100 years of Route 66

Route 66 functioned as the "Main Street of America," a 2,000-mile ribbon of pavement that linked Chicago to the Pacific Coast and forged a shared national identity. Beyond its role as a vital transportation artery, the highway served as a lifeline for 1930s Dust Bowl migrants and a symbol of American mobility, immortalized in literature, music, and television. The development of the federal interstate system during the 1950s fundamentally altered this landscape, bypassing small towns and devastating the local economies that relied on roadside traffic. While the physical road has largely fragmented, the route survives as a cultural icon, representing a bygone era of travel where the journey itself held as much significance as the destination. The transition from a legendary thoroughfare to a collection of disconnected memories reflects broader shifts in American infrastructure and community life.