Travel The Mother Road – Route 66

Photo Credit: www.wideworldtravelstore.com

There was a popular song where the lyric used to go “Get your kicks on Route 66.”  Route 66 was the first true American highway.  It linked Chicago, IL, with Santa Monica, CA, and many cities in between became legendary and vibrant because of its existence.

It was the road that connected the big city with the West Coast, and provided a way for people who needed to get from one area of the country to the other with the quickest access possible at the time.  Work began in 1927 and wasn’t completed until 1938, though it was in use well before then.  It’s the main road people took when escaping the Midwest during the Dust Bowl years, and many tales and folklore developed because people saw the road as their opportunity to start life anew in the west.

Unfortunately, like most things, the highway couldn’t keep up with modern technology, and didn’t easily allow access to many major cities the way it was.  When President Eisenhower signed the Interstate Highway Act in 1956, it pretty much spelled doom for Route 66.  Not that it’s totally gone, but it lost its designation as a highway in 1985.

It does still exist, and it’s become more of a tourist attraction that a main highway.  Following the road will take you to cities such as St. Louis, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, Alburquerque, Flagstaff, and of course Santa Monica, which is then a hop, skip and jump to Los Angeles.  Along the way, you’ll see how smaller cities used to take advantage of the traffic by setting up eateries and gas stations, many having been restored as the road has enjoyed popularity from tourists.  You’ll see some of the old style motels which were prevalent.  Even drive-in theaters have come back in some areas along the highway, for those travelers who want to experience another blast from the past.

Route 66 goes through 8 states even now.  It’s bypassed in many areas, but in others it was incorporated into their new highway systems.  But every one of the states it existed in has the historic areas marked for those people who don’t mind taking the long way around.  Route 66 looped its way to its destination instead of being a straight highway, which was where it attained some of its charm.

There are many places along the way where you can stay for the night if you chose to take a ride down memory lane.  Or, as it’s still unofficially known as, Will Rogers Highway.

See more:
The Mother Road: Historic Route 66
A Trip on Route 66: Sites to See
Martin’s Route 66 Gallery