Stops Along Route 66

"America's Highway," "The Road to Opportunity," "Mother Road" — All nicknames for Route 66, the most famous highway in American history and the first-ever artery connecting the east coast to the west coast. Route 66 is an iconic highway with many fun stops and sights to see along the way. While the highway was decertified in 1985, the road can still be traveled in many places within Arizona, allowing visitors the experience of traveling the nostalgic highway and visiting some wonderful Route 66 Arizona attractions.

The History of Route 66

Inception

Route 66 began as a dream and subsequent lobbying efforts of Cyrus Avery and John Woodruff. Their lobbying efforts finally took root in 1916 when legislation for public highways appeared. It took an additional nine years (1925) before the government executed its plan for national highway construction.

Numerical Designation

Route 66's numerical designation was officially assigned in the summer of 1926, but not after a long battle between the governor of Kentucky and Cyrus Avery -- appointee to develop the new system of Interstate highways by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads. Avery's first choice was U.S. 60 but he was immediately challenged by the Kentucky governor, who wanted U.S. 62. After a long battle, Avery and Kentucky opted for the number 66, a number Avery's chief engineer, John Page, inadvertently discovered had not been assigned. The U.S. Bureau of Public Roads officially designated Route 66 on November 11, 1926.

Route 66 Completed

From 1933 to 1938, thousands of unemployed young men from almost every state were put to work on "road gangs," laboring to pave the final stretches of the road. This monumental effort resulted in the completion of Route 66 when it was deemed 'continuously paved' in 1938.

Dust Bowl

The infamous Dust Bowl in the 1930's was instrumental in driving hundreds of thousands of people to U.S. Route 66, seeking both relief and survival from the arid lands of the Great Plains and surrounding areas affected by years of excessive drought and massive dust storms. Over 100 million acres of land was affected, forcing families to abandon their farms and way of life. Route 66 became an escape route for the thousands of families who were heading west in hopes of work in the promised lands of California. For the people who experienced the Dust Bowl, as well as generations to come, Route 66 symbolized the "road to opportunity."

Decertification

After years of use, Route 66 had deteriorated to an appalling condition. In 1956 the Federal Aid Highway Act was passed, providing the financial means to construct a national interstate and highway system. By 1970, virtually all segments of the original Route 66 had been bypassed by a modern four-lane highway. In October 1984, the final section of the original Route 66 was bypassed by Interstate 40 at Williams, Arizona, but only after the stubborn citizens of Williams put up a staunch legal battle seeking relief to stop the bypass. U.S. 66 officially ceased to exist after its decertification on June 27, 1985, by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Department. U.S. Route 66 was in operation for approximately 59 years before its decommissioning.

Route 66 Facts

• Route 66 crosses eight states in the nation, from east to west, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Even now, each state fiercely protects its portion of Route 66.
• 85% of the original road is still drivable.
• Arizona contains the longest unbroken stretch of Route 66 still in existence, 158 miles from west of Ash Fork to the California border.
• Arizona is the birthplace of Historic Route 66. Through the work of Angel Delgadillo, Jr. and other Seligman residents, Arizona became the first state to dedicate a stretch of U.S. 66 as Historic Route 66, thus beginning the preservation efforts that now encompass the entire road.
• The only National Park that Route 66 passes through is Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.
• The longest curve, the steepest grade, and the highest point on Route 66 are in Arizona.
• The Arizona leg of Route 66 follows the wagon trail laid out by Lieutenant Edward Beale and his exotic caravan of soldiers and camels 1857. Kingman's Beale Street still bears Lieutenant Beale's name and is where you can find the Route 66 Museum. Rumor has it that some descendants of the camels released still roam the desert.
• John Steinbeck, author of the famous book "The Grapes of Wrath" proclaimed U.S. Highway 66 the "Mother Road" and immortalized Route 66 in the minds of Americans.
• The last Route 66 town to be bypassed by the new interstate was Williams, Arizona.