SHSMO Center for Missouri Studies
605 Elm St.
Columbia, Mo.
2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of Route 66, which began with a telegram sent to Springfield, Mo., assigning a number to the new highway that would eventually be built from Chicago to California! The State Historical Society of Missouri is involved in a variety of programs, events, and projects to commemorate America's Main Street that through Missouri between Joplin and St. Louis.
Presenter Kathleen Seale, coordinator of SHSMO's Rolla and Springfield Research Centers, will bring stories, images, and history on Route 66 in Missouri. Learn more about the centennial and SHSMO’s efforts to preserve, share and celebrate the legacy of the road and the Missourians who made it famous.
A current exhibition, "Through the Windshield: Missouri's Route 66" is currently on display in the Wenneker Family Corridor on the 2nd floor of the Center for Missouri Studies.