List of Route 66 museums

Last updated

A Route 66 museum is a museum devoted primarily to the history of U.S. Route 66, a U.S. Highway which served the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois, in the United States from 1926 until it was bypassed by the Interstate highway system and ultimately decommissioned in June 1985.

Contents

In many towns and US states on the former highway, the initial efforts to establish museums to preserve the road's history were led by individual state-level Route 66 associations or local groups.

As each museum is an independent entity, their content varies widely; some cover one state or region, while others cover the entire eight-state route, and many extend to related topics varying from the pre-highway transportation history of a state to the Dust Bowl exodus of the Great Depression, the mobilization of soldiers and equipment for World War II or nostalgia for the post-war highway and classic cars of that era.

Arizona Route 66 Museum

The Arizona Route 66 Museum opened in Kingman, Arizona on September 29, 2001 during Andy Devine Days. [1] The museum, located in the Powerhouse Visitor Center, formerly the Desert Power & Water Co. Electric Power Plant, depicts the historical evolution of travel along the 35th parallel that became Route 66.

Berwyn Route 66 Museum

The Berwyn Route 66 Museum, which moved to a retail storefront in Berwyn, Illinois in 2011 from a now-defunct Ford dealership, [2] was home to the Berwyn Arts Council gallery [3] and as of 2012 is attempting to rebuild Berwyn's Spindle sculpture, dismantled in 2008. [4]

California Route 66 Museum

The California Route 66 Museum, established in 1995 at the former Red Rooster Café building in Victorville, is one of two museums in the state devoted to the history of Route 66 (California also has a Mother Road museum in Barstow). [5] This museum focuses on the westernmost portion of the historic highway. [6]

Chandler Route 66 Interpretive Center

One of three Route 66 museums in Oklahoma (others exist in Clinton and Elk City), the Chandler Route 66 Interpretive Center occupies the historic Chandler Armory (1935–1971), originally built by the Depression-era Works Progress Administration. [7]

Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum

Waldmire's VW microbus in Route 66 Hall of Fame, Illinois. Bob Waldmire van at Route 66 Museum.jpg
Waldmire's VW microbus in Route 66 Hall of Fame, Illinois.

The Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, Illinois was originally established by the Illinois Route 66 association at the Dixie Truckers Home on the former US Route 66 (now Interstate 55 in Illinois), relocated in June 2004 to early-1900s fire hall, [8] and is now located in the former Pontiac City Hall and Fire Station, now known as the Pontiac Museum Complex.

Its collections include the vehicles of late Route 66 travelling artist and cartographer Bob Waldmire, on whom the Cars character "Fillmore" is based.

Litchfield Museum

The former "Vic Suhling Gas for Less" filling station site at 334 Historic Old Route 66 North in Litchfield, Illinois was redeveloped and opened in 2013 as the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center. Local history displays include “The Indian Connection,” “Railroad History,” “Historic Downtown Businesses,” “Agriculture and Farming,” and “Illinois Route 66” complete with a mural by late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire which was relocated from the Dixie Truckers Home. [9]

A 2013 matching grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program will fund restoration of the historic filling station signage. [10]

National Route 66 Museum

The National Route 66 Museum forms part of an Old Town Museum Complex in Elk City, Oklahoma, which includes several museums on various topics. This museum covers the entire eight-state route, incorporating an interactive ride in a 1959 Cadillac. [11]

New Mexico Route 66 Museum

The New Mexico Route 66 Museum is located in Tucumcari, New Mexico behind the local convention center. [12] [13] [14]

A competing proposal from another group advocated a Route 66 museum be established in the historic Ilfeld Warehouse near downtown Santa Rosa, New Mexico. [15]

Oklahoma Route 66 Museum

Route 66 in Clinton, Oklahoma. Route66MuseumClintonOK.jpg
Route 66 in Clinton, Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma, covers the history of Route 66 from Chicago, Illinois to Santa, Monica, California. It is the largest museum dedicated to the history and culture of Route 66, the most famous highway in the World. The museum also offers changing special exhibits, focusing on the Route 66 experience in the Now and Future Gallery. And don't forget to step into the gift shop for some Route 66 Memorabilia.

Route 66 Mother Road Museum

One of two museums located in the historic 1911 Casa del Desierto, a former Harvey House Railroad Depot and hotel in Barstow, California, the Barstow Route 66 "Mother Road" Museum opened in 2000. [16] It displays historic vehicles, photographs, artwork and petroliana from Route 66's heyday. [5] [17]

Route 66 State Park Visitors Center

The Visitors Center in Missouri's Route 66 State Park is located in the Bridgehead Inn, a roadhouse constructed in 1928. The Center has permanent displays on Route 66, focusing on Missouri. They also sell books on Route 66 as well as souvenirs. The Visitors Center is next to an historic Route 66 bridge over the Meramec River. The Route 66 State Park itself is on the other side of the bridge, on the former site of the now-ghost town of Times Beach, Missouri.

