Adams Street served as the eastern starting point of historic U.S. Route 66 in Chicago.
The route originally began at the intersection of Adams Street and Michigan Avenue, near the shores of Lake Michigan. Historic signs and a commemorative marker identify the location, although later alignments and one-way traffic changes altered how motorists entered the route.
Route 66 was not simply a single unchanging street through Chicago. Its city routing changed over time, and travelers leaving Chicago followed Adams Street westward before continuing through Illinois. The nearby Michigan Avenue location can cause confusion because it is part of the famous starting intersection, not the name of the route's initial street.
Today, the Adams Street marker is one of the best-known urban starting points associated with the Mother Road.