Murals are common sights on Route 66. About 60 miles from Chicago is this mural in Wilmington, Illinois. (Photos by the author). Designated as a federal highway in 1926 and running from Chicago to Los Angeles, Route 66 connected – and often ran right through – Midwest and Southwest downtowns. It was quite literally America’s Main Street. By the 1950s, Route 66 had become an attraction in and of itself, serving as inspiration for numerous hit songs and TV shows and as a livelihood for countless small business owners. The 630-foot Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, is the tallest man-made monument in the U.S. and one of the most prominent landmarks along Route 66. But when the interstate system bypassed much of the old route, the heyday faded, businesses dried up, and many establishments were abandoned. Eventually, the all-American road was almost entirely chopped up and decommissioned.… ...[TheTopNews] Read More.
5 days ago
