Which person is widely called the “Father of Route 66”?

Cyrus Avery is widely called the “Father of Route 66.”

Avery was an Oklahoma businessman, oilman, and highway commissioner who played a central role in planning the U.S. highway system. He argued for a Chicago-to-Los Angeles route that would pass through Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle rather than follow a more mountainous western alignment.

Avery initially favored the number 60, but a numbering dispute led him to accept 66 for the Chicago–Los Angeles highway. He then pushed for the U.S. Highway 66 Association, which promoted paving, maintenance, and travel along the route.

John Steinbeck helped popularize Route 66’s literary image, and Will Rogers became associated with a later highway dedication, but neither created the route. Charles C. Pyle organized the 1928 Bunion Derby. Avery’s role in route planning and promotion is why historians and preservation groups connect him so closely with Route 66’s creation.