The Mother Road: Historic Route 66

This is an image of an original newspaper clipping describing the proposed route of the new U.S. highway, Route 66. It's sort of the birth announcement for Route 66.

As we know, Route 66, like other newly designated U.S. highways in 1926, was a collection of numerous stretches of existing highways, roads, and paths already connecting cities and towns along the way that became stitched together by the formal recognition of the route. Generally speaking though, it was still quite an adventure to travel it from end to end in the early days, as most of it was still just a simple dirt road. These roads were maintained fairly well but travel on them in anything other than perfect weather was always reason for concern.

The signage on our early U.S. highways was one of the first important improvements that took place and that greatly impacted the traveler as they now actually had roads that were indicated on maps and could be followed with route signs. The main issue then became the quality of the road itself. There were a few paved stretches here and there, mainly due to the efforts of local citizen road organizations that raised money and handled paving roads in and around their communities. But it took some time over most of the system, to bring a civilized, paved surface to the road.

The Federal government in Washington knew it was time it must do something. So, from 1933 to 1938, thousands of unemployed male youths from almost every state were set to work as laborers on road gangs to pave the final stretches of the road. As a result of this monumental effort, the Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway was reported as "continuously paved" in 1938. These young men had been struggling to help their families survive because the country was mired in a deep depression. Their meager but steady paychecks kept hope alive in many of these American homes and saw many families through the worst of their financial woes.

The completion of this all-weather capability as World War II drew near was also very significant to the nation's upcoming war effort. The personal experience of a young Army captain, named Dwight D. Eisenhower, who found his command swamped in the spring mud near Ft. Riley, Kansas, while on a coast-to-coast maneuver, left an indelible impression. The War Department needed improved highways for rapid mobilization during wartime and to promote national defense during peacetime.

At the outset of American involvement in World War II, the War Department singled out the West as ideal for military training bases in part because of its geographic isolation and especially because it offered consistently dry weather for air and field maneuvers. But that geographic isolation was now not as much of a logistical problem because a wonderful ribbon of newly paved road stretched to the far western horizon.

So the mother road wrote yet another critical chapter in our country's history. Route 66 not only had a profound economic impact on the young men who built it and the communities along the way, but it helped to make possible the single greatest wartime manpower mobilization in the history of our nation.

In November of 2003, a special exhibit celebrating Route 66 was opened at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. There is an original 48 foot long section of the actual highway that was moved from Oklahoma to the museum. You can walk along this portion of the pavement of Route 66, past a car and a truck of the type that would have driven the road in the 1930s. This section of the exhibit explores the substance behind the myth of Route 66, telling the stories of real people who made their living on or beside the road and who traveled on the fabled highway. There is a lot of insight into the history of the road in this exhibit that makes it really worthwhile for fans of the road.

By the time World War II was over, travel on The Mother Road was becoming more commonplace. Swarms of tourists with families in tow regularly set out on Route 66. Most were embracing their new found mobility and the chance to explore parts of this great nation they had only read about and never seen. Many it seems, were using the road to actually pull up stakes and move to the warm sunny climate of the Southwest or California where they had been stationed at military bases for training. There were also the truck drivers who regularly motored their cargo back and forth upon the popular ribbon of concrete and asphalt, as modern roads like Route 66 had opened up an incredible growth in freight movement to compete with the railroads of America. It was just like Cyrus Avery had predicted in his visionary campaign, Route 66 had become the "Main Street of America."

It was a time when hundreds of roadside businesses were established along the route to cater to the needs of thousands of motorists, needing food, shelter and service for their vehicles. One such entrepreneur was a young man named Ed Waldmire. While traveling through Muskogee, Oklahoma, Ed ordered an unusual sandwich called a "corn-dog" consisting of weiners cooked in a corn batter on a grill. The treat was tasty but took a long time to prepare. After telling the story to a fellow college student, whose father was in the bakery business, the "corn-dog" was not given much more thought. But five years later, while stationed at the Amarillo Airfield, Ed received a letter from that college buddy, Don Strand, who told him he had developed a batter mix that would stick to a weiner while being "french-fried". Don asked him if he could send some down to Amarillo for him to try. Ed, having time on his hands said, "Yes".

Ed began experimenting in the USO kitchen, using cocktail forks for sticks and created a very tasty treat that they called a "crusty cur". They became quite popular at the USO in town and at the base PX. Don continued to send him the mix and Ed kept selling thousands of these handy dogs on a stick until he was honorably discharged in the spring of 1946.

