100 Years of Route 66 . . . is just the beginning
Did you know this year is the 100th Anniversary of Route 66? If you are a listener of Tracing the Path podcast, you’ll know that Route 66 started when the US government wanted to see if camels performed better than horses in Westward Expansion.
Yes! The government drove a pack of camels from Texas to California, and part of the route they blazed became Route 66.
From a cross-country trucking point of view, Route 66 is just one of the amazing roads in this country. The Mother Road was the first road to cross the U.S., in 1909, and its completion involved Carl Fisher, the guy who created the Indianapolis Speedway.
And while it’s not exact, US 50 (aka the Loneliest Road) travels much of what the Pony Express did back in 1860? Did you know Mark Twain traveled the Pony Express from St. Joseph, MO to Nebraska in a covered wagon where he picked up the Oregon Trail all the way to Nevada?
Our favorite thing by far is history that explains the 20th Century. The idea that camels in the 1800s are the reasons we have “teepee hotels” along Route 66 in the 1960s is fascinating. The idea that the finding of Gold in the foothills of San Francisco in 1848 is why we have a bustling West Coast is so interesting to read about.
No one person, or text book, or website can know all that is amazing about American history. That’s why we need your help.
You have heard the stories. You have been to every corner of this country hearing every tale there is to tell.
We’d love to turn your stories into full-blown stories (and credit you if you want). So we’re calling all the trivia buffs, all the Cliff Clavins, all the know-it-alls to share some of your insights about America.
What do you know about 20th Century history, that most people don’t?