As one of America’s most iconic highways, Route 66 occupies a unique place in history that continues to define our nation’s identity. It charts the rise of the automobile and its role in expanding Americans’ sense of freedom, mobility, and adventure. Route 66 is more than just a road; it represents our national spirit as well as a tapestry of diverse cultures and histories.

In honor of the centennial of Route 66, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has partnered with Google Arts & Culture to launch a new theme page as part of its work to preserve Route 66. This project—an Official Route 66 Centennial Project recommended by the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission—was developed in collaboration with over 20 additional partner organizations resulting in over 130 stories that take you across all eight states on the Mother Road.

This Route 66 project takes you from the familiar—roadside attractions and natural wonders—to hidden histories and firsthand accounts from business owners with deep roots on this enduring road. From the National Trust’s set of stories, hear from Ed Klein, whose 1926 Spencer Station in Spencer, Missouri, is one of the original Route 66 businesses, or the resilience of Uppen and Jyoti Patel, whose family owns the Western Motel in Shamrock, Texas. Both sites were recipients of the National Trust’s Route 66 Legacy Business grants.

For those who love stories of preservation, see how the Osterman Station in Peach Springs, Arizona, and the Threatt Filling Station in Luther, Oklahoma, were preserved by local volunteers participating in the National Trust’s HOPE (Hands-on Preservation Experience) Crew projects at those sites. Or explore the delicious cuisine of restaurants along the Mother Road (those featured received grants from the Backing Historic Small Restaurants Program).

If you love lists, we have them. See examples of natural wonders, roadside attractions, and pop culture connections. And for those of you who want to learn more about the Route’s history, you can explore a collection of stories that tell the full American story of the Mother Road.

Collectively the Google Arts & Culture Route 66 project emphasizes how preservation creates a uniquely American commemorative landscape, one that has been sustained and preserved by the people who call it home. People like Angel Delgadillo (learn more about his story below) whose incredible advocacy work saved his town and created a lasting commitment to preserve Route 66 in Arizona. In a video honoring him with the National Trust's 2023 President's Award for National Leadership in Historic Preservation he said,

And for those who enjoy new technologies, the project also includes “Route 66: Rewind,” a new Google Arts & Culture experiment that uses elements of Artificial Intelligence to imagine what key locations along Route 66 might have looked like in the past.

Join us and take that trip along the Mother Road—one more time.

Explore National Trust Stories Along the Mother Road

Also Explore

• Traveling Route 66: Reflections From One of the World's Most Fabled Stretches of Blacktop
• From Start to Finish: 8 Stops Along Route 66

Plan Your Trip

Also Explore

• 8 Roadside Attractions Along Route 66
• 7 Ghost Towns on Route 66
• The Pop Culturist's Guide to Route 66
• Delicious and Historic Pit Stops Along Route 66

Learn the History

Also Explore

• 6 Stories of Remarkable Women on the Mother Road
• Drawing the Asian Pacific Islander American Experience on Route 66 with Sammy Yuen
• 9 Places on Route 66 That Tell the Full American Story
• The Hidden Legacies on Route 66 in New Mexico

Take a Road Trip

Also Explore

• Explore Route 66 Through Picture Postcards
• 16 Places That Will Make You Want to Explore Route 66
• Route 66 Road Trip: By the Numbers

Visit a Legacy Business

Also Explore

• Preserving Spencer Station on Route 66
• Motoring Ahead at the Western Motel
• The Mitla Cafe: Serving the San Bernardino Community for Generations
• A Grant for the U-Drop Inn Helps a Town Feel Lucky

Preserve Route 66