Route 66 Turns 100 This Year

Icelandic musician KK recalls traveling Route 66 with his mother in a 1950s Pontiac Safari station wagon, a journey of roughly 4,000 kilometers—about three times the length of Iceland’s Ring Road. The historic highway, stretching from Santa Monica, California, to Chicago, Illinois, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Once the first fully paved road in the US, Route 66 served as a vital artery for migration and tourism, peaking in the mid-20th century. The road’s cultural impact extends to music—Woody Guthrie composed “This Land Is Your Land” during travels along it—film, and art. Though it was removed from the US Highway System in 1985, portions are now preserved, attracting travelers interested in experiencing a piece of American history.

Photographer David J. Schwartz, who has documented the route for decades, is releasing photographs as part of the centennial celebrations.

He views Route 66 not as a relic, but as a living, breathing part of the American landscape. The highway’s enduring legacy is further cemented by songs like Bobby Troup’s “Route 66,” famously performed by Nat King Cole. According to KK, “There’s probably not a better road trip than Route 66 in the United States.”