Trifter

“66 is the main migrant road. 66 the long concrete path across the country, waving gently up and down on the map, from the Mississippi to Bakersfield over the red lands and the gray lands, twisting up into the mountains, crossing the Divide and down into the bright and terrible desert, and across the desert to the mountains again, and into the rich California valleys. 66 is the mother road, the road of flight”. (Fragment of the novel “The grapes of wrath”, by John Steinbeck, 1939)

Almost sixty years after being published for the first time, the words of John Steinbeck seem to keep echoing in the loneliest tracks of historic Route 66. This American author who won the Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes was also who best portrayed the beginning of the Mother Road’s golden years; the time when people drove across the desert with the hope of a better future in the sunny California.

This route of legend was created at the end of 1920s, as part of the first American National Highway System. It was meant to connect the East and West side of the country in the context of the Great Depression and The Dust Bowl, which pushed the rural population forward new destinies. The start point was set in Chicago, and it crossed eight states along 2448 miles (almost 4000 kilometers): Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and, finally, California.

(Number 66 painted on the pavement of the old route – Image source)

The designers and engineers just had to follow the path left by the Native Americans and foreign colonizers in the past. The old track of dust and stones was now covered with solid pavement to receive the upcoming automobiles and trucks. Revolution had started. For the first time, anyone could go from the dark streets of Al Capone in Chicago to the shining Hollywood studios, stopping by little towns, motels and curious attractions along the road.

The route became a cultural icon for many generations of travelers and the song recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946, “Get your kicks on Route 66″ was adopted like a hymn.

But despiting its enormous development and popularity, the Main Street of America was officially extinct in the middle of the 80s, when the new High Speed Highway System was established by President Dwight Eisenhower.

It was a big disappointment for the 66 fans, who determined to keep its spirit alive. Today, numerous local and national institutions work to preserve historic sites along the road and help tourists to follow the original path, which doesn’t appear in official maps anymore.

Veteran CBS journalist Charles Kurault used to say: “Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything”. The nostalgic commuters of Route 66 probably agree with him, because they choose another way of traveling in the rushing era, taking the time to appreciate the landscape and the multicultural singularity of each state.

Next article: 15 icons of Route 66 you cannot miss.