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66 photos from America’s Mother Road as she turns 100

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66 photos from America’s Mother Road as she turns 100

The problem is not where to find photos on Route 66. The problem is putting down the camera, especially during this centennial year, when the road is dressed up with more lights, banners, murals and fresh paint than it has seen for decades.

100 Years of Route 66

Stories, photos and travel recommendations from America’s Mother Road

Travelers may be tempted to just keep snapping. But for better results on every level, say hello and ask questions first. Here are a few more photo tips along with an east-to-west gallery of what our photographers and I found on the road:

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  • You can’t be everywhere at dusk, when the neon signs blaze, so be strategic (and maybe plan for an early dinner or a late one).
  • Use a solid tripod (for long exposures), stay off the road, and be sure to try a variety of exposure times. (Neon is tricky.)
  • If you see a roadside image that needs your attention, pull over, park legally and step away from the vehicle. The result will be better and all will be safer.
  • Besides the freedom of road-tripping, the spirit of Route 66 is about independent businesses bucking the odds on the road less traveled. If we all take pictures without spending, those businesses won’t last long.
Views from Navy Pier in Chicago.

Views from Navy Pier in Chicago.

Millennium Park in Chicago.

Millennium Park in Chicago.

Route 66 begins in downtown Chicago at Adams Street and Michigan Avenue. Early alignments put it on Jackson Boulevard. Signs mark the spot across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago.

Route 66 begins in downtown Chicago at Adams Street and Michigan Avenue. Early alignments put it on Jackson Boulevard. Signs mark the spot across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago.

Art Institute of Chicago.

Art Institute of Chicago.

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Cigars and Stripes BBQ in Berwyn, Ill.

Cigars and Stripes BBQ in Berwyn, Ill., features a Muffler Man smoking a cigar and holding a jumbo bottle of barbecue sauce.

The Gemini Giant stands along Route 66 in Wilmington, Ill.

The Gemini Giant stands along Route 66 in Wilmington, Ill.

Atlanta, Ill., is home to the American Giants Museum.

Atlanta, Ill., is home to the American Giants Museum — which celebrates the Muffler Men and Uniroyal Gals that were common roadside advertising features in the middle 20th century.

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Springfield, Ill., is home to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library.

Springfield, Ill., is home to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library. Exhibits takes Lincoln from his Illinois childhood through to the Civil War and his assassination in 1865.

A barn along Route 66 near Carlinville, Ill.

A barn along Route 66 near Carlinville, Ill.

The Wagon Wheel Motel on Route 66 in Cuba, Mo.

The Wagon Wheel Motel on Route 66 in Cuba, Mo.

The Route 66 Car Museum's collection includes about 70 vehicles, especially American and European sports cars.

The Route 66 Car Museum’s collection includes about 70 vehicles, especially American and European sports cars. Pictured is a 1967 Pontiac Bonneville.

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Gary's Gay Parita

Gary’s Gay Parita, once a service station, won fame over the decades for its hosts’ hospitality. It’s still a popular stop, 25 miles west of Springfield, Mo.

Rockwood Motor Court sign

Rockwood Motor Court in Springfield, Mo., dates to 1929. It has been restored and continues to operate.

The Meadow Gold District in Tulsa, Okla.

The Meadow Gold District in Tulsa, Okla.

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This fiberglass Rosie the Riveter figure went up on 11th Street in Tulsa in 2025.

This fiberglass Rosie the Riveter figure went up on 11th Street in Tulsa in 2025.

Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios occupies a former service station on 11th Street — a.k.a. Route 66 — in Tulsa.

Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios occupies a former service station on 11th Street — a.k.a. Route 66 — in Tulsa.

Soda pop bottles line the walls of Pops 66 in Arcadia, Okla.

Soda pop bottles line the walls of Pops 66 in Arcadia, Okla.

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A car travels down a stretch of the Meadow Gold District in Tulsa, Okla.

A car travels down a stretch of the Meadow Gold District in Tulsa, Okla.

The Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza features a bronze sculpture called, "East Meets West."

The Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza features a bronze sculpture called “East Meets West,” just off the now-closed Cyrus Avery Route 66 Memorial Bridge.

The Round Barn ion Arcadia, OK, stands along Route 66.

