US Highway 66 was once THE way to cross the US from Chicago to Santa Monica, CA and arrive at the Pacific Ocean. You may have heard, “Get your kicks on Route 66” from the 1946 song written by Bobby Troup.
Then the larger higher-speed roads were built and travelers stopped taking this route.
Real travelers continued to choose roads such as this and actually get to see and know the USA instead of speeding past so much of it. When I drove across the USA myself the 2nd time, after traveling much of the world, I sure elected those real-life roads. I highly recommend those smaller roads whenever you have time.
Anyway, the historic Route 66 log appears more and more on clothing and products. It’s got the appeal. And happily, towns along the route are helping people know about it.
Route 66 icon on Google Maps
Google Maps even notes it in its directions now.
I noticed this today, prompting this post.
Notice the directions described in this Google Maps route.
Want to explore US Highway 66, Historic Route 66 when you visit the USA, or even get to know your own states better if you live here? Historic66.com shows you route 66. Check out the Overview Map page, then visit the details.
Interesting Project — Crowd Funding to rebuild part of Route 66
This also caught my interest a couple of weeks ago and I did a segment of Computer Talk Radio talking a bit about it.
Here are the words from one of the project’s reps:
Built in 1926 and running 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif., Route 66 is a legendary part of U.S. history. In 1990, the United States Congress passed Public Law 101-400, the Route 66 Study Act of 1990, recognizing that Route 66 had “become a symbol of the American people’s heritage of travel and their legacy of seeking a better life.”
Route 66 is especially significant to the town of Springfield, MO, the actual “birthplace” of Route 66. Springfield is renovating a very special part of Route 66 that runs through its core designating it as a historic area – and has decided to use crowdfunding to raise the money needed.
According to city officials, it is the first municipality in the nation to use crowdfunding to help renovate the renowned national highway. This funding is happening via CrowdIt.com to help it raise tens of thousands of dollars for the multi-phase program.
Two festivals took place there to pay homage to this vintage piece of an American icon, but I’m afraid we missed them:
- Joplin, Missouri — International Route 66 festival
Here’s the Visit Joplin website, by the way. - Springfield Missouri’s Route 66 Festival on August 10, 2013, at the actual birthplace of Route 66
Wish I’d been there. I hope to post info about other such events and things you can visit there as you travel the USA.