Route 66 Through the Decades

"From all of these the people are in flight, and they come into 66 from the tributary side roads, from the wagon tracks and the rutted country roads. 66 is the mother road, the road of flight."

-John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath

Route 66 is an iconic symbol of freedom, adventure, and nostalgia in the United States and across the world. The unique position of Route 66 as a piece of history, cultural identity, and modern-day curiosity make it one of the most important pieces of road in existence. Exploring the Mother Road (as it was coined by John Steinbeck) through the lens of its history is an important way to contextualize both how it changed America and how it was changed by what was happening in America and the world at large. Beginning with its inception in 1926, through the proliferation of the automobile, the Great Depression, the second World War, and the economic and social changes that came afterward; Route 66 has played a central role in Americans hopes, dreams, and sense of identity.

This exhibit seeks to use images, artwork, and the rich history of Route 66 to explore the framework of how and why this stretch of road became so culturally significant. Each era of its existence had an important impact on the United States, and the more recent sentimental value placed on the Mother Road has garnered it world-wide fame and interest. Even nearly a century on, the feelings of freedom, wanderlust, and adventure that are evoked by the mere idea of Route 66 have not waned

Above is a state of Oklahoma Route 66 highway marker, the iconic symbol of the Mother Road. The white background, black lettering, and distinctive badge shape are immediately recognizable and elicit the sense of nostalgia so often associated with the iconography of Route 66