See also

Related Research Articles

U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66, also known as the Will Rogers Highway, the Main Street of America or the Mother Road, was one of the original highways in the U.S. Highway System. US 66 was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in the United States, originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona before terminating in Santa Monica in Los Angeles County, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km). It was recognized in popular culture by both the hit song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" and the Route 66 television series, which aired on CBS from 1960 to 1964. In John Steinbeck's classic American novel, The Grapes of Wrath (1939), the road "Highway 66" symbolized escape and loss.

Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. The third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, its western end is at I-15 in Barstow, California, while its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 (US 117) and NC 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Much of the western part of I-40, from Barstow to Oklahoma City, parallels or overlays the historic US 66; east of Oklahoma City, the route generally parallels US 64 and US 70. I-40 runs through or near many major cities, including Albuquerque, New Mexico; Amarillo, Texas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Little Rock, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; Nashville, Tennessee; Knoxville, Tennessee; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Raleigh, North Carolina.

U.S. Route 34 Highway in the United States

U.S. Route 34 (US 34) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 1,122 miles (1,806 km) from north-central Colorado to the western suburbs of Chicago. Through Rocky Mountain National Park it is known as the Trail Ridge Road where it reaches elevation 12,183 feet (3,713 m), making it the third highest paved through highway in the United States. The highway's western terminus is Granby, Colorado at US 40. Its eastern terminus is in Berwyn, Illinois at Illinois Route 43 and Historic US 66.

U.S. Route 54 Highway in the United States

U.S. Route 54 is an east–west United States Highway that runs northeast–southwest for 1,197 miles (1,926 km) from El Paso, Texas, to Griggsville, Illinois. The Union Pacific Railroad's Tucumcari Line runs parallel to US 54 from El Paso to Pratt, Kansas, which comprises about two-thirds of the route.

National Old Trails Road Auto trail

National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and became part of the National Auto Trail system in the United States. It was 3,096 miles (4,983 km) long and stretched from Baltimore, Maryland, to California. Much of the route follows the old National Road and the Santa Fe Trail.

Route 66 Association Non-profit organization

Route 66 Association is the generic name of the non-profit associations established for preservation, restoration and promotion of the historic U.S. Route 66. They exist in all 8 Route 66 states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

Cyrus Stevens Avery (1871–1963) was known s the "Father of Route 66". He created the route while a member of the federal board appointed to create the Federal Highway System, then pushed for the establishment of the U.S. Highway 66 Association to pave and promote the highway.

U.S. Route 66 in California Highway in California

U.S. Route 66 is a part of a former United States Numbered Highway in the state of California that ran from the west in Santa Monica on the Pacific Ocean through Los Angeles and San Bernardino to Needles at the Arizona state line. It was truncated during the 1964 renumbering and its signage removed in 1974. The highway is now mostly replaced with several streets in Los Angeles, State Route 2 (SR 2), SR 110, SR 66, San Bernardino County Route 66 (CR 66), Interstate 15 (I-15), and I-40.

U.S. Route 66 is a former east–west United States Numbered Highway, running from Santa Monica, California to Chicago, Illinois. In Missouri, the highway ran from downtown St. Louis at the Mississippi River to the Kansas state line west of Joplin. The highway was originally Route 14 from St. Louis to Joplin and Route 1F from Joplin to Kansas. It underwent two major realignments and several lesser realignments in the cities of St. Louis, Springfield, and Joplin. Current highways covering several miles of the former highway include Route 100, Route 366, Route 266, Route 96, and Route 66. Interstate 44 (I-44) approximates much of US 66 between St. Louis and Springfield.

U.S. Route 66 in New Mexico Historic highway in the United States

The historic U.S. Route 66 ran east–west across the central part of the state of New Mexico, along the path now taken by Interstate 40 (I-40). However, until 1937, it took a longer route via Los Lunas, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe, now roughly New Mexico State Road 6 (NM 6), I-25, and US 84. Large portions of the old road parallel to I-40 have been designated NM 117, NM 118, NM 122, NM 124, NM 333, three separate loops of I-40 Business, and state-maintained frontage roads.

U.S. Route 66 in Illinois Historic highway in Illinois

U.S. Route 66 was a United States Numbered Highway in Illinois that connected St. Louis, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois. The historic Route 66, the Mother Road or Main Street of America, took long distance automobile travelers from Chicago to Southern California. The highway had previously been Illinois Route 4 (IL 4) and the road has now been largely replaced with Interstate 55 (I-55). Parts of the road still carry traffic and six separate portions of the roadbed have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bob Waldmire American artist (1945–2009)

Robert Waldmire was an American artist and cartographer who is well known for his artwork of U.S. Route 66, including whimsical maps of the Mother Road and its human and natural ecology. Being the son of Ed Waldmire Jr., he is often associated with the Cozy Dog Drive In restaurant in Springfield, Illinois, the elder Waldmire having created the Cozy Dog.

