A ROAD TRIP ALONG THE LEGENDARY MOTHER ROAD Stretching 2,448 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles—and connecting small, rural communities along its continuously paved path, a feat when it debuted in 1926—U.S. Route 66 was once considered a principal artery through the country. In the 1930s, it offered those escaping the ruinous Dust Bowl a route to better opportunities. After World War II, it also served as a symbol of the nation’s postwar economic recovery, as thousands of returned soldiers and military men relocated West to start new lives. After being decommissioned in 1984 in favor of larger interstate highways, grassroots efforts sprouted up to preserve this beloved roadway, eventually leading it to become a designated National Historic Route. Today, the iconic “Mother Road” (as coined by Grapes of Wrath author John Steinbeck) is a romanticized symbol of another time, when gleaming classic cars rumbled along the two-lane highway and travelers could pull over at mom-and-pop-owned motels, when bustling diners dished out burgers and shakes, and welcoming service stations embodied the spirit of hospitality. Go on a legendary road trip along this famous route to experience for yourself its historic significance and impact on American culture. Winslow 33
Arizona Official State Travel Guide Arizona 2020-21: Page 33
