US ROUTE 66

US Route 66, also known as Route 66, The Main Street of America, The Mother Road, and the Will Rogers Highway) was a highway in the US Highway system. One of the original federal routes, US 66 was established on November 11, 1926, though signs did not go up until the following year. Running from East to West, it originally ran from Downtown Chicago, through Illinios, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, before ending at Los Angeles for a total of 2,448 miles ( 3,940 kilometres).

Route 66 underwent many improvements and realignments over its lifetime that changed its overall length. One of these realignments moved the western endpoint from Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica. Contrary to common belief, Route 66 never ran to the ocean; it terminated onto what was at the time US-101 ALT, at what is today the intersection of Olympic and Lincoln Boulevards ( a segment og CA State Route 1 ). It never went to the intersection of Ocean Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard, even thought there is a plaque dedicating Route 66 as the Will Rogers Highway there.

Route 66 was a major path of the migrants who went West, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930's, and supported the economies through which the road passed. People became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive even with the growing threat of the new Interstate Highway System.

US 66 was officially decommissioned (that is, officially removed from the US Highway system) on June 27, 1985 after it was decided the route was no longer relevant and had been replaced by the Interstate Highway System. Portions of the road that passed through Illinios, New Mexico, and Arizona have been designated a National Scenic Byway of the name "Historic Route 66". It has begun to return to maps in this form.

In 1960 until 1964, a US television program series called "Route 66" featured two young travelers, Tod (Martin Milner) and Buz (George Maharis) in a Chev Corvette, stopping along the way for a variety of reasons.

The insrumental theme tune was written by Nelson Riddle and became a Top 30 hit song. 

Recently an animated movie was made by Walt Disney / Pixar called "Cars". The story is about a Corvette racecar character who travels along old Route 66 and is held captive by residents of a fictitious town in Arizona called Radiator Springs. 

Notable Cities along the Route.

Chicago, Springfield, St Louis, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Winslow, Santa Monica.

Route 66 song (see below) has become a jazz standard sung by many famous artists over the years including Nat King Cole. The following are the words to the famous song as sung by various artists including Nat King Cole;

ROUTE 66 (by Troup)

If you, ever plan, to motor west,

Travel my way, take the highway that's the best,

Get your kicks, on Route 66.

It winds, from Chicago to LA,

More than 2000 miles all the way,

Get your kicks on Route 66.

Well it goes from St Louie, down to Missouri,

Oklahoma City looks mighty pretty,

You'll see Amarillo, Gallup, New Mexico,

Flagstaff, Arizona, don't forget Winona,

Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino.

Won't you, get hip to this kindly tip,

When you take that California trip,

Get your kicks on Route 66.