Getting Your Kicks on Route 66: Tales from the Mother Road

One hundred years ago, Route 66 was born. The famous federal highway was commissioned in 1926 and stretched 2,400 miles, connecting Chicago to California. Over the next century, millions of people traveled that ribbon of highway. Route 66 witnessed depression, war, boom times, and decline. The experiences it offered were as diverse and complicated as America itself.

This presentation explores the history of Route 66 and the experiences of everyday people who lived, worked, and traveled along the Mother Road during its heyday. It is informed by a collection of 100 oral histories recently compiled by the Illinois State Museum. Attendees will hear in travelers’ own words what it was like to eat, sleep, and drive Route 66 “back in the day.” They will learn about discrimination faced by Black travelers on Route 66 and the strategies employed to ensure safety and dignity while traveling. And they will learn about the differences in road travel in the mid-20th century vs. today. Presented by Erika Holst, Curator of History at the Illinois State Museum.

Registration with an email is required, so we can send you a link to connect through GoToMeeting. You will receive the link approximately 24 hours before the program.