There have been 22 special routes of U.S. Route 66.

Radiator Springs is a fictional small Arizona town and the principal setting of the Disney/Pixar franchise Cars. A composite of multiple real-world locations on the historic U.S. Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles, it is most prominently featured in the 2006 film, and is home to a majority of the franchise's characters. Cars Land, a part of Disney California Adventure in Disneyland Resort, is based on the setting.

The Berwyn Route 66 Museum was a small not-for-profit facility, located in Berwyn, Illinois, that documented the history of the former U.S. Route 66.

Pontiac City Hall and Fire Station United States historic place

The Pontiac City Hall and Fire Station is a historic building located at 110 W. Howard St. in Pontiac, Illinois, which served as both Pontiac's city hall and fire station. The building was constructed in 1900 to replace an 1883 building which also served as both a city hall and a fire station. Architect John H. Barnes designed the building in the Romanesque Revival style. Though built as a single building, the city hall and fire station are separated on the interior; a bell tower connects the two buildings. The building housed both Pontiac's city government and fire protection services until 1986.

Interstate business routes are roads connecting a central or commercial district of a city or town with an Interstate bypass. These roads typically follow along local streets often along a former U.S. Route or state highway that had been replaced by an Interstate. Interstate business route reassurance markers are signed as either loops or spurs using a green shield shaped and numbered like the shield of the parent Interstate highway.

U.S. Bicycle Route 66 (USBR 66) is a United States Bicycle Route that follows the former U.S. Route 66 (US 66) across the United States. The first section of the route, spanning 358 miles (576 km) between Baxter Springs, Kansas, and St. Louis, Missouri, was designated as USBR 66 in 2018. A second section was designated in 2021 between Santa Monica, California, and the Arizona state line near Needles, California. The rest of the route remains proposed but un-designated.

References

  1. ↑ "Historic Kingman Powerhouse". www.gokingman.com. Retrieved 2019-01-02.
  2. ↑ "about us". Berwyn Rt66 Museum. Retrieved May 2, 2018. Graciously, Bob Anderson Jr.of Anderson Ford provided the museum with a home in his newly remodeled showroom. Bob added memorabilia for sale and enhanced the museum's collection. Sadly, Anderson Ford closed in 2009, leaving the museum without a home
  3. ↑ "Museum Adds Art Gallery". Route 66 University. November 23, 2011. Almost one year into the venture, the museum has turned into a mix of Fey’s interests that also doubles as the office and gallery space for the Berwyn Arts Council.
  4. ↑ Schweinberg, Brett (2012-09-06). "The Spindle returns? Group aims to bring back a Berwyn icon". Berwyn Life. Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  5. 1 2 Jim Hinckley (2011). Ghost Towns of Route 66. p. 154. ISBN   978-0760338438 . Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  6. ↑ The Rough Guide to California. Rough Guides. 2011. p. 256. ISBN   978-1405383028 . Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  7. ↑ "Chandler Armory-Route 66: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary". Nps.gov. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
  8. ↑ "Old firehouse to house Route 66 museum". The Telegraph-Herald. May 2, 2004. p. 20A.
  9. ↑ Tamara Browning (2013-06-02). "Litchfield Museum, Route 66 Welcome Center open". Springfield, IL: The State Journal-Register. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
  10. ↑ "Cost-share grants announced from Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program » Route 66 News Route 66 News". Route66news.com. 2013-08-09. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
  11. ↑ Jakle, John A; Sculle, Keith A (2011-09-30). "Remembering Roadside America: Preserving the Recent Past as Landscape and Place". ISBN   9781572338333.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. ↑ "Official site". New Mexico Route 66 Museum. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  13. ↑ Garcia, Thomas (2012-08-28). "Commissioners approve Route 66 museum". Quay County Sun. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  14. ↑ Garcia, Thomas. "Tucumcari OKs Route 66 Museum". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  15. ↑ "Tourist and Interpretive Information in the Ilfeld Warehouse Santa Rosa, NM". National Scenic Byways Program. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  16. ↑ "Get hip to this timely tip: Route 66 museum revs up". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. July 3, 2000. p. 5A.
  17. ↑ Ryan Ver Berkmoes (2009-03-01). California Trips: 68 Themed Itineraries, 1147 Local Places to See. p. 313. ISBN   9781741797275 . Retrieved 2012-09-02.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.