Historic Route 66 Highway

It has been called "The Mother Road," a place to "get your kicks," immortalized in songs, poems, books, and pop culture; It runs through eight states, leads to many important places, like the Grand Canyon, and beyond-it is Historic Route 66.

At the turn of the century, the highway began as a muddy pathway along the railroad tracks, it grew within twenty years to a ribbon of road from Chicago to the west and called the Old Trails National Highway.

By 1926, the highway became established as Highway 66, and as it came through the town of Williams, AZ, it brought with it a string of businesses that attracted tourists, boosting the notoriety of the highway. During the heyday of Route 66, there was an onslaught of dustbowl migrants, WW2 troops, vacationing families, and countless others travelling what would later become known as the "Main Street of America," the Mother Road," and many other venerable names.

Sadly, however, the overflow of traffic became too much, and traffic relief came in the form of the Interstate system, and in 1984, Williams became the last Route 66 town to be bypassed by the Interstate 40. The historic "loop" in Williams celebrates the heritage of the highway, which is not recognized on today's maps. The town renamed Bill Williams Ave to its original title of Route 66, and in 1984, it was awarded the honor of being placed on the National Historic Register. In the town of Williams, along Route 66, you'll find a myriad of shops, eateries, and cafes that appear untouched by time, still lingering somewhere in the bygone era of the highway's heyday. Cruisers 66 Cafe, The Route 66 Place, featuring Twisters Soda Fountain are just a few of these, and at Twister's you'll find a large collection of Route 66 memorabilia.

You owe to yourself to visit this incredible historic site either to or from your visit to the Grand Canyon, where you can discover how America travelled between 1920-1960. Or, if you have an adventurous spirit, plan a trip down the 2,400-plus stretch of highway of "Mother Road," taking the road less-travelled, along an off-ramp to a bygone era.

A few facts about Route 66, provided by http://www.historic66.com/facts/

• "The Will Rogers Highway" is another well-known name for Route 66.
• "Route 66" was also the title name for a popular TV show that ran from 1960-1964.
• In 1926 only 800 miles of Route 66 were paved. Only in 1937 Route 66 got paved end-to-end.
• You can only drive parts of Route 66 these days... it has been replaced by the interstate highways I-55, I-44, I-40, I-15 and I-10, but still a surprisingly high amount of old road is waiting to be found by the more adventurous traveler.
• Cyrus Stevens Avery from Tulsa Oklahoma can be called the father of Route 66.
• In 1985 Route 66 was officially decommissioned, but for daily use it was replaced far earlier by the Interstates.