Keep up to date with NPS Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program news!
Photo/Los Lunas Museum
Hispanic Legacies of Route 66 in New Mexico
The Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program is pleased to announce the:
Route 66: Sharing Our History, Hispanic Legacies of Route 66 in New Mexico StoryMap
Here, stories of Route 66’s Hispanic Heritage are told through images, narrative and oral history, illuminating Hispanic influence on Route 66 – and Route 66’s influence on Hispanic life – as told by those who witnessed it.
The StoryMap is the result of many years of research and work completed by interns Lena Guidi and Gianna Sanchez from the University of New Mexico. Many thanks to Lena and Gianna for their invaluable contributions, and to all who made the StoryMap possible including the Latino Heritage Internship Program, the Spanish Colonial Research Center at University of New Mexico, National Trails Office interpretive and history staff, and many others.
New Scenic Byway Designations for Route 66!
Thanks to the “Reviving America’s Scenic Byways Act of 2019” enacted in 2019, the US Department of Transportation just announced that Route 66 from Needles to Barstow, California is now a designated National Scenic Byway, and Route 66 through Missouri is now an All American Road! Learn more about Scenic Byways.
Route 66 Centennial Commission Act Passes Through Congress
Get ready to celebrate 100 years of Route 66 in 2026! In a suspension of its regular rules, the US House of Representatives approved the Senate version of the Route 66 Centennial Commission Act (S1014) on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. The legislation is now headed to the White House for the President’s signature.
Texas Route 66 Segments Added to National Register
The National Park Service Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program is pleased to announce that eight segments of Route 66 in Wheeler County, Texas are now listed in the National Register of Historic Places!
When Route 66 was decommissioned, its segments were split into multiple jurisdictions, of which approximately 85% are still drivable today. In the case of Wheeler County, Texas, its pristine, 1931 concrete segments were transferred to the state in 1968 to become I-40 frontage road. Still in use today, these segments represent some of the last remaining original Route 66 pavement in the state. With eight segments totaling approximately 14.27 miles, they have had few improvements and retain a high degree of integrity in terms of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. Through a cost-share grant from the National Park Service Route 66 Preservation Program, the Texas Historical Commission completed a national register nomination for the segments, which was accepted into the National Register on September 22, 2020. Listing them in the National Register will increase opportunities for public awareness, and elevate protection and preservation considerations during any future, federally funded construction projects.
Last updated: November 7, 2022