Route 66 Then and Now

(Hardback)

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Description

Route 66 Then and Nowtravels the Mother Road with a bunch of classic old photos, revealing what is still there, what's been beautifully preserved and what has disappeared forever.
The Mother Road or the Will Rogers Highway has been open since 1926.Its heyday was the WWII and post-war era and many roadside structures sprang up to cater for the tin-can tourists making the journey from East to West. Gas stations, motels, and diners all had to compete for business and what better way to attract attention than with a wacky feature such as a wigwam motel, an iceberg cafe, or a whale-themed diner.

Route 66 Then and Nowrevisits some of these bizarre (and not-so-bizarre) structures to see whats left before time takes its toll. Some, such as the Magnolia Service Station in Kansas, have been preserved on the National Historic Register; others, such as the Aztec Motel in Albuquerque, are still doing a thriving business; while others have simpy vanished from the landscape.

Starting in Chicago,Route 66 Then and Nowtakes in the motels, cafes, gas stations, roadside attractions and key towns and sites along the route. From the Blue Whale in Catoosa, past Angel Delgadillos store in Seligman, Arizona, to the end point in Santa Monica, Route 66 historian Joe Sonderman takes readers on the 2,500-mile trip, illustrated by his fabulous postcard collection.

Includes: Illinois:Chicago, Joliet, Dwight, Pontiac, Logan County.Missouri:St. Louis, Lebanon, Springfield, Joplin.Kansas:Galena, Baxter Springs.Oklahoma:Catoosa, Tulsa, Sayre.Texas:Shamrock, Amarillo, Glenrio.New Mexico:Santo Domingo, Gravel Hill, Albuquerque.Arizona:Holbrook, Winslow, Two Guns, Flagstaff, Seligman, Kingman.California:Needles, Amboy, Barstow, Cajon Pass, San Bernadino, Pasadena, Santa Monica.

Author Bio

Joe Sonderman is a prolific Route 66 author and has one of the most extensive collections of Route 66 postcards in the USA. He has written 13 books on the Mother Road, including Route 66 in Illinois, Missouri, St. Louis, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.