The Round Barn in Arcadia, Okla., stands along Route 66.

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National Route 66 Museum and Elk City Museum Complex, Elk City, Okla.

National Route 66 Museum and Elk City Museum Complex, Elk City, Okla.

The fastidiously restored U Drop Inn.

The fastidiously restored U-Drop Inn, a Streamline Moderne filling station and cafe in Shamrock, Texas, is one of the architectural standouts of Route 66. It doesn’t sell gas, though.

Visitors to Cadillac Ranch art installation in Amarillo, TX, are allowed to spray the 10 Cadillacs half-buried in the ground.

Visitors to the Cadillac Ranch art installation in Amarillo, Texas, are allowed to spray-paint the 10 Cadillacs half-buried in the ground there.

The Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, celebrates the halfway point along Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles.

The Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, celebrates the halfway point along Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles.

A license plate spotted in Albuquerque.

A license plate spotted in Albuquerque.

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La Cita, a sombrero-topped restaurant, is one of the most popular eateries in Tucumcari, NM.

La Cita, a sombrero-topped restaurant, is one of the most popular eateries in Tucumcari, N.M. It was founded in 1940 and moved to its current location in 1961.

Motel Safari in Tucumcari, N.M., is one among a handful in town that have renovated and upgraded to attract contemporary travelers along Route 66.

Motel Safari in Tucumcari, N.M., is one among a handful in town that have renovated and upgraded to attract contemporary travelers along Route 66.

Michela Franceschilli and her mom, Carla, came from Rome for their second trip exploring Route 66.

Michela Franceschilli and her mom, Carla, came from Rome for their second trip exploring Route 66. They are standing by the Blue Swallow Motel, in Tucumcari, N.M.

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From Old Highway 66 near Laguna, N.M., Casa Blanca Road leads to Enchanted Mesa and Acoma Village.

From Old Highway 66 near Laguna, N.M., Casa Blanca Road leads to Enchanted Mesa and Acoma Village.

The exterior of Duran Central Pharmacy in Albuquerque.

The exterior of Duran Central Pharmacy in Albuquerque.

The combination plate, Christmas-style, at Duran Central Pharmacy.

The combination plate, Christmas-style, at Duran Central Pharmacy.

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El Vado Motel is a rescue-and-recovery story on Central Avenue in Albuquerque.

El Vado Motel is a rescue-and-recovery story on Central Avenue in Albuquerque.

Signs and murals line the roadside as Old Highway 66 passes through Grants, N.M.

Signs and murals line the roadside as Old Highway 66 passes through Grants, N.M.

The West Theatre in Grants, N.M.

The West Theatre in Grants, N.M.

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The Painted Desert Trading Post stand west of Chambers, Ariz.

The Painted Desert Trading Post stand west of Chambers, Ariz. The restored building and a stretch of old Route 66 are on private property behind a gate. Travelers call or text a number on the gate to ask for access.

Signage along old Route 66 in Holbrook, Ariz.

Signage along old Route 66 in Holbrook, Ariz.

The Painted Desert portion of Petrified Forest National Park includes broad vistas and richly varied mineral colors.

The Painted Desert portion of Petrified Forest National Park includes broad vistas and richly varied mineral colors.

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Scenes from Route 66 in Williams, Ariz.

Scenes from Route 66 in Williams, Ariz.

Angel & Vilma Delgadillo's Original Route 66 Gift Shop on Route 66 through Seligman.

Angel & Vilma Delgadillo’s Original Route 66 Gift Shop on Route 66 through Seligman, Ariz.

Aztec Motel and Creative Space in Seligman, Ariz.

Aztec Motel and Creative Space in Seligman, Ariz.

Route 66 merch in Seligman, Ariz.

Route 66 merch in Seligman, Ariz.

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Tin Can Alley is a compound of five rental Airstream trailers in Kingman, Ariz.

Tin Can Alley is a compound of five rental Airstream trailers in Kingman, Ariz.

The stretch of old Route 66 between Kingman and Topock in western Arizona is known as "Arizona Sidewinder."

The stretch of old Route 66 between Kingman and Topock in western Arizona is known as “Arizona Sidewinder” for its 191 turns, often without guardrails. The old mining town of Oatman, known for its feral donkeys, is on the way.

