Route 66 Remembered

Interstates have largely replaced the old Route 66, "the Mother Road" that was the main connector between Chicago and Los Angeles for so many years. In this richly illustrated portrait of the old route, Witzel showcases an amazing variety of diners, motels, roadside attractions, and pictureesque scenery, plus historical photos, contemporary shots of now defunct locations, and period ads. 200 photos, 125 in color.

Route 66 was, from the 1920s to the 1970s, the principal highway from Chicago to Los Angeles, until it was displaced by interstate highways. As this splendid contribution to American popular history shows, it played a significant role in our national development. Witzel (The American Gas Station) profiles many kinds of travelers, from carefree vacationers to weary Okies headed for what they hoped was a better life. He covers four principal subjects: attractions along the road (from phony totem poles to snake pits), filling stations, roadside eateries and motor hotels. While his text is very good, it is carried by 200 photos, more than half in color, which pay tribute to the twin gods Schlock and Kitsch. Readers will also pick up much Americana along the way, including the origins of corn dogs, carhops, chicken in the rough and house trailers. A minor defect is the absence of a capsule history of the highway, telling exactly when it began and ended, and, above all, a map. Even so, Witzel has produced a gem of nostalgia. (Apr.) Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information.