As historic Route 66 approaches its centennial next year, interest in America’s Mother Road continues to peak.
The victim of a nationwide system of interstates, this iconic highway, stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, slowly lost cohesion. By the time Route 66 was officially decommissioned by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials on June 27, 1985, countless small communities, dependent on Route 66’s traffic for much of their commerce, diminished in size, or faded away entirely.
Where fragments of the highway remained, there, also, remained poignant remnants of another age: gas stations in a wide range of architectural styles, neon-lit motels, corner grocers, statuary… And slowly, over the years, a sort of revival began in many of the communities alongside old Route 66 as the nation began to look back on the early days of automotive travel with nostalgia.
Centennial Sparks Renewed Interest in Oklahoma
On Nov. 26, 2024, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, OKC Mayor David Holt and other city and state officials took part in the unveiling ceremony for the first Route 66 Centennial Monument—and the first to be installed in Oklahoma City—located at 23rd and Hudson in the Uptown District.
The Route 66 Centennial Monument Project, an official project of the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission, is a large public art installation effort providing vibrant placemaking for cities, towns and destinations to celebrate the route’s 100th anniversary in 2026.
And this February, the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission unveiled a commemorative state map to celebrate the Mother Road. Designed by University of Oklahoma students, it highlights Route 66’s cultural significance and 20 popular stops along the road. (Maps are free of charge and are available statewide at any Tourism Welcome Center, by calling 1-800-652-6552 or by visiting TravelOK.com/brochures.)
Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, along with several lawmakers and state agency officials, gathered at the Capitol to mark the official release of the 2025-2026 state map, which officials say is the largest investment along Route 66 in state history. At the time, Pinnell told members of the media that it’s “a big deal from a sales tax and economic impact perspective for the state.”
Oklahoma has the most miles and attractions of any state along Route 66, with 400 drivable miles. According to Pinnell, 52% of sales tax collected in Oklahoma is from communities that have a portion of the iconic route.
Officials launched the Oklahoma Route 66 Grant Program in December 2023 with the goal of investing in the communities along the route, making $6.6 million in funding available each year for municipalities looking to restore and revitalize attractions.
Sterling Zearly, interim executive director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, called the map an important marketing tool not only statewide, but overseas, where America’s Mother Road continues to attract tremendous interest.
Another Oklahoman who is playing a key role in the upcoming Route 66 centennial activities is Ken Busby, a member of the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission, chaired by Pinnell, and the Event Working Group for the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission. Busby also is executive director of the Route 66 Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 by Michael Wallis, author, historian and voice of the Sheriff in Disney/Pixar's Cars movie franchise.
The Alliance, Busby explains, is dedicated to preserving, promoting and enhancing historic Route 66—past, present and future. The organization partners with the eight state associations and other organizations to highlight all 2,448 miles of Route 66.
“Route 66 represents freedom to so many international visitors that come to the United States to visit each year,” Busby said. “They drive the Mother Road to experience wide-open spaces, meet interesting and engaging people, see some amazing roadside attractions, and enjoy an ability to travel anywhere without having to show a visa or justify why they are there.”
The Route 66 Centennial, he said, offers a chance for Oklahoma and America to shine.
“It's an opportunity to celebrate 100 years of this iconic and historic highway, and launch the next 100 years! Route 66 is alive and well today because folks want to experience authentic America, and there is no better place to find that than on the Main Street of America.”
This summer, why not consider “getting your kicks on Route 66”? If you only have a day or two, you can find lots to look at along the Oklahoma portion of the Mother Road. If you’ve got the Route 66 fever and have the time, you can travel what’s left of Route 66 from coast-to-coast. The road’s a waitin’.
Did you know?
- Not only does 2026 mark the centennial for Route 66, it’s also the semi-quincentennial birthday for the country.
- The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at OU is working with the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission to develop a comprehensive campaign to celebrate Oklahoma's iconic Mother Road as it turns 100. As part of the campaign, two professors and a three-student production crew embarked July 1 on a seven-day Route 66 Summer Road Trip from Norman to Santa Monica, California. Read more: ou.edu/gaylord/news-events.
"Route 66 is alive and well today because folks want to experience authentic America, and there is no better place to find that than on the Main Street of America.”