TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — America has a deep connection to Route 66, the 2,400-mile historic highway stretching from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California.
Now, Route 66 is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Nearly 400 miles of the highway run through the Grand Canyon State.
"This is Route 66," said Arizona Highways Editor Robert Stieve. "Just look at how, this is outside of Flagstaff, and look at that snow."
Stieve pointed to one of the amazing photos of Route 66 that appears in the November issue of Arizona Highways Magazine.
"Route 66 has been a part of our state for 100 years now," Stieve said. "Very few things that we cover in the magazine resonate like that. It's something that has drawn the attention of people around the world, even though there are limited sections that you can still drive. Anytime we publish something that doesn't, for the most part, doesn't exist anymore people have this sense of nostalgia."
When it comes to Route 66, that nostalgia takes us back to the beginning of our highway system in this country.
Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926. But it wasn't much of a road back then.
One of Arizona's road engineers, Norman Wallace, helped construct the nearly 400 miles through our state, while also photographing it.
The issue celebrates the 100th anniversary of Route 66, sometimes called the Mother Road.
"At Arizona Highways, we're fortunate to have a lot of spectacular old photographs of that road under construction, as time went on, cars driving down that road," explained Stieve. "He was an engineer by trade but he was an extremely gifted photographer."
Route 66 didn't become fully paved until 1938. During the 1930s, it was popularized by John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, as hundreds of thousands of people moved westward.
"All those families moving from the dust bowl, trying to move to California and work in those fields in California," Stieve said. "It had a very practical purpose for a longtime."
The popularity of Route 66 exploded in the 1950s, becoming a symbol of America.
"It was part of that whole post-war boom when people were getting out and exploring the country," said Stieve. "Motels started popping up. Because there's now this spectacular road, of course made famous by John Steinbeck for other reasons, but it was a chance go from Chicago to Santa Monica, and see all those things that existed in between, so much of which is in Arizona."
Arizona Highways Magazine showcases photos from that post-war era, including one of Stieve's favorites, a photo taken at a soda fountain.
"Lily Ice Cream was a very popular brand in the west or southwest," Stieve said. "This is actually at the lodge there at Petrified Forest National Park."
The Petrified Forest is the only National Park Route 66 went through.
As the interstate system grew, including the completion of I-40 in Northern Arizona, Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985. But 100 years after its founding, there are still several stretches in Arizona that you can drive the historic highway.
The Arizona Highways cover photo, taken earlier this year, features a classic Corvette.
"It's on an actual stretch of the road near Parks, Arizona which is sort of between Flagstaff and Williams," said Stieve. "So, we had a good time with that."
The photo evokes that Route 66 nostalgia.
Stieve says as the historic highway celebrates its 100th birthday, it has never been more popular — especially when you retrace the remarkably beautiful route through the state of Arizona.
"You still get that sense of what that landscape is like and what the folks lucky enough to have had that experience were feeling as they were making the drive."
That Absolutely Arizona drive across the Grand Canyon State on Route 66.
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Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He is a graduate of Sabino High School where he was the 1982 high school state track champion in the 800 meters. While in high school and college, he worked part-time in the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story ideas and important issues with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