Upon returning to Springfield after his discharge, he made the decision to sell the popular crusty curs in his hometown. However, Ed's wife did not like the name and through trial error and after discarding dozens of other names, they finally decided on the now famous Cozy Dogs. It was not long after that, they opened a Cozy Dog stand on Ash and MacArthur in Springfield. The rest they say is history, as the famous treat was served to thousands of hungry travelers as they passed through Springfield, Illinois on Route 66.

The Cozy Dog Drive In remains in operation today at 2935 So. Sixth Street in Springfield, Illinois and is a favorite stop of Route 66 enthusiasts attending the many Route 66 festivals and conventions that are held in the area. Stopping by for a Cozy Dog with fresh cut fries and a Route 66 Root Beer, is a great way to remember the special treat it was to stop along the way for a bite to eat while motoring down the Mother Road. The Cozy Dog Drive In is open 8AM to 8PM, Monday through Saturday and besides the famous dog on a stick, they also serve up a super breakfast in the morning and are renowned for their great homemade chili and bean soup and tasty pork tenderloins. The Cozy Dog Drive In, another special way to get your kicks on Route 66!

NOTE: A very special thanks goes to Eddie Waldmire and the Waldmire family for information and the use of the images in this module.

ROUTE 66 DEBUTS - 1960

Route 66 made its network television debut with CBS on October 7, 1960. With the advent of a weekly TV show, the Mother Road had now taken a publicity leap that Cyrus Avery could have never imagined. The popular series was filmed on location all over the United States, sometimes along the famous highway and at times not even remotely close to it.

The show centered around two young men and their experiences on the open road as they traveled (ostensibly) over Route 66. The two characters were a study in contrast themselves. Tod Stiles (portrayed by Martin Milner) was a well-to-do, sheltered young man and his buddy "Buzz" Murdock (George Maharis) a streetwise tough guy who grew up in the New York neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen. Together, they decide to set off across America, searching for adventure, enlightenment and perhaps a way to make a few bucks.

Anyway, as the show began, Tod Stiles' father had died and left him a new, shiny Corvette but no money. Tod was going to have to learn about the real world on his own and make his own way for the first time. So he and Buzz set off together in the 'vette traveling around the country meeting all sorts of people entangled in life's conflicts. There were to be a multitude of characters and situations for the show's creator and head writer, Stirling Silliphant, to work with for a long time in the form of an anthology. He was very familiar with that type of story-telling, having previously written the critically acclaimed series, Naked City, where each week brought a whole new scenario.

This new show had no other regular characters other than our two heroes (and of course the 'vette too), but each week brought new and interesting guest stars, in a new city, with a new set of problems for our boys to help solve. Some of the more recognizable guest stars were such actors as; Rod Steiger, Martin Sheen, Buster Keaton, Suzanne Pleshette, Robert Redford, Lee Marvin, William Shatner and a young Robert Duvall. The flavor of the show was also enhanced by a parade of famous directors as well including the likes of Sam Peckinpah and Arthur Hiller. These elements actually produced some relatively high quality TV drama over the course of the show. However, even in the light of such star power, Route 66 never really achieved the ratings it should have. Many feel this was because of the range of sensitive subjects that were portrayed on the program such as - drug addiction, racism down South and union busting up north. You must remember, this was the early 60's and most people had a tough time talking about things outside of the realm of wholesome family life. That's probably why shows such as "Leave It To Beaver" and "Father Knows Best" still dominated the airwaves.

Anyway, the boys tooled around the country in their ragtop 'vette from 1960 through September 1964 when the show was canceled. Many things led up to the show's demise, probably the most notable being George Maharis' departure in 1962. Early in the filming for the third season, Maharis became ill with hepatitis, leaving Milner to do a few episodes without "Buzz". When Maharis returned, he was angry with everyone for being insensitive to his illness and recovery and lashed out at the entire production company. Most notably accusing Milner of "allowing his stardom to go to his head." The producers figured it was just an excuse to renegotiate his contract and wouldn't give in, so Buzz conveniently just disappeared.

After George Maharis split, Marty Milner continued solo into a few episodes of the show, before picking up a new co-star in the persona of "Lincoln Case" played by Glenn Corbett. The focus of the show switched mainly to Milner's character with Corbett playing basically a small supporting role as just someone to fill the other seat in the 'vette.

