Route 66

CHICAGO — Saturday marks 96 years since one of the original highways in the U.S. was assigned its numerical designation, we're talking about Route 66.

The most recent Google Doodle commemorates the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Route 66, the iconic roadway that extended from Chicago to Los ...

Matthew Cruickshank, the Googler behind today’s Doodle, drove the full 2,448-mile stretch of Route 66 to commemorate its heritage. During the first two decades of the twenty-first century, many organisations and businesses designated “auto trails” across the country, indicating ideal cross-state and cross-country routes. In comparison, Ford had only recently begun manufacture of their cheap Model T in 1908, allowing the middle class to acquire a car.

The latest Google Doodle celebrates America's iconic Route 66, one of the most famous driving roads in the world and a bucket-list journey for road trip fans ...

The road also aided the economics of the communities it passed through, and people doing business along the route prospered as the highway grew in popularity. Route 66 was one of the first roadways in the United States Highway System, and served as a major route for people migrating west, particularly during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, a period of intense dust storms that wreaked havoc on the American and Canadian grasslands' ecology and agriculture. Today’s Google is an animated journey along the route, taking in some of the more iconic sights and sounds of the trip.

Also known as US Route 66 or US Highway 66, it was one of America's the first national highways for motor vehicles and has since become a cultural icon.

What is Route 66? What is Route 66? Why is Route 66 so famous?

The artwork is an animated video composed of over 100 paintings and sketches by Google art director Matthew Cruickshank while on a road trip.

Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985, but several parts were preserved as state or national Scenic Byways, says Google. Google's vibrantly colored video features iconic landmarks from the highway, like the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in Mississippi, the Cadillac Ranch in Texas, and the Golden Driller statue in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "I set out to create an animated sketchbook of my journey complete with u-turns and artistic meanderings," Cruickshank said in Google's news release. Route 66 was built in 1926 and "made cross-country travel affordable for the first time," says Google in a news release.

The coastal road meanders along the beautiful Sussex seafront from Brighton all the way to Folkestone in Kent.

A public path runs alongside the entire length of the Royal Military canal which starts in Hythe, passing by numerous World War Two pillboxes and the unusual acoustic mirrors. The huge wooded area sits right next to golden beaches, with pathways winding around beautiful gardens. You have to divert off the A259 slightly for this one, but Dungeness is an achingly beautiful setting. It's a wonderful drive, with an array of stunning beauty spots and popular visitor attractions along the way. It is now home to Europe's largest fleet of beach-launched fishing boats. Our south coast road is of course a tad shy at just 120 miles, but that doesn't mean it isn't steeped in beauty, much like its far longer American counterpart.

The search engine Google is celebrating the historic cross-country highway Route 66 with a Doodle today. Read on to know everything about it!

The highway was removed from the United States Highway System in the year 1985 officially. It was a symbol of freedom in the 20th century. The old system was replaced in its entirety by segments of the Interstate Highway System. It was a period of severe dust storms that devastated the ecology and agriculture. It ferries people to a bygone era of drive-ins and neon signs. I set out to create an animated sketchbook of my journey complete with u-turns and artistic meanderings.”

You may notice a Route 66 theme if you use Google this weekend. The search engine is celebrating a a significant date in the history of Route 66.

A 15-person commission will plan activities to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026. The route connected local and state roads from Chicago to Los Angeles and included a path in Springfield. While Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985, some cities preserve sections of it for travelers. Historians say Springfield, Missouri is recognized as the “Birthplace of Route 66″ based on activities and events that happened that day. Springfield entrepreneur John Woodruff and Tulsa entrepreneur Cyrus Avery are credited for their contributions to send the telegram to federal officials. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - You may notice a Route 66 theme if you use Google this weekend. Route66News.com cites research from Missouri State University’s Thomas Peters that offers insight from that date.