Beginning in 1938, which Chicago roadway served as U.S. Route 66’s eastern terminus?

Beginning in 1938, Lake Shore Drive served as U.S. Route 66’s eastern terminus in Chicago.

Route 66 originally ended at Michigan Avenue, but its Chicago alignment changed as the city developed and transportation planners adjusted the route. From 1938, the highway reached Lake Shore Drive near the city’s lakefront.

This detail can be confused with the route’s western end. Route 66 ultimately terminated at Santa Monica, California, while Chicago was its eastern terminus. The route’s direction also explains why many historic accounts describe travelers heading west from Chicago toward the Pacific.

Modern visitors may find different endpoint markers because the road changed alignment over time and was later decommissioned. The Chicago terminus remains an important part of Route 66’s origin story and centennial interpretation.