June 15, 2016
U.S. Route 66 was one of the first official highways, established in 1926. The highway connected Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, traveling through 8 states (Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California). Known as “The Mother Road,” Route 66 brought business and prosperity to the communities it ran through. With the creation of the Interstate System in 1956, the once popular highway was bypassed by motorists and in 1985 Route 66 was officially decommissioned.