Most of us can’t imagine how to “get there from here” without taking an Interstate highway. Influenced by President Eisenhower's appreciation of Germany’s Autobahn during World War II, the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956 was enacted to construct a nationwide highway system for the purpose of moving people, goods, and troops, quickly and efficiently, throughout the country. Prior to this the Federal government designated a national system of U.S. Highways, or U.S. Routes beginning in 1926, to facilitate highway transportation. While many of the U.S. Routes still exist – notably U.S. 1 stretching from Maine to Florida – most have had significant segments replaced by Interstate highways.

Perhaps the most legendary U.S. Highway of them all is Route 66. Established in 1926, Route 66 carried traffic 2,448 miles diagonally across the country from Chicago to Los Angeles. It spawned the hit song "Route 66" in the sixties which was recorded by a number of artists (we have 6 different recordings in our CD collections). With exotic roadside attractions and destinations – such as the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona – and the ultimate destination: Los Angeles, Route 66 was a roadtripper’s dream and an American cultural icon from the early days of automobile travel. The library has several books that recapture the spirit of the road:

Route 66 Remembered by Michael Karl Witzel, 1996,
Route 66: The Mother Road by Michael Wallis, 1990, and
Route 66: The Highway and Its People a photographic essay by Quinta Scott, 1988.

The road also inspired the television drama “Route 66” which aired from 1960 to 1964 starring Martin Milner and George Maharis. Beginning with Nelson Riddle’s memorable theme, each episode unfolded on location, not on a soundstage in Burbank, California, which was often the case in the early years of television. Characters Tod Stiles (Milner) and Buz Murdock (Maharis) traveled the country, on Route 66 and beyond, in a Corvette convertible. Big name guest stars, such as Robert Redford, Suzanne Pleshette, Martin Sheen, William Shatner, Rod Steiger, James Caan, Julie Newmar, and many others appeared on the program.

Recently released on DVD, Route 66 adds another dimension beyond its memorable theme song, strong characters, and superb scripts. It inadvertently documents an America that was at the time not so homogeneous. Restaurants and stores were locally-owned, the countryside was undeveloped, and regional differences more apparent than they are today.

The library has the first season of Route 66 consisting of the first 30 episodes on 4 DVDs. So take a step back 50 years and get your kicks on Route 66.