ARIZONA ROUTE 66 EVENTS
A 385.2 mile journey through time!
“…There is a spirit, a feeling that resides along this highway. The spirit of Route 66 lives in the people and their stories, the views and buildings, and travelers’ perceptions of the highway. Today’s travelers can still experience a remarkable journey traveling through time on Route 66.”
Arizona contains the longest unbroken stretch of Route 66 still in existence, 158 miles from west of Ash Fork to the California border!
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Route 66, also known as the Mother Road, has a rich history that includes its role in American history, pop culture, and the preservation of its legacy: The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 established the nation’s first highway system, which included Route 66. The route was created by combining existing local, state, and national roads. The U.S. 66 Highway Association promoted Route 66 as the “shortest, best, and most scenic route” from Chicago to Los Angeles. The highway became popular and was called the “Main Street of America” by the mid-1930s. Route 66 was a key route during westward expansion and discovery. It also played a critical role in the movement of Americans to the West Coast during World War II. Route 66 became embedded in pop culture through songs, books, television, and advertisements. John Steinbeck called it the Mother Road in his 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath. The Federal Highway System began building new, more direct highways in the late 1950s, which bypassed many small towns and attractions along Route 66. Traffic on the highway declined, and it was no longer considered a primary transportation route by the 1970s. In 1985, the US Transportation Department officially decommissioned Route 66, removing it from the Federal Highway System. The National Park Service designated many sections of Route 66 as National Scenic Byways or historic districts. Preservationists have also worked to preserve the road and its attractions.
Arizona Route 66 History