Oatman, Ariz., is known for its roaming burros, western storefront and busy weekends.

Oatman, Ariz., is known for its roaming burros, Old West-style storefronts and busy weekends. It stands on a curvy stretch of Route 66 that attracts many motorcyclists and off-road enthusiasts.

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El Rancho Motel Sign on the outskirts of Barstow, Calif.

El Rancho Motel Sign on the outskirts of Barstow, Calif.

Wigwam Motel off Route 66.

Wigwam Motel off Route 66.

The iconic Roy's sign stands over old Route 66 at Amboy, Ca., in San Bernardino County.

The iconic Roy’s sign stands over old Route 66 at Amboy, Calif., in San Bernardino County. These days Roy’s operates as a gas station, gift shop and snack bar, not a cafe or motel.

The fiberglass statue known as Chicken Boy stands on the roof of artist, designer and gallerist Amy Inouye's studio on Figueroa Street in Highland Park.

The fiberglass statue known as Chicken Boy stands on the roof of artist, designer and gallerist Amy Inouye’s studio on Figueroa Street in Highland Park.

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The interior of the Magic Lamp Inn.

The interior of the Magic Lamp Inn.

The Magic Lamp Inn in Rancho Cucamonga.

The Magic Lamp Inn in Rancho Cucamonga.

Mitla's Cafe in San Bernardino.

Mitla’s Cafe in San Bernardino.

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Foothill Drive-In sign on the campus of Azusa Pacific University.

Foothill Drive-In sign on the campus of Azusa Pacific University.

A portion of Route 66 that runs parallel with I-15.

A portion of Route 66 that runs parallel with I-15.

Signs of Route 66 through the town of Oro Grande, Calif.

Signs of Route 66 through the town of Oro Grande, Calif.

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Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch.

Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch.

The interior of the Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood.

The interior of the Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood.

The historic train car at the Formosa Cafe.

The historic train car at the Formosa Cafe.

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Mel's Drive-In diner in Santa Monica.

Mel’s Drive-In diner in Santa Monica.

Route 66 memorabilia at Mel's Drive-in diner.

Route 66 memorabilia at Mel’s Drive-in diner.

Route 66 Burger at Mel's Drive-In, a popular stop for Route 66 travelers.

Route 66 Burger at Mel’s Drive-In, a popular stop for Route 66 travelers.

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The Santa Monica Pier, which marks the western end of Route 66.

The Santa Monica Pier, which marks the western end of Route 66.

Memorabilia for sale on the Santa Monica Pier.

Memorabilia for sale on the Santa Monica Pier.

Scenes from the Santa Monica Pier and the end of Route 66.

Scenes from the Santa Monica Pier and the end of Route 66.

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A sign marking the end of Route 66 on the Santa Monica Pier.

A sign marking the end of Route 66 on the Santa Monica Pier.

The entrance to the Santa Monica Pier.

The entrance to the Santa Monica Pier.

The Santa Monica Pier at dusk.

The Santa Monica Pier at dusk.

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Lifestyle

Did you know? Alan Greenspan and Ayn Rand were close friends

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Did you know? Alan Greenspan and Ayn Rand were close friends

Alan Greenspan and Ayn Rand are pictured in the Oval Office on Sept. 4, 1974, after Greenspan’s swearing in as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors.

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David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images/Hulton Archive

One of the most important intellectual relationships in the life of Alan Greenspan, the prominent former central banker who died Monday, was with author Ayn Rand, whose 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged has become a perennial favorite among conservatives and which the Library of Congress named as one of the books that has shaped America.

The two first met when he was in his mid-twenties and she was in her forties, and already well-established via her 1943 novel The Fountainhead, which had been a best-seller. They were introduced through Greenspan’s then-wife, the Canadian art historian Joan Mitchell. Mitchell was a close friend of the wife of Nathaniel Branden. Branden was Rand’s protege and longtime lover.

Greenspan and Mitchell wed in 1952, but divorced within a year. By contrast, Greenspan’s relationship with Rand was far more lasting: they remained friends until her death in 1982.

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Through the Branden connection, Greenspan joined Rand’s “Collective,” a small group of friends and thinkers who would gather regularly at Rand’s midtown Manhattan apartment to discuss politics, world events and ideas. He became a Collective regular.

