February 18, 2019

Photo Essay: As Seen From the Road

Wide-open vistas and small towns. Those are some of the popular imagery around Route 66. And there's definitely no shortage of either when you embark on a road trip down this iconic throughway. But there are also the random and quirky sites. A giant sky-blue whale created as an anniversary present. The leaning water tower of Groom, Texas. Free-range donkeys in Arizona. Put all preconceptions aside because Route 66 has a way of exceeding (and defying) expectations.

photo by: David Kafer

With a population of around 3,000, the sprawling community of Villa Ridge, Missouri, features a post office that has been operating since 1889, classic service stations, and dilapidated landmarks.

Zubin Hill is a Content Marketing Intern at the National Trust. She loves exploring how communities negotiate their built history and learning new languages.

Contact your members of Congress and ask them to support the bills designating the Route 66 National Historic Trail ahead of the roadway's upcoming centennial celebration in 2026.

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