• Travel Route 66 Virtually

    August 31, 2018

    Route 66 in Oatman, Arizona.

    photo by: David Kafer

    Experience Route 66 up close and personal from the comfort of your home with this virtual tour! Together with our partners at Google Arts and Culture and Google Voyager, we are offering an up-close-and-personal look at 10 historic sites along The Mother Road.

    To access your Google Voyager Tour, you must open this link through the Google Chrome browser and be signed into your Google account. If you are using a different browser, you may instead download the Google Voyager application to your smartphone or tablet. (Non-Google Earth option: Check out similar stops in our Route 66 Google Arts and Culture exhibit.)

    Enjoy your travels!

    Join the National Trust in supporting a National Historic Trail designation for Route 66. Together, we can help revitalize it as an iconic and evolving piece of Americana for generations to come.

  • Meet the Route 66 Roadies

    July 2, 2018

    Roadies in front of a vintage Whiting Bros. gas station in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

    photo by: David Kafer

    The roadies in front of a vintage Whiting Bros. gas station.

    Five Roadies, three staff members, and one photographer: This is the group that will be trekking across Route 66 from July 2 to August 3, documenting their experiences, attending meet-ups, and bringing attention to an icon of American history. Get to know the team below:

    David Kafer

    Michael Ryan
    Roadie (Week One)

    When Michael is home in New York City, he loves walking around his neighborhood in Astoria, Queens. “It has some of the worst vinyl-sided additions to historic houses,” he says. “I like to judge them.” His favorite things to listen to on a road trip are “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding and RuPaul’s “What’s the Tee?” podcast.

    Instagram: @michaeljamesryan

    Route 66 Spotify Playlist: Featuring Sufjan Stevens, Depeche Mode, Carole King, and The Mamas & the Papas

    David Kafer

    Lina Tran
    Roadie (Week Two)

    Lina’s favorite album to jam out to on a road trip is the BeeGee’s Greatest Hits. She’s also a fan of Les Miserables, and tends to sing through the soundtrack after a long day of driving. Lina is most excited to explore Oklahoma this summer, because it’s one of the most geographically diverse states in the country. She also can’t wait to eat all the fried pie.

    Instagram: @tiny.eggs

    Route 66 Spotify Playlist: Featuring the Cast of "Grease," A Tribe Called Quest, Shania Twain, and The Rolling Stones

    David Kafer

    Morgan Vickers
    Roadie (Week Three)

    Morgan is most excited to explore the deserts of the Southwest United States during the Route 66 Road Trip. Her geographic perspective of the world growing up was shaped by winding, tree-lined East Coast roads, and it’s hard for her to imagine a horizon that large. She always carries a pocket notebook in her bag, based on some advice from a former mentor.

    Instagram: @mrgnvckrs

    Route 66 Spotify Playlist: Featuring Maggie Rogers, Lady Gaga, HAIM, and The Indigo Girls

    David Kafer

    Matthew Dickey
    Roadie (Week Four)

    Matthew, originally from Collinsville, Illinois—right off Route 66 and home of the World's Largest Catsup Bottle—is most excited to explore New Mexico this summer, because "it is full of mystery." After hours of driving, he likes to stop in a shop, meet some locals, and sip a refreshing beverage.

    Instagram: @_MADickey_

    Route 66 Spotify Playlist: Featuring Basia Bulat, Wilco, DeVocthKa, and Blind Pilot

    David Kafer

    Nicole Capo
    Roadie (Week Five)

    Nicole hails from Washington, D.C., by way of Puerto Rico. Her favorite activities off the road are crafting, reading, and hanging out with her cat (Miko). Her favorite road trip snacks are Hot Cheetos and Taquis, and she has something to read and something to write on at all times.

    Instagram: @nicole.capo

    Route 66 Spotify Playlist: Featuring Cake, Paul Simon, Jimmy Cliff, and Matisyahu

    David Kafer

    David Kafer
    Photographer (Weeks One to Five)

    In addition to his camera, David always takes a jump rope with him on his road trips: It’s easy to pack, and he can get some exercise in at any time. After hours of being on the road, he likes to play songs from when he was a kid, a la the ‘90s, 2000s, and—of course—some classic Disney tunes. David is excited to see all of Route 66, because he’s always been fascinated with photography projects that document people across the United States.

    Instagram: @davidkaferphotography

    David Kafer

    Jason Lloyd Clement
    Staff (Week One)

    When Jason is at home in Buffalo, New York, he likes to compulsively Instagram his dog, @AstrotheWonderMutt. His go-to road trip snacks are Funyuns and La Croix (but only the citrus flavors), and he prefers being the passenger to the driver on a road trip so he can control the music more easily. He can’t wait to explore the Illinois portion of Route 66—who doesn’t love a giant Paul Bunyan hot dog statue and the birthplace of the corn dog?

    Instagram: @giveit2lloyd

    Route 66 Spotify Playlist: Featuring Cher, DEVOTED, Madonna, and Dixie Chicks

    David Kafer

    Grant Stevens
    Staff (Weeks Three and Five)

    Grant is from the Black Dirt Capital of the World (Conrad, Iowa), but he now spends his time in Denver, Colorado. According to Grant, “If I had to pick one summer jam, it’s got to be the new Janelle Monae album.” His early mornings on road trips are fueled by gas station coffee (as black as possible) and cheap glazed donuts (as large as possible).

    Instagram: @grantrstevens

    David Kafer

    Diana Tisue
    Staff (Weeks Two and Four)

    Diana is most excited to explore all 12 miles of Kansas. Since the stretch is so short, the team will have all the time in the world to check out the nearby towns and roadside attractions. She loves the National Trust’s playlists for long road trips, and she always carries her harmonica with her—it’s great for improvising songs on the road.

    Instagram: @dtisue

All 2 updates

Each year, America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places sheds light on important examples of our nation’s heritage that are at risk of destruction or irreparable damage.

Find Out Who Is Listed