From Chicago to Santa Monica pier, 2448 miles along the Mother Road, far away from the big cities, looking for the essence of America.
Through 8 States (Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California) the US 66 served as a primary route for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.
People doing business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive in the face of the growing threat of being bypassed by the new Interstate Highway System.