Route 66 approaches 100th anniversary

U.S. Route 66, famously known as the “Mother Road,” will mark its 100th anniversary on November 11, 2026. Originally established as part of a developing national highway system, the route spans approximately 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles.

The highway was formed by connecting various existing local roads, including parts of the National Old Trails Road and the Ozark Trails. It traverses eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. While it began as a practical transportation link, it evolved into a major economic driver for small towns, fostering the growth of diners, motels, and gas stations.

During the 1930s, the route gained historical significance as a path for families migrating west during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. This era of migration was immortalized by author John Steinbeck in his 1939 novel, “The Grapes of Wrath,” where he referred to the highway as the “Mother Road.”