Dustbowl Highway

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More stories

World’s Largest CONCRETE Totem Pole

After serving in the U.S. Army in the early 1900s, Ed Galloway discovered a unique passion—carving massive sculptures from trees. His talent did not go unnoticed, and in 1914, philanthropist Charles Page recognized his skill, offering him a position as an arts teacher at the Children’s Home Orphanage in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. However, it wasn’t […] More
Gemini Giant: Route 66’s Space-Age Icon to Launch to a New Home

Nestled in the small town of Wilmington, Illinois, the Gemini Giant has stood as a towering testament to America’s mid-century captivation by space travel and the open road. Until now, that is. This 28-foot-tall fiberglass colossus has been a quirky landmark on Route 66 since the 1960s. The Gemini Giant not only captures the spirit […] More
Amboy Crater: A Black Volcano Rising from the Mojave

Rising from the Mojave Desert like a mysterious mountain from another planet, Amboy Crater is a nearly perfect volcanic cinder cone just off Route 66. Amboy Crater isn’t just a roadside oddity. It’s a geologic marvel. This cinder cone volcano last erupted over 10,000 years ago. Perfectly symmetrical and hauntingly beautiful, this National Natural Landmark […] More
History of Barbed Wire: Devil’s Rope Museum

By now you know that 66 is full of unusual, quirky, and eccentric attractions celebrating American kitsch – and of all the offbeat museums found along the Route, the Devil’s Rope Museum in McLean, Texas, might be the most unusual—at least at first glance. Dedicated to the history of barb, or barbed, wire (also known […] More
Sedona’s Vortexes: The Most Mystical Place in America?

There are sections of the Mother Road that are surreal, from another time, even David Lynch-esque in their flawed idealism. Veer towards Flagstaff, Arizona, and you’ll find yourself in a zone that feels otherworldly, yet deeply American at the same time. Claims of spiritual energy emanating from Sedona’s red rocks have drawn both tourists and […] More
It’s ‘Catsup’, Not Ketchup! World’s Largest Catsup Bottle Is In Illinois

Before “ketchup” dominated American markets by the mid-20th century, the alternative spelling “catsup” was used by brands like Brooks Catsup. That’s why if you travel 2 miles off Route 66 to Collinsville, Illinois, you’ll find The World’s Largest Catsup Bottle. Standing over 170 feet tall, you may ask yourself, “is it really full of ketchup?” […] More
66 in Chrome and Clay

A newer addition to the Mother Road is the Route 66 Monument, known as “Roadside Attraction,” located in historic Tucumcari, New Mexico. Commissioned by the New Mexico Arts Commission and the New Mexico Highway Department, the monument was designed by artist Thomas Coffin and completed in 1997. The sculpture features a larger-than-life chrome tail fin […] More
“Do it in a Tee Pee” Village #7

Of the original seven Wigwam Villages, only three still stand. Two of them—Village #6 in Holbrook, Arizona, and Village #7 in Rialto, California—are located on The Mother Road. Frank Redford, the creator of the Wigwam Villages, actually built the Rialto location himself (he also built Village #2 in Cave City, Kentucky). Construction began in 1947, […] More
Midpoint Cafe – Halfway Mark of the Mother Road

True to its name, the midpoint cafe lies exactly 1139 miles from 66’s origin in Chicago, and 1139 from its end point in Santa Monica. Thus, this café’s slogan aptly states, “when you’re here, you’re halfway there.” Established in 1928, in Adrian, Texas, this gas station and café grew in popularity as Americans set out […] More