Introduction:
    Route 66 stands as a unique entity in history. It is both the representative of several periods of American History, but also a tangible element that permits one to touch it both as a historical element and as something of current use and value.  Route 66 dates to the birth of the modern era of travel in America, and acts as a guide to the evolution not only of the highway, but also all things associated with the highway and with travel.

Yesterday:
    Route 66 was laid out on a map of existing roads in November of 1926. It was an "instant" highway. There was no lagging construction schedule, nor immediate changes to the places the highway passed through. It was a declaration or a designation of sorts that said-  this route would be the official path for those traveling by automobile between Chicago, IL., and Los Angeles, CA., and all points in between. As such, this declaration is not hugely significant. The roads that became Route 66 existed before, some in the recent past, some much older. This means that Route 66 was not a new road, but a designated route. Something conceptual, not necessarily something physical. Route 66 did offer a significant change for the traveler. Prior to the advent of the automobile, and highways, one's travels were fairly controlled affairs. The railroads offered extensive travel options across the West, but they were operated in a fashion which represented the West in a way that the railroad companies thought most appropriate. Interactions with the environment, native peoples, and cultures were all highly controlled and limited. The road changed all that. The ability to join the road, and the flow of traffic, getting on and off random, being exposed to the good and the bad along the highway gave the traveler a unique experience, even an element of risk which must have been attractive given the swift demise of railway passenger service in lieu of driving.

    Route 66 did change however. In successive waves- early 1930s, the mid-late 1940s, the 1950s, Route 66 was realigned, straightened, bypassing towns and cities, and ultimately being replaced by I-40. The activity of re-alignment accomplished a number of things: alignments shifted to shorten the route, and often to enhance grades and curves; to widen, and strengthen the road- for the 1930s paving was a major objective; to shift traffic routes within cities and towns; and ultimately-limit road access. The effect of the re-alignment eras is that all across Route 66 as the road was moved, business districts in towns moved with the road, altering local geographies. Because the businesses either moved or were replaced along the new alignment, traffic patterns were altered, and in whole, the road conditions didn't improve. This continued uncontrolled access helped spur the support of limited access roads like I-40. Further speeding the demise of Route 66. The last official vestige of Route 66 was closed in 1985 at Williams, AZ. This effectively closed an era for America's first primary interstate highway. The late 1980s saw a variety of activity surrounding Route 66. The physical road became part of state and local highway inventories. Some stretches were re-numbered and preserved while others were destroyed replaced by the new interstate. In the late '80s however a number of groups and individuals began to form up around basic preservation issues surround the old highway (and its previous alignments). Books were written, entries and applications made to the National Register of Historic places, and articles began to appear about Route 66 in a more historic light. Strictly speaking, because it is a product of the Twentieth century it is hard to discuss Route 66 as an historic entity (and some historians still prefer to lump Route 66 in with popular culture topics).

Today:
    We have an interesting situation at hand: today there are many miles of Route 66 (especially in the West) that are still used, drivable and often known by other names or highway numbers (officially). The point is that the physical highway exists, not so much as a viable travel route alternative to the interstate, but as a scenic byway or a less traveled route between a few select cities or towns. Route 66 still exists as the main street of many Arizona and New Mexico towns, and will take drivers on a tour of each town's current or former business or now "historic" districts. Today we see that Route 66 equates a degree of tourist attraction, and so all along the old highway we are seeing the re-signing of old alignments, and the establishment of Route 66 themed businesses.

    Generally there has been a renaissance of sorts of interest in Route 66 (and related topics- including car events, restaurants, stores, clothing, etc.). There are historic preservation efforts supported by limited funds from the National Park Service for storefront, commercial building and neon sign restoration. There is interest in the various highway alignments, and the effects of those alignment changes. There have been architectural studies ⁽¹⁾, and interest in some of those "historic" trading posts ⁽²⁾. All of these efforts are aided by the fact that the hey day of Route 66 only occurred 50-60 years ago. There are still buildings, business, and people with personal memories of the road with stories to tell. The 1990s saw a boom in Route 66 related publishing. More than 100 book titles a handful of periodicals, and hundreds (if not thousands) of web pages have been created, all dedicated to some aspect of Route 66⁽³⁾. The boom in publishing has been good, and as such we ought not complain. It is true that most of these publications are not scholarly and add little to our understanding of Route 66 and its relationship to American society and culture. There are some notable exceptions- oral histories, doctoral dissertations, and some very thoughtful articles and monographs are now available. Today there are several museums, and even a few libraries getting into the act. The Cline Library Digital Archives have an extensive array of Route 66 related photographs for Flagstaff and the Southwest. A minor but important aspect of historic preservation for now and the future.

 

   Fig. 3 Intersection of older 1926 Route 66 alignment (right) and newer (more degraded) alignment on left. Near Acoma Reservation, New Mexico.

Tomorrow:
  There is good reason to believe that the continued growth of interest will lead to more preservation efforts locally and nationally with greater interpretive analysis. Whether this would include the semi commercial/museum like entities such have been proposed in Flagstaff and Williams, AZ. is yet to be seen. This implies that authors will have to put greater emphasis into not just presenting Route 66, but interpreting it as well. This means more thoughtful insight will be needed into what Route 66  means, and more research, especially in relation to local populations, economies and cultures.  We have seen plans for more museums, theme parks, and main street urban renewals up and down the old road. One thing is certain, if Route 66 is a commercially successful tool, there will be more interest and development of this sort. To some extent, this is a tricky proposition. While Route 66 was the source for many creative business ventures, it isn't clear that this will translate well into today's corporate clone world. Historians and purists may scoff, but the reality is that Route 66 was the source of many jobs, and many a livelihood was made in direct correlation to the road. Yes, it is possible that sections of the road may be "loved to death" by economic re-development (like the section east of the Flagstaff Mall in Flagstaff, AZ.), but it is useful to place such development in perspective- Route 66 was all about change. The oldest alignments lasted at most thirty years (as Route 66), while many sections were even more short lived. The evolutionary processes were not equal in effect everywhere. In some places Route 66 moved tens of miles from the previous locations (like the Kingman-Yucca-Needles alignment, in 1952), or the places where there are a still myriad of alignments (like those that run through Parks and Bellmont) that are literally only yards apart. Route 66 is about the act of travel and experience. Certainly preservation of original alignments is important, but perhaps more significant is the ability to drive significant distances on alignments, not just a few blocks or miles and see the country side as it once was and how it is today. Route 66 was about getting there, and the future of the road will also have to include that experience.