- Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary, spanning nearly 2,500 miles from Chicago.
- Events across the U.S. include festivals in Springfield, Flagstaff and Amarillo this year.
- Unique attractions along the famous route include the Blue Whale of Catoosa and Cadillac Ranch in Texas.
CHICAGO — If there's one road that's captured American imaginations for decades, it's Route 66.
Spanning nearly 2,500 miles of the American West, the "Mother Road" is the quintessential road trip, linking Chicago to Santa Monica, California, by way of both big cities and small towns, natural scenic views and quirky roadside attractions. It's been featured in everything from hit songs and classic novels to animated films, and it remains a popular tourist attraction today.
And this year, the road is turning 100.
Celebrations will be taking place across the U.S. — from Springfield, Missouri, to Albuquerque to Flagstaff, Arizona — all year long. Here's where you can find some of those celebrations this year, and also some of the unique sites you can find along Route 66 if you decide to celebrate by taking a road trip of your own.
100 years of Route 66
U.S. Highway 66, as it's officially known, came into being on Nov. 11, 1926, the same year that the federal highway system was first established. It became a popular route for people migrating to the West during the Dust Bowl era and the Great Depression, as chronicled in "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, who coined the nickname "the Mother Road."
In 1938, it became the first highway to be fully paved, according to the Federal Highway Administration, and transitioned into more of a tourist destination in the years following World War II. The road was immortalized in the hit song "(Get Your Kicks) On Route 66," which was first recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946 but has since been covered by artists like Bing Crosby, The Rolling Stones and John Mayer. It's also played a key role in a number of films, from "Easy Rider" to "National Lampoon's Vacation" to Pixar's "Cars."
As tourism increased along the route, so did restaurants, gas stations, roadside attractions and motels, all trying to win over passing drivers. Many of them were mom-and-pop businesses built in the small towns the route passed through, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
But the beginning of the end of Route 66's heyday came in 1956, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, establishing the Interstate Highway System, per The History Channel.
By 1985, Route 66 had been decommissioned as a highway, though portions of it have since been added to the National Register of Historic Places and the still-existing portions of the road remain popular tourist attractions.
Unique Route 66 attractions
Route 66 has long been known for its unique — and often quirky or kitschy — roadside attractions. Here are a few notable attractions that you could add to any road trip itinerary.
Lou Mitchell's: This over 100-year-old restaurant has the nickname "the first stop on the Mother Road" because of its location near the beginning of Route 66 in Chicago.
World's Largest Catsup Bottle: Now on the National Register of Historic Places, this 70-foot bottle (on top of a 100-foot tower) was first constructed in 1949 in Collinsville, Illinois.
Meramec Caverns: Located in the Cave State, the 4.6-mile cavern system has long been a roadside stop for travelers in Stanton, Missouri.
Cars on the Route: Only 13.2 miles of Route 66 cross through Kansas, but in Galena, you can find a rusted truck that's believed to be the inspiration for Tow Mater in Pixar's "Cars."
Blue Whale of Catoosa: Over 20 feet tall and 80 feet long, this whale statue has stood in Catoosa, Oklahoma, since 1972.
Cadillac Ranch: This public art installation features 10 Cadillacs buried nose-down in a field, all tilted at the same as the Great Pyramid of Giza, in Amarillo, Texas.
Blue Swallow Motel: Running since 1939, in Tucumcari, New Mexico, the motel's neon sign is an iconic symbol of Route 66.
Wigwam Motel: Once a hotel chain, there are now three surviving motels — with rooms built in the shape of tipis, not wigwams, as the name suggests — with one located in Holbrook, Arizona, and another in San Bernardino, California.
Historic Original McDonald's Museum: Not far off Route 66 in San Bernardino, California, is the site of the first McDonald's. Opened in 1948 and later torn down in 1972, the site now houses a museum to the fast-food giant.
Events celebrating Route 66
Nationwide Route 66 celebrations are already starting this weekend. Here's where you can find some of the biggest events throughout the summer.
Note: This list is not all-inclusive. Events are subject to change.
Centennial Kickoff Celebration
- Where: Springfield, Missouri
- When: Now through May 3
- Where: Seligman, Arizona
- When: May 1-3
Route 66 First Day of Issue Stamp Dedication Ceremony
- Where: Phoenix
- When: May 5
Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series
- Where: Hosted virtually; registration is free but required; videos will be made available on YouTube after the event.
- When: May 12: "Foodways on Route 66,″ T. Lindsay Baker
- June 9: "Route 66 — The First 100 Years," Jim Ross and Shellee Graham
- July 14: "The Changing Faces of Hualapai and Route 66," Ka-Voka Jackson
- Aug. 11: "The Atomic Age on Route 66," Katrina Parks
- Sept. 8: "Exhibiting Route 66: The Road and the Romance: A Look Back," Jeffrey Richardson
- Oct. 13: "America's Game on America's Road: A Regional Exploration of Baseball and Route 66," Jordan Adams
- Where: Amarillo, Texas
- When: June 4-13
- Where: Begins in Santa Monica, California, and ends in Chicago
- When: June 6-25
- Where: Flagstaff, Arizona
- When: June 6
- Where: Tulsa, Oklahoma
- When: June 27-28
America on the Move: A Route 66 Centennial Parade
- Where: Santa Monica, California
- When: July 12
- Where: Tulsa, Oklahoma
- When: July 24-26
Main Street of America Road Show
- What: Documentary screenings of "Route 66: The Main Street of America"
- Where: Screenings held in all eight Route 66 states
- When: Sept. 3-Nov. 7
Illinois Route 66 Mother Road Festival
- Where: Springfield, Illinois
- When: Sept. 25-27
Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Car Show
- Where: Sapulpa, Oklahoma
- When: Sept. 26
Main Street USA Centennial Festival
- Where: Barstow, California
- When: Oct. 9-10
- Where: Kingman, Arizona
- When: Oct. 16-17
