A Highway That Became a Legend
Route 66 isn’t just pavement and paint. Established in 1926, it initially stretched 2,448 miles from Chicago to California. Generations of families, dreamers, soldiers, and salesmen made their way along this stretch of road, chasing work or adventure or simply striking out for the horizon. What makes it so irresistible? Maybe it’s the mix of dust and neon, of diners that smelled like frying bacon at dawn, and shady motels with signs in faded letters. Or maybe it’s the fact that this road is inextricably tied to the story of seismic societal changes in America. Here are twenty cool facts about Route 66.
1. The Birth Year Was 1926
The number 66 was assigned in 1926 when America’s highway system was stitched together like a crazy quilt. Kansas got a tiny slice, just 13 miles, but every one of those miles mattered.
2. A Path for the Dust Bowl Exodus
When the Dust Bowl hit in the 1930s, Route 66 became the means of escape for thousands of dispossessed families. Having lost their livelihoods, countless packed everything they owned into beat-up trucks and headed west, hoping for better opportunities. Much of the early passages of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath take place along this highway.
3. The Road Wasn’t All Asphalt
Early stretches were gravel or dirt. In some places, your tires sank deep after a rainstorm, and the so-called “Mother Road” felt more like a muddy back alley. Asphalt didn’t come until the 1930s and ’40s, and even then, potholes were simply part of the experience.
4. Neon Became Its Signature Glow
From Tulsa to Tucumcari, neon signs illuminated the nights along this highway. You’d see bright pinks, greens, yellows—even a cowboy tipping his hat outlined in bright light or a blinking arrow pointing toward a vacancy sign on a hotel.
5. Only 85% of It Still Exists
You can still drive most of the old route, though it requires some zigzagging and side-road detours. Some sections have long been overtaken by weeds, while others have become frontage roads along the interstate.
6. Illinois Held the First Mile
The very first mile of Route 66 was laid in Springfield, Illinois. If you start there, you’re already driving through a section of history.
7. The Roadside Diners Are Legends Themselves
With their blue-plate specials and pie displayed under glass domes, the roadside diners are reason enough to make the long trek. Places like Cozy Dog Drive-In in Springfield or Clanton’s Café in Vinita, Oklahoma, became institutions more than pit stops.
8. Route 66 Inspired a Song That Never Faded
Bobby Troup, the American jazz pianist, wrote “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” in 1946 and inadvertently bestowed the road with its anthem. Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry, and the Rolling Stones would all go on to give that catchy tune their personal spin.
9. The Cadillac Ranch Is Out There in the Dust
Near Amarillo, Texas, ten Cadillacs are buried nose-first in the dirt, spray-painted with decades of graffiti. Travelers bring cans of paint to lend their mark to the display as if on a spiritual pilgrimage that’s somehow both ridiculous and poignant at the same time.
10. It Was a Military Lifeline During WWII
During WWII, troop convoys and supplies moved west on Route 66. All along that route, gas stations, motels, and diners stayed open 24 hours to keep the military fed and fueled. The war gave the road a purpose bigger than mere wanderlust.
11. Arizona Has the Longest Driveable Stretch
If you want to cruise a long, uninterrupted portion of that highway, strike out for Arizona. From Seligman to Kingman, it’s a two-lane delight with wide open skies and faded billboards hearkening back to a forgotten era of Americana.
12. Route 66 Once Cut Right Through Small-Town Main Streets
Unlike today’s interstates, Route 66 didn’t bypass towns but passed straight through them. For this reason, it’s one of the few highways with stoplights, diners, and hardware stores interrupting the monotony of the journey. At one point in history, the road was a lifeline for local businesses.
13. Wigwam Motels Were Real
Yes, the teepee-shaped motels you’ve seen in cartoons actually existed. You can still stay in one in Holbrook, Arizona, or San Bernardino, California. They may be tiny inside, but they’re charming in a kitschy sort of way.
Carol Highsmith's America on Unsplash
14. Some Ghost Towns Survived Because of It
Places like Oatman, Arizona, endured as a result of Route 66 when they otherwise would have faded into obscurity. Today, travelers stop for ice cream before heading back into the lonely desert.
Patrick Robert Doyle on Unsplash
15. The Road Crosses Eight States
These states include Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Each stretch of highway feels slightly different as it passes through Midwestern fields, red rock mesas, and the Mojave Desert. By the time you hit the Pacific, you’ve crossed half a continent.
16. You Can Still Find Old Timey Signs
Quirky billboard adverts once lined stretches of 66 with slogans like: “Don’t Stick / Your Elbow Out So Far / It May Go Home / In Another Car.” Some have been restored, and spotting them feels infinitely nostalgic.
17. The Road Ended at the Santa Monica Pier
Although the real terminus was a few blocks inland, the pier became the iconic and symbolic end. Standing at the edge of the Pacific, after 2,448 miles, you can understand the sense of accomplishment.
Bruno Moscon Imperial on Unsplash
18. Pixar’s Cars Brought It Back to a New Generation
Radiator Springs may have been fictional, but it was inspired by real Route 66 towns. Strange how a cartoon can revive history.
19. Route 66 Is on the National Register of Historic Places
Though it was decommissioned as a highway, pieces of the route are preserved as historic landmarks. It’s recognition that asphalt can be just as cultural as brick or marble.
20. People Still Make Pilgrimages
Old couples in RVs, bikers in leather, and backpackers with cameras still make the long pilgrimage every year. More than a road trip, it’s a meandering voyage through history where the journey truly matters more than the destination.
