Why Route 66 became America’s most famous road
Route 66 is iconic. Why?
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Route 66 has gained a reputation as the United States of America’s most famous road. How did that happen, and why does it still matter?
In this episode of Vox Almanac, Vox’s Phil Edwards explores the history of the road and the textures of its present, from the road itself to the roadside attractions along the way, to the people who enjoy its diversions and those who help maintain them. It reveals a road that’s changed a lot over the decades but remains vital in unexpected ways.
When Cyrus Avery helped found Route 66 in the 1920s, he strived to create a road that would connect the Midwest to the West, and he resorted to promotional tricks and wheeling and dealing to get it done. The road quickly became a key route for migrants escaping the dust bowl and depression, forming its early reputation as “the Mother Road.”
That’s because it’s a road that’s more than a strip of concrete (or gravel, or dirt). It’s a historical document of everyone who’s traveled on it — as the many contributions from Vox’s YouTube subscribers show, that keeps it going even as the interstates run alongside it.
The number of Route 66 resources out there is huge, but we found these particularly helpful.
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The Curt Teich Archives
You won't find essays here, but you will find a treasure trove of postcards that we used in this piece, including tons of Route 66 arcana.
Route 66: The Highway and Its People
I got to speak with Quinta Scott about her gorgeous photographs of Route 66, as well as the interviews she recorded with coauthor Susan Kelly. This book is a pleasure to look at and is packed full of information and interviews that you just can’t get any more.
The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership
If you’re curious about Route 66 preservation and revitalization, this group is one of the strongest interstate partnerships searching for new ways to promote and improve the road.
Our video about the Green Book, a critical resource for black Americans wanting to travel across the country on Route 66 and beyond in the mid-1900s.
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Route 66: America's Lost Highway Turns 90
Route 66 turns 90 years old this year and despite preservation efforts, the fate of this iconic highway is still in question. WSJ’s Jeff Bush travels to the Mojave Desert to take a look at one infamous section of the Mother Road.
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It Begins ! The Start of Route 66 Road Trip
For the first time in my life I am attempting to complete all of Route 66 in its entirety . Starting at the Santa Monica pier and ending in downtown Chicago Illinois . This is day one of the adventure .
Jacob's Video
A Brief History of US Highway Route 66
I have been wanting to create a video about the history of US Highway Route 66 for quite some time now. I have driven it many times while delivering motorhomes. It is not what it used to be, and I tell you how it all started, and why it is not as great as it once was.
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Historic Route 66
Impressions about a dear American legend
Route 66 Documentary - Iconography of the American Highway
Route 66 Documentary - Iconography of the American Highway U.S. Route 66 (US 66 or Route 66), also known as the Will Rogers Highway and colloquially
Route 66: 20 Great Stops on the Road Trip
Route 66 is one of the most famous drives in the world. I got a chance to drive it with my dad and we had a blast exploring all of the fun, weird and historic spots along the route. We spent 14 days driving from Santa Monica to Chicago and saw as much as we could on the drive. Here are a few of our favorite spots and let us know what your favorites are in the comments.
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Route 66, United States, North America
U.S. Route 66, also known as the Will Rogers Highway and colloquially known as the Main Street of America or the Mother Road, was one of the original highways within the U.S. Highway System. Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 with road signs erected the following year. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in America, originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending at Los Angeles, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km). It was recognized in popular culture by both a hit song and the Route 66 television show in the 1960s. Route 66 served as a major path for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and it supported the economies of the communities through which the road passed. People doing business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive in the face of the growing threat of being bypassed by the new Interstate Highway System. Route 66 underwent many improvements and realignments over its lifetime, and it was officially removed from the United States Highway System on June 27, 1985 after it had been replaced in its entirety by the Interstate Highway System. Portions of the road that passed through Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, and Arizona have been designated a National Scenic Byway of the name Historic Route 66, which is returning to some maps. Several states have adopted significant bypassed sections of the former US 66 into the state road network as State Route 66. Officially recognized as the birthplace of U.S. Route 66, it was in Springfield, Missouri on April 30, 1926 that officials first proposed the name of the new Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway. A placard in Park Central Square was dedicated to the city by the Route 66 Association of Missouri, and traces of the Mother Road are still visible in downtown Springfield along Kearney Street, Glenstone Avenue, College and St. Louis streets and on Missouri 266 to Halltown, Missouri. Championed by Tulsa, Oklahoma businessman Cyrus Avery when the first talks about a national highway system began, U.S. 66 was first signed into law in 1927 as one of the original U.S. Highways, although it was not completely paved until 1938. Avery was adamant that the highway have a round number and had proposed number 60 to identify it. A controversy erupted over the number 60, largely from delegates from Kentucky which wanted a Virginia Beach--Los Angeles highway to be U.S. 60 and U.S. 62 between Chicago and Springfield, Missouri. Arguments and counter-arguments continued and the final conclusion was to have US 60 run between Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Springfield, Missouri, and the Chicago--L.A. route be U.S. 62. Avery settled on 66 (which was unassigned) because he thought the double-digit number would be easy to remember as well as pleasant to say and hear. The state of Missouri released its 1926 state highway map with the highway labeled as U.S. Route 60.
