U.S. Route 66 was officially established in 1926.
The highway was created as part of the original United States Numbered Highway System. It linked Chicago, Illinois, with Santa Monica, California, forming a major east–west route across the American heartland and Southwest.
Route 66 became especially important during the Dust Bowl era, when migrants traveled west toward California. Later, its roadside motels, diners, gas stations, and attractions made it a symbol of automobile tourism and postwar travel.
A common mix-up is confusing the route’s creation with its later popularity. Route 66 existed from 1926, but much of its famous cultural reputation developed during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. The highway was officially removed from the United States Highway System in 1985, although many surviving sections remain historic travel destinations.