Historic Route 66 in Illinois

Exhibit designed and curated by Tath Haver and Megan N Pearson

 

Nicknamed the "Main Street of America", U. S. Route 66 is probably the most well-known road in America. It has been featured hundreds of times in American literature and film, from symbolizing escape and grief in John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath to appearing as the backdrop of Radiator Springs in Disney/Pixar's Cars, a town forgotten after Route 66 was bypassed by Interstate 40.

Exhibit Content

Introduction
Construction
Industry, Tourism, and Economy
Legacy

Sources and Further Reading
 

Route 66: Introduction >>