If you could go back in time, what time period would you choose?
For many, it would be 1950s America. Think TV and the Golden Age of TV (Lucille Ball, Milton Berle), Hollywood (James Dean, Marilyn Monroe), fashion (letterman jackets, sweaters, poodle skirts), travel (iconic two-tone, finned Chevrolet Bel Air, anyone?), and entertainment (the Hula Hoop, diners and jukeboxes, drive-in theaters).
As far as style goes, the 1950s had it, in spades!
One of the most compelling (to me, anyway) aspects of this decade was the expansion of the nation’s highway system, which allowed people to travel further, faster, and the co-evolution of one of America’s top obsessions: the automobile.
Travelers, including those on Route 66, encountered quirky roadside attractions, countless mom and pop diners and motels—and, of course, ever-changing scenery, from desert to forest, prairie to mountain.
With the completion of the nation’s interstate system, this iconic highway, stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, and its sister highways across the country, slowly lost cohesion. However, some fragments of the highway remained—poignant remnants of another age.
Centennial Sparks Renewed Interest in Oklahoma
Flash forward to 2026, the centennial of America’s Mother Road, as well as the semi-quincentennial birthday for the country. Interest in this iconic road has been rekindled as various celebrations are being planned to celebrate and commemorate what may be the most famous highway in the world.
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.
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. The 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. Officials say the map is the largest investment along Route 66 in state history.
Also playing a key role in the upcoming Route 66 centennial activities is Ken Busby, a member of the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission and of 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/Picar's Cars movie franchise, to preserve, promote and enhance historic Route 66—past, present and future.
“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”? The road’s a callin’.