Route 66 Remembered

Now available in paperback!!This incredible collection of historical photographs captures the reverence of all the attractions and towns of the Mother Road, Route 66. Noted author Michael Witzel spent years traveling Route 66 collecting mementos of life and folklore that make up the most famous road in America. His unmatched photography takes readers back to the attractions and towns as they were and offers a captivating view of them today. Here it is, the American highway past and present in Motorbooks' beautiful 10 x 10 format, the classic photographic essay of an American legend.

It started in the heartland and originally ended in Los Angeles (not, contrary to myth, at the ocean). It carried truckers crossing the country, Okies fleeing the Dust Bowl, vacationers seeking the sun. It was Americas Main Street, the Mother Road, the Will Rogers Highway, and, at its dangerous curves, Bloody 66. Get your kicks on Route 66 with this wonderfully illustrated tribute to the best-loved highway in this car-loving nation. Michael Witzel shares his expertise and wealth of personal, archive, collector, and contributing photographer images in these pages, offering a nostalgic tour of the charms and oddities of this road through American cultural history. Starting in Chicago and running to Santa Monica, this book highlights the sights along the highway with historic and current photos in then-and-now pairings, and includes Route 66 postcards, road signs, trinkets, maps, brochures, and advertisements. Here we see Route 66 as it was in its heyday and as it is now, the neon glamour of yesterday versus the ghost towns of today. Witzel and his wife, Gyvel Young-Witzel, recount the highways history, its role in popular culture, and its demise, as well as the individual stories of famous sights. Several profiles of those with close ties to the Mother Road, including the woman who played Ruthie Joad in the The Grapes of Wrath film, are included.

The Definitive book on the most famous road in American history.

An encyclopedia with a twist, The Route 66 Encyclopedia presents alphabetical entries on Route 66 history, landmarks, personalities, and culture, from Bobby Troup’s anthem “Route 66� to The Grapes of Wrath to the Wigwam Motel, illustrated with over 1,000 old and new, color and black-and-white photos and memorabilia.You'll learn about Jack Rittenhouse and Will Rogers as well as the contributions of lesser-known figures like Arthur Nelson and Angel Delgadillo. With references to the old (including the history of the U Drop Inn Café in Texas) and new (including a section about the recent Cars movie), The Route 66 Encyclopedia provides a sweeping look at a highway that has become more than just a road. These pages cover the history of Route 66 and the people who played a role in its transformation from highway to icon between 1926 and the present, but like the highway itself, this work does not fit within the traditional confines of generalities or terminology. Yes, this is an encyclopedia, a reference book for all things Route 66. However, it is also a time capsule, a travel guide, a history book, a memorial, a testimonial, and a chronicle of almost a century of societal evolution.

This guide to road-tripping along Route 66 presents the highway's very best stops--and it's the only guidebook with a fully integrated app.

Tells the story of the legendary road, Route 66, begun in the early 1920s that covered 2400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Dedek paints a complex portrait of America's most famous highway.

Explore the mystery and beauty of historic ghost towns from Illinois to California with this gorgeously illustrated guide to America’s favorite highway. The quintessential boom-and-bust highway of the American West, Route 66 once hosted a thriving array of boom towns built around oil wells, railroad stops, cattle ranches, resorts, stagecoach stops, and gold mines. Join Route 66 expert Jim Hinckley as he tours more than twenty-five ghost towns, rich in stories and history, complemented by gorgeous sepia-tone and color photography by Kerrick James. Also includes directions and travel tips for your ghost-town explorations along Route 66.

The book, Route 66 Yesterday and Today is the updated re-titled Route 66 Favorites book. It now has 15 large color maps for retracing the fragments of the original Route 66 highway. More color photographs have be added to this edition. Route 66 was the first all-weather cross-country highway from Chicago to Los Angeles. This book covers a little of the history and several of the sights and nostalgic relics of this by-gone time. We mention a few museums that have been erected to celebrate this magical era of freedom of travel. This type of travel was previously not possible or recommended due to lack of reliable maps and bad road quality. Now, mostly replaced by Interstate 40, Route 66 still calls to those who remember or long for that trip down the Mother Road. Old classic cars, trucks, gas pumps, motels and restaurants, some now rusted and aged, others newly restored, are featured in full color photographs. A description of our experience driving the route from Arizona to Missouri is included with special consideration given to the best places to visit. There are some humorous stops with decorated cars or mannequin mechanics. There is even a restaurant called The Roadkill Cafe and a motel where you sleep in a wigwam. Join us on this nostalgic journey down what's left of Route 66."

Are you ready for a nostalgic ride along America's Mother Road? Route 66 takes you through eight states, stopping along the way to discover roadsidecuriosities, museums, ruins, art, renovated service stations, and of course some of the retro diners and motels that keep the spirit of the route alive. ​Full-color photos of attractions past and present bring the route to life. Includes a historical overview for each state. Every section includes notable side trips and stopping points. Hardcover, 144 pages. This beautifully-produced book is a great addition for collectors of Route 66 memorabilia!