According to Greenspan’s 2007 memoir, The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World, Rand nicknamed Greenspan “the undertaker” early on in their friendship, thanks to his penchant for dark suits and his sober demeanor.

His dour reputation was at odds with his early artistic pursuits. He was a talented musician. Before pursuing an economics degree at New York University, he enrolled at Juilliard to study clarinet, and as a teenager played in a swing band alongside jazz legend-to-be Stan Getz. His musical tastes were just as conservative as his politics, however: in his memoir, he dismissed almost every form of post-big band popular music as “on the edge of noise.”

Greenspan wrote for Rand’s magazine, The Objectivist, including contributing an influential essay on the gold standard in 1966 that was later reprinted in her book Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal. When he was sworn in as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers during the Ford administration, it was Rand who stood with him, along with Rand’s husband, Frank O’Connor, and Greenspan’s mother Rose Goldsmith.

“Ayn Rand became a stabilizing force in my life,” he wrote in his memoir. “She was a wholly original thinker, sharply analytical, strong-willed, highly principled, and very insistent on rationality as the highest value. In that regard, our values were congruent – we agreed on the importance of mathematics and intellectual rigor.”

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Frame: From Scandal to $300 Million in Sales

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Frame: From Scandal to 0 Million in Sales
The premium denim label, with the DNA of ‘a Frenchman coming to Los Angeles in the Seventies,’ is on track to hit a major revenue milestone and open a 6,000-square-foot Paris flagship this year, after successfully steering clear of the messy breakup between co-founder Erik Torstensson and venture capitalist Natalie Massenet.
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Laverne Cox wrote her memoir because ‘one more human story out there can help’

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Laverne Cox wrote her memoir because ‘one more human story out there can help’

Laverne Cox says that even from a young age, there was “always music in my head.” Her new memoir is called Transcendent. She’s shown above in New York in April 2026.

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Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

For more than a decade, Laverne Cox has been one of the most visible trans women in America. But the Orange Is the New Black star says she spent most of her childhood in Mobile, Ala., keeping herself hidden.

A turning point came when she was in third grade, on a church field trip to Six Flags. She bought a paper fan to cool herself, and caught the attention of her teacher.

“I was having a Scarlett O’Hara moment, fanning myself,” Cox says. “And then later that day, my mother comes in and tells me she had gotten a call from the school … and [my teacher] said that I would end up in New Orleans wearing a dress if we didn’t get me into therapy right away.”

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When she was 8 or 9, Cox was sent to conversion therapy, where, she says, a therapist suggested injecting her with testosterone. “The idea was that that was supposed to make me more masculine,” she says. “My mother, thank God, said no to that.” But Cox knew she needed to leave Mobile.

In her new memoir, Transcendent, Cox writes about her journey from Mobile to show business. She remembers being bullied mercilessly by other children at school — a situation made worse by her mother’s reaction: “My mother … instead of having an impulse to protect me or care for me or ask if I was OK, she made it my fault,” she says.

In the 1990s, she moved to New York City and began auditioning for roles, first as a dancer and then as an actor. She also started experimenting with gender norms; she began her medical transition in 1998, at the age of 26.

For Cox, writing her memoir is an act of resistance and healing: “After 2023, it became very clear to me that we, that trans people had lost the culture,” she says. “I knew this was the beginning of a disaster in terms of policy. … The dehumanization was so clear to me, and so I think I also thought maybe one more human story out there can help.”

Interview highlights

transcendent-9781668097755_hr.jpg

On the anger she still feels about being bullied as a child

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As an adult, I’m angry at the boys. I am angry at my mother. I want to protect that little child. I’m just so angry. I’m so hurt. … There’s also like the anger [about] all the kids that I’ve met who are trans or queer who are still experiencing this, and the anger of knowing that in states that have passed anti-trans laws that the percentage of bullying has skyrocketed in those states. … There’s the rhetorical piece that happens in the media that is dehumanizing and stigmatizing trans people. And it creates a permission structure. If, like your governor and your state legislators are doing [it], if your teachers and pundits on TV are doing it, then of course kids are emboldened to do it. And that makes me so angry.

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