| 1790 |
The first country roads in the United States were
patterned after the European models, the first ones in the
eastern part of the country. |
| 1890 |
At the end of the nineteenth century, "road"
still meant "railroad". Over 200,000 miles of railroad
tracks dominated the whole travel stretch. |
| 1903 |
The first car traversed the country on gravel and on
plank roads. |
| 1909 |
The first roads were built with asphalt and cement. |
| 1914 |
Along the railroad lines the "National Old Trails
Highway" was built, as a prototype of the Route 66. |
| 1916 |
President Woodrow Wilson signed the "Federal Air
Road Act". The American taxpayers were paying for
interstate roads. |
| 1921 |
Fast food became the new wave for the American:
drive-ins, hamburgers and french fries. |
| 1923 |
The first national highway - Lincoln Highway - between
New York and San Francisco was open. |
| 1925 |
All the interstate roads got numbers: uneven numbers
for roads going north-south and even numbers for roads going
east-west. |
| 1927 |
90-day long maraton from Los Angeles to Chicago to
advertise the new artery. Along Route 66 the first drive-ins,
hotesl and dancing locations were built. |
| 1940 |
The army used Route 66 to move troops from one coast to
the other. |
| 1946 |
The first travelers guide on Route 66 was published in
Los Angeles: "A Guide Book To Highway 66". |
| 1948 |
The first McDonald's was built in San Bernardino. The
United States imports crude oil, first time in history. |
| 1977 |
The last Route 66 sign was removed in Chicago. |
| 1983 |
The first Route 66 Association was founded. |
| 1984 |
Only interstates from Chicago to Los Angeles (I-55,
I-44, I-40, I-15 and I-10). Route 66 did officially not exist
any more. |
| 1997 |
US Congress discussed how to protect the rest of US
Highway 66 to "grant the highway historic status". |
