Route 66 Celebrates 100 Years as Iconic American Road Trip

The historic highway continues to draw visitors from around the world to its kitschy motels, neon lights, and culinary delights.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 1:22pm

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Route 66, the legendary 2,400-mile highway stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Despite losing its status as a major national artery decades ago, the iconic road still attracts travelers seeking the quintessential American road trip experience, with its neon signs, kitschy roadside attractions, and unique culinary offerings.

Why it matters

Route 66 has become an essential part of American culture and history, embodying the country's spirit of adventure, freedom, and mobility. The highway has played a significant role in the country's economic and social development, serving as a path of hope for migrants during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, and a popular vacation route during the post-war boom of the 1940s and 1950s.

The details

The dream of Route 66 was conceived a century ago, stitched together from Native American trading routes and old dirt roads with the goal of linking the industrial Midwest to the Pacific coast. Oklahoma businessman Cyrus Avery, known as the 'Father of Route 66,' saw the highway as a way to connect rural America and create new pockets of commerce. Over the decades, the road has been immortalized in movies, books, and songs, becoming a symbol of American culture and identity.

  • Route 66 was designated as one of the nation's original numbered highways in November 1926.
  • The highway's heyday was during the postwar boom of the 1940s and 1950s, when it became a popular vacation route.
  • Route 66 was decommissioned as a federal highway in 1985, leading to the preservation efforts of local governments, state historical societies, and private businesses.

The players

Cyrus Avery

An Oklahoma businessman known as the 'Father of Route 66,' who conceived the idea of the highway and saw it as a way to connect rural America and create new pockets of commerce.

Angel Delgadillo

A barber in Seligman, Arizona, who lobbied the state legislature to designate Route 66 as a historic highway, helping to save the town from becoming a ghost town and setting the bar for preservation efforts elsewhere along the route.

Ron Solimon

A businessman and member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe, which has built a multimillion-dollar empire of casinos, burger stands, and other businesses along the Route 66 corridor.

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What they’re saying

“The historical aspect is just a very big important part of American culture, with its influence and its character.”

— Sebastiaan de Boorder, Dutch entrepreneur

“The road wouldn't be alive without the stories of all the places along it that kept it going from town to town. We just survive off each other. The road feeds us, and as long as we put our feelings and love back into the road, it will reverberate with the travelers and the stories of the people.”

— Josh Waldmire, Third-generation owner, Cozy Dog Drive In

“Especially for long-distance travel, segregation was a fact of life. And so Black motorists needed to know a safe place to go.”

— Matthew Pearce, State historian, Oklahoma Historical Society

What’s next

More than 250 of Route 66's buildings, districts, and road segments are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and preservation efforts continue to keep the iconic highway alive for future generations of travelers.

The takeaway

Route 66 has endured as a symbol of American freedom, adventure, and the open road, captivating travelers from around the world with its unique blend of history, kitsch, and culinary delights. As the highway celebrates its centennial, it remains a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of the communities that have kept its spirit alive.