It is known as the Main Street of America - The Mother Road - The Free Road - even the Will Rogers Highway. And it evokes images of roadside diner's, mom-and-pop truck stops, old-fashioned service stations, motor courts, neon signs, and classic American automobiles.
It is the famous Route 66, officially dedicated on November 11, 1926, 2,440 miles long joining Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. This revolutionary new road spanned eight states and three time zones, crossing rural countrysides, small towns, and major metropolitan hubs.
Oklahoma, the state where East meets West, stood at the heart of Route 66. For down-and-out sharecroppers, it was the road of opportunity. For travelers, it was a highway that bid America to "Get Your Kicks." From Quapaw to Texola and more than 400 miles between, the spirit of Route 66 came alive.
Through the past seven decades Route 66 has remained a reflection of America's ever-changing culture. it spawned a new breed of roadside diners, encouraged innovations in lodging and tourist attractions, and suymbolized the American ideals of high adventure and free-wheeling mobility. And it has left us a timeless reminder of our nation's heritage.