Route 66 Archives and Research

Birth of Route 66 – April 30, 1926

Friday, April 30, 1926, was the red-letter day — the day that the impasse over Route 60 began to be resolved, and Route 66 born.
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Start Your Research

What are archives? Archives are the first-hand, informational materials coming from the people and the time you are studying. Archival materials for Route 66 might
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Oral Histories of Route 66

Oral history allows us to hear from those who experienced Route 66 first-hand, and fills in the feelings and observations behind the documented facts.
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Featured Collection

Come explore maps, photos, and more from the collection of the “Father of Route 66”!

As a member of the Joint Board of Interstate Highways, Cyrus Stevens Avery (1871-1963) promoted the creation of U.S. Highway 66 and the U.S. Highway 66 Association. The Oklahoma State University-Tulsa houses the online collection.
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Help Preserve Route 66!

Do you have photos, maps, documents, or other materials that document Route 66?

Contact one of our partner institutions to talk about donating materials.

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With each map, brochure, diary, or photograph we learn more about the highway what it looked like, who used it, what it was like to drive it.

Whether you are a student, journalist, preservationist, or other researcher looking for information about historic Route 66, get started here!

Learn about this National Park Service-led collaboration with archival institutions.

Are you an institution with archival materials relating to Route 66? Contact us to join the Route 66 Directory of Archives!