Who made Route 66 popular?

Avery is remembered as The Father of Route 66. To further the popularity of Route 66, John Steinbeck proclaimed Route 66 the Mother Road in his 1939 book The Grapes of Wrath. Like Route 40 and the National Road, Route 66 has shared the title The Main Street of America.



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20 Facts About Route 66
  • Route 66 was built as an efficient way to get from Chicago to Los Angeles. ...
  • The “Father of Route 66” was an Oklahoma businessman. ...
  • In 1928, promoters held a foot race across Route 66. ...
  • The New Deal helped finish Route 66. ...
  • The Great Depression spurred thousands to head west along Route 66.


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Perhaps the most compelling reason to follow Route 66 is to experience the road's ingrained timeline of contemporary America. Before it was called Route 66, and long before it was even paved in 1926, this corridor was traversed by the National Old Trails Highway, one of the country's first transcontinental highways.

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Migration and tourism shaped towns along Route 66 even before the road was officially established in 1926. But the Interstate Highway System decimated many of these communities when it circumvented Route 66 in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Today, many sections of Route 66 are completely gone.

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Jericho Gap, Texas This became so profitable that there were rumors that some residents watered down the road to increase the plight of Route 66 travelers. Eventually, Route 66 was rerouted to higher ground in the 1930s and the area dwindled into a ghost town.

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And it's a prime example of a rebirth of Route 66 that's occurring in various parts of the country. Town leaders here decided to use the history of the famous road to their advantage, 20 large murals, a museum of Route 66 collectibles, and much more, all bringing in tourists from around the world.

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What are the speed limits along Route 66? Speed limits vary across the route from 35 to 65mph – but most commonly 55 miles per hour which is strictly enforced in the USA by the Police using many methods including aircraft, so be careful with your speed.

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Interstate 40 subsequently replaced a large segment of Route 66 and the roadway was decommissioned in 1985. However, in the aftermath, a variety of non-profit groups were formed to help preserve the historic highway and much of Route 66 remains drivable today.

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