Before the U.S. Highway System In 1857, Lt.
Edward Fitzgerald Beale of the
U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers was directed by the
United States Department of War to construct a wagon road along the
35th parallel. The route, later known as
Beale's Wagon Road, was intended to improve transportation across the southwestern United States and included experiments with the use of
camels as
pack animals. Portions of this route were later incorporated into alignments of US 66. Before the creation of a nationwide system of numbered highways, long-distance travel in the United States relied on a network of privately marked
auto trails. The route that later became US 66 incorporated segments of several of these trails, including the
National Old Trails Road, parts of the
Ozark Trails system, and, in the Midwest and South, portions of routes such as the
Lone Star Route. These routes were often indirect and inconsistently marked, leading to calls for a standardized national highway system. Like other early U.S. highways, Route 66 was assembled from existing local, state, and national road networks rather than built as an entirely new road. Its proposed Chicago–Los Angeles alignment gained support because it connected established regional centers along an existing transcontinental corridor. Federal involvement in highway development expanded with the
Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 and the
Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921. In 1925, Congress authorized the creation of a national system of numbered highways, and the
American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) began developing a uniform plan for route designations. Businessman
Cyrus Avery and others advocated for a Chicago–Los Angeles route, which became US 66 when the system was implemented in 1926.
Birthplace and rise of US 66 in
Springfield, MO. Designation and early development The numerical designation for U.S. Route 66 was assigned in 1926 as part of the initial planning of the
United States Numbered Highway System. The route connected
Chicago and
Los Angeles, linking a series of existing regional roads into a continuous transcontinental highway. The designation of U.S. Route 66 followed a dispute over numbering within the newly planned highway system. Promoter
Cyrus Avery initially sought the designation
US 60 for the Chicago–Los Angeles route, but officials in Kentucky successfully argued that US 60 should instead follow an east–west corridor through their state. Alternative proposals included assigning the Chicago–Los Angeles route to
US 62 or splitting US 60 into multiple branches. The issue was resolved when Oklahoma highway engineer John M. Page identified 66 as an unassigned number, which Avery accepted as the designation for the route.
Promotion and growth across the
Mississippi River was built to carry the growing traffic of US 66 around the city of St. Louis. Following its designation, the
U.S. Highway 66 Association was established in 1927 to promote paving, maintenance, and tourism along the route. Led by Cyrus Avery and others, the organization marketed US 66 as a major transcontinental highway and encouraged travel along it. Promotional efforts included national advertising campaigns and events such as the 1928 "Bunion Derby", a
transcontinental footrace that followed much of the route and attracted national attention. The association also promoted travel through print advertising, including a 1932 campaign in the
Saturday Evening Post encouraging Americans to travel US 66 to the
1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, which generated widespread public interest in the highway. This growth also led to the development of distinctive roadside architecture and attractions, such as
teepee-shaped motels and themed service stations. Notable surviving examples include the
U-Drop Inn in
Shamrock, Texas, an
art deco–style service station and café listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. The expansion of automobile travel along the route also contributed to the early development of the fast-food industry, including drive-through restaurants and regional chains that catered to motorists. With the construction of the
Interstate Highway System in the mid-20th century, sections of US 66 were progressively replaced or rerouted onto new freeways. The reassignment of the route onto interstates, along with restrictions on roadside advertising following the 1965
Highway Beautification Act, contributed to reduced traffic on older alignments and the decline of many businesses that had depended on highway travelers.
