About Route 66 Map
The above Route 66 map highlights the route of U.S. Highway 66 on the map of the United States and its length is 2,448 miles (3,940 km); it spans across 8 states, including Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. The major cities along Route 66 are also highlighted on the map. All 48 contiguous states of the U.S. are also marked on the map with state boundaries. The physical relief features are also embedded in the background of this RT 66 map.
About Route 66
Route 66 is known as Main Street of America, the Mother Road, the Main Event, the Sacred Highway and the Father Road. Route 66 is an iconic 2,448-mile (3,940 km) highway that runs from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California through the middle of the United States. It covers 8 states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. A primary path for internal U.S. travel and essential to the growth and development of communities and businesses throughout the country, Route 66 is revered as an archetypal American road. Many consider Route 66 to be the ‘First Highway of Vacation Trails’ and the ‘Vacation Road’. The highway was officially decommissioned from the U.S. Highway System in 1985; however, Route 66 has experienced a revival, becoming a premiere destination for travelers from around the globe.
Historical Significance
This Historic byway is one of the most significant roads in the history of America. Thousands of “Okies” traveled west on Route 66 during the Great Depression of the 1930s searching for work and a better life for their families. Their plight became immortalized in John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath. During World War II the Route was a major avenue for U.S. troops and war supplies moving to the west coast. After World War II the “Mother Road” represented freedom for the American people and the dream of traveling by car to places of their choice and leisure.
Route and Geography
The many routes that comprise Route 66 traverse a multitude of regions. The journey begins in the heart of the country in Chicago, the largest city in the Midwest an hub of the country’s agricultural center. From there, as you travel west, the landscape flattens into the plains of Oklahoma and Texas. Next, the arid desert landscapes of the Southwest provide the scorching heat and dryness, punctuated by numerous cities and towns that were established as retail centers. Finally, as you reach the end of your travels, the route winds its way along California’s coast, ending in Los Angeles at the Pacific Ocean. In addition to the unique variety of environments you will travel through, you will also see rolling hills, rural farmland, small country towns and villages, in addition to famous landmarks such as the Grand Canyon, near Arizona. This is why the Route 66 remains to be one of the most popular traveling routes for tourists.
Economic and Cultural Impact
Incorporating Route 66 into your journey will be fun and educational, because such legendary road has contributed to the growth and development of many communities along the route. In many small towns and villages, travel accomodations, restaurants, gas stations, stores, and novelty shops sprouted up to serve travelers. Route 66 is an integral part of American popular culture. There is no place more famous than Route 66 in the American consciousness. The legendary route is immortalized in many song, books, movies, and TV shows, including the classic hit song "Get Your Kicks on Route 66".
Decline and Decommissioning
Over the past several decades, preservationists and aficionados have argued that Route 66 may still be relevant and worth revitalizing. A contributor to Suite101.com examines the history of the decommissioning of the “Mother Road” and details how towns along Route 66 are experiencing renewal in the wake of interest in the famous highway. According to the article, the construction of the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s began the process of stripping away parts of Route 66 as interstates cut through its various towns and cities. When the famed highway was officially decommissioned in 1985 and its route removed from the U.S. Highway System, many believed that Route 66 was no more. Yet despite the decline of its constituent communities in the 1980s and beyond, many of their structures and attractions remain standing, awaiting preservation and the return of economic vitality brought on by tourism. And in the wake of the route’s revitalization efforts of the 1990s, Route 66 has emerged in a surprising sense as the very thing that once abandoned the many Route 66 towns. Many of the Route 66 “ghost towns” are now experiencing a resurgence of their own, often based upon the remnants left behind by Route 66 itself.
Preservation and Modern Revival
Route 66 has experienced a huge resurgence in heritage tourism travel. While much of the original Route 66 was demolished in the 1950s and 1960s to build Interstate 40, many state and local organizations are saving parts of the original route, landmarks and icons along the way, and promoting tourism in this, “Main Street of America.” In 1999, Congress passed the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program to help save some of Route 66’s most significant landmarks. Today, the traveling Route 66 enthusiast can stop at fully restored diners, visit wacky roadside attractions, check into unique and well-maintained motels, and experience museums dedicated to 1950s-60s rock ‘n roll music, auto-oriented travel culture, and more.
Tourism and Travel Experience
Route 66 is “The Mother Road”, one of the most famous American roads ever. Although the original Route 66 is no longer connected in its entirety, almost all parts are still existent and marked as “Historic Route 66”. So you won’t miss a single kilometre of this unique American piece of culture and history. Along the way you will find the typical US- roadside attractions, beautiful spots for a picnic and hiking tour or boat tour, scenic views and interesting experiences of local culture. Classic attractions and famous places to visit include the Cadillac Ranch in Texas, the Blue Whale of Catoosa in Oklahoma, the U.S. 66 Museum in Santa Rosa or the “End of the Road” at the Santa Monica Pier in California. Tourists from all around the world come to this most famous American road trip destination.