What was the name of the Route 66 association founded in 1927 to promote the highway?

The U.S. 66 Highway Association was founded in 1927 to promote Route 66 and improve its usefulness to travelers.

The organization brought together business interests and communities along the road. It promoted the highway through advertising, guidebooks, road improvements, and publicity, helping Route 66 gain an identity beyond its official designation.

The association also supported efforts to complete paving and encourage motorists to use the route. Cyrus Avery of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was a central figure in organizing and promoting it. The organization’s name is sometimes confused with later Route 66 preservation groups, but the U.S. 66 Highway Association belongs to the highway’s early promotional era.