Scott Shinn - Founder & CEO

Blacktop Candy’s
American Classic

Auto Tours

322 Village Loop Dr

Apex, NC 27502

866.437.4077 Toll Free

919.439.8733 x301

866.370.2189 Fax

8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST

It’s been called the Will Rogers Highway, the Mother Road, America’s Highway and America’s Glory Road – but its official name is Route 66.

Once the crown jewel of America’s highway system—2,448 miles of blacktop winding from Chicago to Los Angeles—Route 66 captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of travelers.

Commissioned in 1926, Route 66 inspired authors, songwriters and even television producers. Jack Kerouac wrote about it. Chuck Berry sang about it. And week after week TV viewers tuned in to catch the adventures of a revolving cast getting their “kicks on Route 66.”

This patchwork of highways and byways became a part of America’s rich cultural tapestry. Though large portions of it remained unpaved for years, in 1938 the highway became the first completely paved route across much of the United States.

A New Era

Eventually, a new collection of interstate highways made travelling from East to West even faster and easier. As the Interstate Highway system grew, Route 66 fell out of favor with travelers. By 1984 Route 66 was officially decommissioned. Businesses that once flourished next to the fabled highway closed their doors, some forever.

But, it never left our imaginations.

Still America’s Highway

I was on a family vacation when I took my first Route 66 road trip. I wanted to see the legendary road with my own eyes. The attractions along Route 66 are numerous— The Rialto Theater in South Pasadena, California, the Wigwam Village Hotel in Holbrook,  Arizona, The Blue Swallow Hotel in Tucumcari, New Mexico – each with a special charm and historical significance. Route 66 is worth seeing and it’s worth saving.

Thankfully, I’m not the only one who feels this way. Several Route 66 preservation groups exist, and in 1999 Congress passed the National Route 66 Preservation Bill.

Even after so many decades, thousands of tourists still get their kicks on this American jewel—