It rose from the shores of Lake Michigan, angled through
Chicago's big shoulders, followed old Indian trails to the suburbs, then flowed
across the Illinois prairie down to the Father of Waters and St. Louis. Seven
states later at Santa Monica, it emptied into the Pacific Ocean: U.S. Route
66. For a half century starting in 1926, this road embodied and embraced America.
Then in 1977, interstates began replacing it. Its signs came down and it disappeared
from our maps. But it did not disappear from our hearts and minds. That's
because Route 66 was more than just concrete. It was a 2,400-mile long community,
a continent-spanning demonstration of the American character. Literally and
metaphorically, it was the Main Street of America.
Today more than 80 percent of the old road's pavement survives. Much of it
has new "historic" signs. Travelers from all over the world seek
it out--not as a way to get from Point A to Point B, but as a destination
in itself. Maybe you can't shuck and jive on I-55, but you can still get your
kicks on Route 66.
History of Route 66 provided by Tom Teague