Decline gas station along former US 66 The decline of U.S. Route 66 began with the passage of the
Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, which authorized construction of the
Interstate Highway System. The new limited-access highways provided faster, more direct routes and gradually replaced older highways such as US 66. Even before the Interstate era, sections of US 66 had been widened or realigned to accommodate increasing traffic. In states such as Illinois and Missouri, large portions of the highway were expanded to four lanes and included bypasses around towns, many of which were later incorporated into Interstate routes. In 1953, one of the first major bypasses occurred with the opening of the
Turner Turnpike between Tulsa and Oklahoma City, followed by the
Will Rogers Turnpike in 1957. These toll roads paralleled US 66 and diverted traffic away from towns along the original route. , once featured a zoo, gift shop, restaurant, campground, gas station and "death cave" Similar changes occurred across the Southwest. In New Mexico, plans for
Interstate 40 encountered resistance from communities concerned about economic impacts, but most towns were eventually bypassed during the 1960s and 1970s. As Interstate construction progressed, traffic increasingly shifted away from US 66. In several states, local business owners and civic leaders opposed the construction of interstate bypasses, fearing the loss of traffic and revenue. In New Mexico, for example, some communities resisted plans for
Interstate 40 to bypass their towns, prompting negotiations over route placement to preserve access to local businesses. Similar concerns were raised elsewhere along US 66 as interstates diverted travelers away from established commercial corridors. The decline of roadside businesses was accelerated by the 1965
Highway Beautification Act, which restricted roadside advertising along interstate highways, making it more difficult for travelers to locate businesses on older alignments. By the late 1970s, most sections of US 66 had been replaced by Interstate highways. The route was gradually decommissioned, and in 1985 the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials officially removed US 66 from the United States Highway System. In several states, portions of the former route retain the "66" designation as part of state highway systems, such as
State Highway 66 in Oklahoma and
State Route 66 in Arizona. Other segments are marked as "Historic Route 66" and maintained for tourism and preservation purposes. Some municipal roads along the old route have also retained the "66" number. Preservation efforts by local and national organizations have contributed to the continued visibility of Route 66 as a historic transportation corridor.
Revival in
Mount Olive, Illinois Early preservation efforts Following the decommissioning of U.S. Route 66, preservation efforts began at the state and local levels. The first Route 66 associations were established in Arizona in 1987 and in Missouri and Illinois shortly thereafter, promoting the preservation and commemoration of the historic highway. States also began designating surviving segments as "Historic Route 66". In 1990, Missouri declared its portion of the highway a state historic route, a model later followed by other states. Many states and communities now mark the route with highway markers or
route shield pavement marking, especially as Route 66 markers are common targets of
street sign theft.
Federal and national recognition Preservation efforts expanded at the national level in the late 20th century. In 1999, President
Bill Clinton signed the
National Route 66 Preservation Act, which provided federal support for preserving and restoring historic features along the route. The
National Park Service developed the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program and a
Discover Our Shared Heritage travel itinerary documenting historically significant locations along the route. In 2008, the
World Monuments Fund included Route 66 on its
World Monuments Watch, citing threats to historic roadside architecture from development and neglect.
Cultural revival and tourism in
Seligman, Arizona. The eatery is still a popular tourist stop. Since the late 20th century, Route 66 has experienced a revival as a heritage tourism destination, attracting both domestic and international travelers. Preservation groups have worked to restore historic
motels, gas stations, and
neon signage associated with mid-20th-century automobile travel. Festivals, museums, and local initiatives have contributed to renewed public interest in the route and its cultural significance. Route 66 is also commemorated in museums and interpretive sites along its former route. Examples include the National Route 66 & Transportation Museum in
Elk City, Oklahoma, which covers all eight Route 66 states; the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in
Clinton, Oklahoma, operated by the
Oklahoma Historical Society; and the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum in
Pontiac, Illinois, which houses Route 66 memorabilia and artifacts. The route is also interpreted by the
National Museum of American History in
Washington, D.C., in its "America on the Move" exhibition, which highlights the role of highways in American transportation and culture.
Modern initiatives Efforts to commemorate and reinterpret Route 66 have continued into the 21st century. Proposals have been made to restore the route as a continuous highway, though these have raised concerns about balancing modernization with historic preservation. In 2018, the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials designated the first sections of
U.S. Bicycle Route 66, part of the
United States Bicycle Route System, in Kansas and Missouri. ==Route description==