Route 66 celebrates 100 years of history

Route 66, the iconic American highway known as the ‘Mother Road’, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Inaugurated in late 1926, the nearly 4,000-kilometer route was one of the first paved roads in the United States, designed to connect Chicago to the Santa Monica pier.

The highway traverses eight states across the Midwest and the Pacific Coast. While it is no longer a single official highway, much of the route remains traversable. Historically, Route 66 gained significant importance during the Great Depression (1929–1939) as a vital migratory path for thousands of families fleeing to the West in search of better lives in California.

Today, the route is a major cultural and tourist icon, characterized by vintage neon signs, historic motels, and retro aesthetics. Cities such as Flagstaff, Arizona, served as essential hubs for travelers during the era of mass migration and continue to preserve the heritage of the road.