Getting Your Kicks on Route 66-- Part 3: America's Main Street

Definitely some interesting items on this list, many of them, though I am a Route 66 nut, I sure didn't know.

Route 66's nicknames include "America's Main Street" because it actually was the main street in the towns it passed through since they were already paved

"Mother Road" thanks to John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath;" "The Road of Dreams" (I don't remember hearing it called this, but can understand its connection what with Americans seeking a better life during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl); and is properly co-designated "The Will Rogers Highway" because the famous American humorist came from Oklahoma.

CYRUS AVERY of Oklahoma is referred to as the Father of Route 66, but he actually really wanted the US-60 number (as the U.S. highways ending in "0" were considered the most important east-west routes). He even had 60,000 maps printed in 1926, showing his road as US-60 and even began erecting signage with US-60 on it. When it became obvious he wasn't getting the US-60 number, he and others settled on US-66 in Springfield, Missouri, which is why it is called "The Birthplace of Route 66."

Some Interesting Stuff. --RoadDog