Route 66 - History Beyond the Mother Road

LEGENDARY ROUTE 66

History Beyond the Mother Road

For many, Route 66 is in their blood – they grew up on the old highway, traveled the road with their parents when they were kids, or, perhaps, even pumped gas at one of the many vintage filling stations where its owners actually knew what the term “customer service” meant.

For others, they are nostalgic like me – “old souls,” some might say. And, if it’s history, it’s interesting!!! What the Santa Fe Trail is to us today, Route 66 will be to our future generations, and it’s heritage and history can no more be forgotten than those of the wagon train pioneers. Yes, it was another era -- one that made a giant step in the progress of a nation.

Vintage travelers in 1941.

This image available for photographic prints HERE!

So, people say to me all the time, “I just don’t get it.” Well, if you travel this vintage pavement, I can guarantee that you will. Along this historic path, that generally follows an even older one – that of the railroads as they expanded westward, there is history that dates back far beyond the asphalt of the Mother Road. It’s not just about an old highway – it is so much more – an evolution from historic trails such as the National Old Trails highway that traversed much of the same road in New Mexico, Arizona and California; or the Trail of Tears that converges with Route 66 in Missouri and Oklahoma.

Along this vintage road, you will not only find the “good ole’ days” that you may remember, but also a depth of history that perhaps you can only imagine. From Civil War sites in Missouri and Oklahoma, to outlaws in Texas and New Mexico, to the numerous gold mining camps of Arizona , the sights along this old highway are incredible.

If you long for the good ole’ days with the buttery smell of popcorn at the drive in theater or a greasy burger at the local diner, you will have plenty of opportunities at places like the Cozy Dog Drive-In in Springfield, Illinois; Wrink’s Market and the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Missouri; or the Snow Cap Drive-In in Seligman, Arizona. If your memory revives the days of Stuckey's , Steak ‘N’ Shakes, and Burma-Shave signs, you’ll be happy to know that these Route 66 icons are on their way back!

If it’s an older part of the west that you’re looking for, you’ll find that too. Holbrook, Arizona was once said to have been “too tough for women or churches;” Tucumcari was once referred to as “Six-Shooter Siding,” and Galena, Kansas was the site of much bloodshed during its coal mining days.

Even though several interstates have virtually replaced the old highway, almost 85% of it can still be traveled. Along the way, you will encounter the remnants of ghost towns killed by the super highways that replaced Route 66. Some of these are a ghost towner's dream, such as Glenrio, Texas; Cuervo, New Mexico; and a long stretch of ghost towns as you enter California's Mojave Desert.

Along this historic road, numerous lakes, state and national parks, and historical sites are abundant. Take your time, as, all along the old Mother Road, there is something for everyone.

Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, © July, 2005

Also See:

About The Mother Road - Route 66

Gallery of the Mother Road

Personal Testimonials of the Mother Road

Signs of the Mother Road

Roy's Motel and Cafe in Amboy, California has been

sold with plans to restore the entirety of this vintage

ghost town. December, 2004, Kathy Weiser.

This image available for photographic prints HERE!

Petrified Forest east of Flagstaff, Arizona, courtesy National Park Service.

Members of the Hashknife Outfit, who operated

in Holbrook, Arizona during its wild and wooly

days of the Old West ,

This image available for photographic prints HERE!

From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Route 66 Postcards - Legends of America and the Rocky Mountain General Store has collected numerous postcards for our Route 66 enthusiasts. For many of these, we have only one available. To see this varied collection, click HERE!