After the new federal highway system was officially created, Cyrus Avery called for the establishment of the U.S. Highway 66 Association to promote the complete paving of the highway from end to end and to promote travel down the highway. In 1927, in Tulsa, the association was officially established with John T. Woodruff of Springfield, Missouri elected the first president. In 1928, the association made its first attempt at publicity, the Bunion Derby, a footrace from Los Angeles to New York City, of which the path from Los Angeles to Chicago would be on Route 66. The publicity worked: several dignitaries, including Will Rogers, greeted the runners at certain points on the route. The race ended in Madison Square Garden, where the $25,000 first prize (equal to $334,254 in 2013) was awarded to Andy Hartley Payne, a Cherokee runner from Oklahoma. The U.S. Highway 66 Association also placed its first advertisement in the July 16, 1932, issue of the Saturday Evening Post. The ad invited Americans to take Route 66 to the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Top 10 Stops on Route 66 - Visit America
Top tourist attractions, cities and Towns on Route 66. The Mother Road is calling and there are 2400 miles of roadway and America to see. Here we give our ten favorite towns and cities to visit on Route 66. If you are driving, riding your bike with friends or just taking an RV across the country Route 66 will show you America like no other road trip can.
Filmed in Williams, Arizona
Copyright Mark Wolters 2013
1. Chicago, IL
2. Springfield, IL
3. St. Louis, IL
4. Oklahoma City, OK
5. Amarillo, TX
6. Santa Fe, NM
7. Flagstaff, AZ
8. Williams AZ & The Grand Canyon
9. The little towns along Route 66
10. Los Angeles, CA
Route 66 Timelapse - From Chicago to LA in 3 Minutes
USA Route 66 Cross Country Road Trip Map, Data, Summary, Photos, Equipment Used:
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*** Turn on annotations to see what state is being displayed in the video ***
This Timelapse / Drivelapse Route 66 video shows my road trip down the entire length of Route 66 (The Mother Road) from Chicago to Los Angeles in August 2012. When given an option for which time era of the road to travel we picked the oldest parts of Route 66 (pre-1937, pre-1928 etc).
If you are interested in seeing the extended version (Duration: 5:14) or the uncut, full-length version (Duration: 51:40) click here for download links:
Music Credits:
Route 66 by the band Route 66
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Road Trip Drivelapse + Timelapse Videos, Photos, Data, Equipment, and Maps. Travel Tips, Road Trip Tools, Points of Interest and Suggested Routes across the USA and beyond.
Route 66 Road Trip Stops in California
Route 66 road trips typically end at the Santa Monica Pier. We started our journey from there and drove over 14 days to Chicago, Illinois. This video is part of a series I am making on all of the states on Route 66 and what they looked like during June of 2019. California is one of the most barren and has lost a lot of Route 66 charm but there are still some fun spots if you know where to look. You can see our favorites in the video and you can see videos on the rest of the states when they are posted on my other channel below.
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Forgotten Ghost Towns of Route 66
From the Blue Swallow to the Bent Door, The Midpoint Cafe and the Famous Ugly Crust Pies, The Hometown of Flo from Cars, along the old forgotten Dirt section of Route 66 lie towns forgotten from time, Ghost Towns of the Mother Road, and we're on another Randomland Adventure from Landmark to Landmark - Giant Cowboys, Crazy Cadillacs, Abandoned Towns, Wild Motels... Come along for the ride!
Seen Along Route 66
U.S. Route 66 or Route 66, also known as the Will Rogers Highway, the Main Street of America or the Mother Road, was one of the original highways within the U.S. Highway System. US 66 was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in the United States, originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before ending at Santa Monica, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles.