The show did maintain its faithful followers and sponsors for another year but the change in characters bored the audience now as Tod Stiles retraced some of the same places he and Buzz had explored two years earlier with another guy who looked just like him. (That was kinda weird, now that I think about it!?) The other thing no one ever explained in the ongoing story was how every year, these two road bums, working as dishwashers and lifeguards could score a brand new, current model Corvette. Of course we know it had to do with Chevrolet being a major sponsor but it still made it goofy.

So just as parts of the Mother Road itself was beginning to fade, "Route 66" was gone from the airwaves as well. It had been one of the most aggressive and unique productions of its kind at the time, being shot nearly all on location, all over our great country. The series took a traveling crew of over 50 people, two brand-new baby blue (later brown) Corvettes, two tractor-trailers and other assorted vehicles to produce the series, making it one of the largest mobile film operations in TV history. Quite a road trip!

This was one that I wondered about myself for some time. Every time I would look at the old Phillips 66 logo with the obvious copy of highway shield shape and that famous number, I had to believe there was some connection. (I looked at the logo a lot because I spent a lot of time at Phillips 66 stations having worked in three of them as a young man.) Was this brand connected to the road? Where did that come from?

Brothers Frank and L.E. Phillips founded the Phillips Petroleum Company when they began their quest for oil in 1903, after hearing of vast oil deposits in Oklahoma. These intrepid oilmen hit a bonanza right off when in 1905; they hit the first of 81 wells in a row without a single dry hole. An amazing stroke of luck to be sure! Twelve years later, they founded Phillips Petroleum Company, headquartered in Bartlesville, Okla.

In 1927, the company's gasoline was being tested on a stretch of the newly designated U.S. Highway 66 in Oklahoma, and when it turned out that the car was going exactly 66 mph, the company decided to name its new fuel "Phillips 66". So, to answer my own question, I found that the Phillips 66 shield logo was indeed created for its link to the highway of the same number because of the coincidence of the test speed achieved. 1927 also marked the year Phillips actually began marketing its new gasoline through the first of more than 10,000 service stations to come, many of them of course were located along the Mother Road.

The now famous logo was actually introduced in 1930 in the familiar black and orange color scheme that would last nearly 30 years. This was in my opinion a mark of marketing brilliance as the company branded itself with one of the most powerful icons of the day. It became one of the most recognizable signs of the times. In 1959, Phillips introduced a revised version of the shield in the colors, red, white and black that is still in use to this day.

Another interesting story also surfaced as I delved into the Phillips 66 - Route 66 question. It seems that from the late 1930s until the 1960s, Phillips actually employed groups of young women who were qualified as registered nurses to be "Highway Hostesses". These women made both scheduled and random visits to Phillips 66 stations within their regions to inspect station restrooms to ensure they were well cleaned and stocked. (What a novel idea! Wow!) The Highway Hostesses were also good will ambassadors for the company by directing motorists to suitable dining and lodging facilities along the way.

So I guess with what we've learned, we could indeed say that Phillips 66 is the official gasoline of the Mother Road. Its symbol and its many stations and even its "Highway Hostesses" became another colorful chapter in the fascinating story of the Mother Road.

If I have one vivid memory of traveling the highways as a child, it is the long hours on the road that were made to pass much more quickly by the friendly, entertaining signs of the Burma Vita Company in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The unique, roadside poetry not only greatly increased sales for the company but was probably one of the best public relations plan any company ever conceived. Starting with a $200 budget for paint and wood, Allan Odell, the son of the company's owner, Clinton Odell, devised this clever sequential signboard verse. His gamble paid off in quickly expanding sales and soon the Burma-Vita Company had a sign shop in full gear producing the friendly wooden ads and road crews digging post holes and putting up signs from coast-to-coast.

From 1925 through 1966 when the last signs were removed, a wild advertising idea had made a unique name and place in history for a small family-owned business in Minnesota. At the height of their popularity, there were 7,000 of these icons scattered across the two-line arteries of America.

Of course there were many of these six-sign series posted along Route 66 and that kept travelers watching out for the next set to get a laugh and brighten their day. It was always exciting when someone in the car yelled, "I see another Burma-Shave sign!".

If you are interested in reading some of the old verses, you can find them preserved and listed by year at Burma-Shave.org