One of the country’s most famous roads is turning 100 this year. Known as the Main Street of America, Route 66 enabled millions of Americans to travel more easily in search of jobs and new adventures.
The iconic highway stretched through eight states. It connected big cities and rural towns from Illinois to California. Route 66 was also one of the country’s first fully paved highways, so it could be used in any weather conditions.
Route 66 offered hope to many Americans during the 1930s. At that time, dust storms wiped out tens of thousands of farms in the Great Plains. The area came to be called the Dust Bowl. Many desperate families traveled along Route 66 to find work in California.
The highway later became popular with drivers heading west for vacations. Gas stations, motels, and restaurants sprang up in small towns along the 2,448-mile-long route.