was replaced by Interstate 40 through Williams, Arizona marking the end of construction for the famed U.S. highway Route 66.


Route 66 recently celebrated its 80th birthday in 2006. There has been much written about Route 66 over the last two decades and beyond. Route 66 is the evolutionary road for US highway construct. Route 66 is a true Route, fluid in nature, and meaningful to the heart of all who amaze at its developmental cycle. Route 66 had four generations: the alignment as assigned in 1926; the early improvements which straightened and shortened some distances; the first paved alignments of the 1930's through the 1950's; and the bypass era beginning in the late 1950's with the advent of I-40; finally the re-discovery period wherein the unique nature of the highway, and its relationship with its environment is now being studied since the last bypass went into place in Williams, Arizona in October of 1984. For all historic buffs this is an American heritage that should be treasured and honored for all time.