California’s Route 66:

Hiding in Plain Sight

2019
June 29 – October 19

Route 66, a 2,448-mile long road connecting Chicago to Los Angeles, became a symbol of the mystique of the open road and an icon of Americana. It figured largely in the history of western expansion in the 20th century, from the desperate 1930s Dust Bowl migration to rambling road trips in the 1950s and 1960s. To illustrate the Route’s history, the exhibition will feature artifacts such as early driving guides, iconic signage and ephemera, and historic photographs from the Santa Monica History Museum Collection. A rare manuscript map for “Proposed Highways,” from the height of the 1920s Good Roads Movement, will also be on display.

Route 66 has a special resonance in Santa Monica history, as the road ends at the intersection of Lincoln and Olympic Boulevards. The exhibition will explore the legacy of “the end of the trail” in Santa Monica, as well as the role that famous local figures like Will Rogers played in promoting Route 66.

The exhibition was developed with the support of the California Historical Route 66 Association. Expert talks are planned to accompany the exhibition, which will feature aspects of the route’s history and current travel recommendations.