Route 66 USA
A Cruise Down The Mother Road from Chicago To Los Angeles - 2300 miles All The Way -Get Your Kicks On Route 66
Santa Monica Pier - Route 66 : End of the Trail
At dahil bored pumunta na lang sa Santa Monica Pier at nag munimuni hehhee...
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Santa Monica Pier
200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401
The Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed pier at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California, United States. It contains a small amusement park, concession stands, and areas for views and fishing.
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Route 66: What does freedom really mean to Americans?
Muslim American Marwa Balkar challenged Donald Trump about patriotism. She journeys down the most famous highway in the United States to explore what freedom means to Americans.
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The Singing Road of New Mexico - Rt 66 Sings America the Beautiful
introduces the newest of only two singing roads in the USA! Built by National Geographic as a part of their new Nat-Geo TV show Crowd Control, a short section of Route 66 has specially designed rumble strips that turn the Mother Road into a record and your car into a phonograph, of sorts. Just a few miles east of Four Hills. Enjoy driving safely in New Mexico!
Across America: 5 Must-See Stops on Route 66
Beginning in Chicago and ending in California, Route 66 stretches 2,451 miles. It’s the ultimate American road trip and is turning 90 years old this November. To celebrate, Brian Corsetti has five stops you should make as you’re getting your kicks.
From Los Angeles to Chicago - Driving the Route 66 (including some detours)
So some friends and I took an RV on a 2 week drive along the Historic U.S. 66 and recorded the drive using my action cam.
Recorded between 16/08/2016 and 30/08/2016
Camera:
Model: GitUp Git1 Pro
Resolution: 1080p30
FoV: Wide
TimeLapse: 1 FPS
Thanks to Techmoan:
RV:
Cruise America C25
Based on Ford E350 series
Campgrounds:
Barstow/Calico KOA (could not reach due to Blue Cut Fire)
Las Vegas KOA at Sam's Town
Grand Canyon/Williams KOA
Flagstaff KOA
Grants/Cibola KOA (best staff in the world)
Santa Fe KOA
Tucumcari KOA
Amarillo KOA
El Reno West KOA
Tulsa NE/Will Rogers Downs KOA
Springfield/Route 66 KOA
St. Louis West/Historic Route 66 KOA
Springfield KOA
Kankakee South KOA
Hotels:
Best Western Airport Plaza Inn (L.A.)
Holiday Inn Chicago Elk Grove (Chicago)
Flights:
FRA to LAX - Lufthansa, Airbus A380-800, 11,5 hrs
ORD to FRA - United Airlines, Boeing 777-222, 8 hrs
Tracklist:
0:00:00 Heavyweight - RedMoon & Meron Ryan
0:03:10 Hello - OMFG
0:06:53 We Rise - From The Dust
0:11:27 Heroes Tonight - Janji (feat. Johnning)
0:14:50 Highlife - David Bulla
0:19:35 Life - Tobu
0:22:29 Nostalgia - SirensCeol
0:27:46 Stardust - OMFG
0:30:45 Shine - Spektrem
0:35:00 Explode - Verm
0:39:31 Time - 3rd Prototype & Lex Dave (feat. Yohamna Solange)
0:43:03 Entropy - Distrion & Alex Skrindo
0:46:13 Spectre - Alan Walker
0:49:57 Crest - Codeko
0:54:34 Nova - Ahrix
0:59:10 Titsepkoen 2015 - Lensko
1:02:19 Lovers - LarsM
1:07:02 Lights - Jim Yosef
1:10:45 Sunburst - Tobu & Itro
1:13:51 Adventures - William Ekh (feat. Alexa Lusader)
1:16:59 Mashed Potatoes - OMFG
1:19:40 Coming Home - SirensCeol
1:24:10 Candyland - Tobu
1:27:26 Beam - Mako
1:31:46 Ice Cream - OMFG
1:36:26 Hope - Tobu
1:40:59 Cetus - Lensko
1:45:38 Future Vibes - K. Safo & Alex Skrindo (feat. Stewart Wallace)
1:49:21 Yeah - OMFG
1:52:50 Together - Janji (feat. Vivien)
1:55:33 Seven - Tobu
1:59:19 Fade - Alan Walker
2:06:34 Kingdom (Club Mix) - Archie
2:10:41 Unexpected - David Bulla
2:14:42 Ok - OMFG
2:18:02 Good Times - Tobu
2:21:16 Plethora - Droideka
Mix by PerfectMusic:
USA roadtrip 2017 | West Coast and Midwest | Route 66
USA West coast and Midwest
California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada roadtrip in 21 days