100 Years of Route 66

Missouri played an important role in the development of Route 66 as the birthplace of the famous highway. Springfield, Mo. is where Route 66’s name became official via a telegram on April 30, 1926, assigning a number to the proposed highway. Cyrus Avery, the Oklahoma highway commissioner and John T. Woodruff, a Springfield attorney, led a small group of business owners who lobbied for the creation of a new federal highway stretching 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.

Route 66 sparks warm memories of family road trips, fun shops, diners, motels, and scenic natural areas. Despite the route’s demise with the completion of the Interstate Highway System, the Mother Road continues to inspire new generations seeking adventures on the open road. Portions of the old road can easily be driven from St. Louis to Joplin. In fact, you can still drive about 85 percent of “America’s Main Street” from Chicago to the Pacific Coast and feel its spirit in the lives of fellow travelers and the locals along the way. 

Leading up to the centennial of Route 66 and throughout 2026, the State Historical Society of Missouri and other organizations are planning events to commemorate 100 years of the Mother Road. Check back to this page, as we will post happenings, share photos and stories. Buckle your seat belt and we'll travel Route 66 together!

Interactive map of Route 66

Route 66 Interactive Map screenshot

Totem Pole Trading Post, Rolla

Inside Scoop

map of Route 66 display in Albuquerque New Mexico
We’re Circling the Wagons in Albuquerque

SHSMO’s Route 66 coordinator Kathleen Seale, recently met with members of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, the National Park Service, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The two-day annual meeting focused on efforts across the country to preserve and

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Gray Summit along Route 66
Help Preserve Route 66 History

The State Historical Society of Missouri continues its Route 66 collecting initiative focused on preserving the road’s history within the state. Examples of items include photographs, postcards, film and home videos along the route, records of roadside businesses, oral histories of

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Memories from the Mother Road

Henry J. Childers showcasing some of his more elaborate baskets.
“Basketville” and the Legacy of the Childers Family
By Ashley Weaver  William Francis Childers weaved wooden baskets in the traditional Ozark style and taught others the craft, including his son, Henry J. Childers, owner of Artful Woodwork on Route 66. In addition to selling hand-made baskets, the family sold woven furniture, including baby Read more
“Stonydell Swimming Pool, Arlington, Mo. on 66” circa 1930, John Bradbury Postcard Collection, SHSMO.
Stony Dell Swimming Pool and Resort, Arlington, Mo.
By Ashley Weaver  Lenore Morris grew up in Jerome, Missouri, located just off the original two-lane Route 66 in western Phelps County. She was born in March 1927 to Martha Gladys Duncan and Floyd Edward Jones, who worked for the Frisco Railroad in nearby Arlington. That same year, Vernon Read more
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