Route 66 Centennial Caravan Celebrates 100 Years of the “Mother Road”

On Saturday, June 6, the Main Street of America Route 66 Centennial Caravan embarked upon what will be a 2,400-mile, three-week journey from Santa Monica, California to Chicago, Illinois with multiple daily stops planned along the full stretch of the "Mother Road" in celebration of its 100th anniversary. Traversing all eight states along Route 66, the caravan will highlight many of the unique roadside landmarks that define this historic highway, while spotlighting preservation success stories and encouraging continued revitalization.

The caravan is organized by the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership with support from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It will include a core group of approximately 15 cars, with representatives from eight statewide preservation organizations, international representation from the Dutch Route 66 Association, and a specialized GIS mapping car operated by the National Trust that will capture 360-degree Streetview-style imagery along the entire journey. Members of the public have also been invited to participate, with 230 individuals currently registered to join for a portion of the road trip-many in vintage automobiles-and 30 registered to drive the entire route.

"Route 66 is a more than just a highway, it is a network of main street businesses and communities," says Rhys Martin, manager of the Preserve Route 66 initiative at the National Trust. "The caravan is an opportunity to elevate these communities and encourage people to support the route long after the centennial celebrations have concluded."

The most enduring highway in our public consciousness, Route 66 represents a unique moment in history that continues to define the nation's identity: the rise of the automobile and its implications of freedom, mobility, and a quintessential American story. Despite Route 66's fame, elements of the "Mother Road" are lost every year. To support what remains, the National Trust has been advocating for the Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation Act which would establish a permanent federal trail designation and help preserve the route for future generations. Parallel to the caravan, the Trust has been building a database of legacy Route 66 businesses, and an innovative GIS mapping campaign to showcase significant places along the route.

The caravan will honor the distinct character and charm that has come to define Route 66. The Big Texan Steak Ranch from Amarillo, TX, will be taking their legendary 72 oz steak challenge on the road and towing a giant cow across all eight states. The caravan will mark each crossing of a state boundary with a short ceremony. When they arrive at Joliet, Illinois on the final day, the caravan will stop at the location of the original Dairy Queen, which was recently acquired by a local historical society with plans to reactivate the space in the future.

To track the caravan check the live map and follow the National Trust @preserveroute66 and @savingplaces on Instagram.