Route 66 travelers can traverse the almost thirteen-mile Kansas segment of the Mother Road and experience a dense concentration of Route 66 history and iconic locations. The restored Kan-O-Tex filling station in Galena, Cars on the Route, served as inspiration for characters and scenes from the Pixar movie Cars and Route 66 enthusiasts can enjoy the classic aesthetic and memorabilia at this legacy business. Kansas is also home to the Brush Creek “Rainbow” Bridge—built in 1923, it is the last remaining Marsh Arch bridge on Route 66 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Travelers can also stop by Baxter Springs and enjoy Route 66 murals, historic filling stations, the heritage museum, and learn more about Civil War history at this Route 66 town.

Explore the stories of Route 66 in Kansas and learn how you can celebrate and advocate for the route in 2026.

National Trust on Route 66 in Kansas

For over 35 years, the National Trust has worked alongside our partners to preserve Route 66 as part of our ongoing Preserve Route 66 campaign that includes over $2.3 million in grantmaking across the eight Route 66 states, advocacy for federal legislation, traveling the route to document its rich history, and supporting Route 66 sites as part of other initiatives like the list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places and Backing Historic Small Restaurants.

In Kansas, four Route 66 sites to-date have received $10,000 grants to support critical preservation work that helps enable small businesses and prized community landmarks to thrive and continue to tell their piece of the Route 66 story. Grantees in Kansas include the 1925 Nelson’s Old Riverton Store in Riverton to replace the iconic wooden French doors that have opened to travelers for more than a century.

Stay tuned for the next round of Preserving Route 66 grant opportunities for Route 66 Legacy Businesses and Route 66 Sites in Fall 2026.

Stories of Kansas's Route 66 on Google Arts & Culture

In 2026, the National Trust for Historic Preservation partnered with Google Arts & Culture to launch a new theme page as part of its work to preserve the Mother Road. 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, including Kansas.

• Kansas Route 66 Murals: Painted History

Advocate for Route 66

What better 100th birthday present for Route 66 than a National Historic Trail designation? We need your help to make that happen!

Your elected officials in the House and Senate need to hear from you about why Route 66 matters to you and the importance of preserving its rich history. This Centennial year is a pivotal moment to designate Route 66 as a national historic trail and help preserve Route 66 for the next 100 years and beyond.

Ask your Member of Congress to cosponsor and support the legislation during 2026 by sending them a letter and sharing this link widely with your community, meeting with congressional staff in their Illinois offices, and inviting elected officials to join you for a Route 66 site visit or event.

Here are some additional resources to help with your advocacy:

• Printable one-pager on Route 66
• Letter template to House and Senate offices
• Preservation advocacy tips