Route 66 is most commonly associated with California, where the route ends. However, Springfield, Missouri is its birthplace. You can tour parts of the old "Mother Road" throughout Springfield.
Springfield businessman John T. Woodruff partnered with Cyrus Avery of Tulsa, Oklahoma to begin suggesting a transcontinental highway. Because of Springfield's existing roadways, it was a logical choice to make Springfield a major stop on the route from Chicago to Los Angeles. By 1923, there were over 140 miles of street in the city. On top of that, 60 were paved, which was a rarity for the time.
After a lot of meetings and bureaucratic decisions, Route 66 became a reality in 1928. Woodruff was elected the first president of the U.S. Highway 66 Association. The roadway, also called the "Mainstreet of America," was officially decommissioned and removed from maps.
However, parts of the historic road are still preserved in Springfield under the name "Historic Route 66." These roads have been declared a National Scenic Byway, a road recognized for its cultural and historical importance.
To travel the historic road exit 1-44 at Kearney Street and then head west to Glenstone. Then turn south to St. Louis Street. You'll pass by the town square and then the road veers to the right to meet College Street. Following College Street you'll wind up on Missouri Highway 266.
There are many cultural icons along the route, which remind visitors of the Route's heyday during the 1950s and 1960s. You'll see the Sunset Drive-in Theater sign. The theatre is gone, but the sign remains. The Rest Haven Court, located 2000 E. Kearney Street, is one of the only original Route 66 motels in the area. The Wishing Well Motor Inn is another vintage motel along the old route and is located at 355 W. Chestnut Expressway.
