(WAND) – US Route 66 is no longer recognized as an official numbered highway, but the iconic road and its history are alive and well in places like Joliet and Pontiac.
Route 66 was established in November 1926, running from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. Around 301 miles of the road ran through Illinois. The original design went through smaller cities, towns and communities.
As a result, the highway provided an economic boost as restaurants, motels, gas stations and quirky tourist traps attracted visitors. In the 1930’s, during the Dust Bowl, migrant farmers traveled it to find work in California. By 1938, it was the first fully paved US highway…