Appendix D:
Inventories and Surveys
SURVEYS
Surveys and inventories of Route 66 resources are limited. With the possible exception
of New Mexico, surveys are so incomplete that comparisons or projections are extremely
tentative. Lists of properties eligible for the National Register of Historic Places leave
out significant resources that help to illustrate the character of Route 66, particularly
properties built during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s that do not meet the 50-year National
Register of Historic Places criteria. The New Mexico survey clearly demonstrates the
problem. It lists 557 highway-related structures, although it does not include bridges,
residences, parks, civic buildings, churches, or natural features. But only 38 of the 557
are considered eligible for nomination to the national register. The photographic survey
done by the Kansas Route 66 Association illustrates the high density of highway- related
resources. With slightly over 14 miles of road, Kansas has 75 structures that have been
identified as important to the Route 66 experience. This is 5.3 structures per mile.
Illinois
An inventory of national register eligible structures and pavement evaluation was
completed in 1994. It is limited to the portion of the road between Dwight and Pontiac
(roughly 25 miles of over 300 miles of Route 66 still surviving in the state).
Missouri
A survey of Route 66 roadside architecture eligible for the national register
(including structures that do not meet the 50- year criteria) was started but not
completed (it is about 65% done). It does not include bridges, road alignments, houses, or
farms. Cities also need additional work. The survey listed 249 properties 85
hotel/motel/camps, 84 garages/gas stations/car dealers/body shops, 38
restaurants/diners/taverns, 36 stores, and 5 drive-in theaters.
Kansas
The Kansas Route 66 Association has photographed 75 structures it considers
significant; 63 stores/offices; 5 restaurants/bars; 3 garage/gas stations; 3
miscellaneous; and 1 bridge. It should be noted that Kansas only has 14 miles of road so
the list includes over 5 structures per mile. Most of the original 14 miles are still in
use.
Oklahoma
A survey of national register eligible properties was prepared in 1984. This survey
listed 33 properties - 13 gas/service stations, 10 hotel/motels, 5 auto dealers, 3
bridges, 1 stretch of road, and 1 trading post.
Texas
There are two listed national register properties - the U-Drop Inn and the Phillips 66
Station in McLean. Preservation Amarillo has submitted a national register nomination. It
includes 22 sites as representative properties in the Route 66 Historic District on 6th
Street in San Jacinto Heights. There are 17 commercial buildings, 2 residences, 1
commercial vernacular, 1 church, and 1 site consisting of 16 WPA curb stamps.
New Mexico
An inventory of New Mexico historic buildings lists 557 tourist- related properties
along Route 66 (1926-1960), including road segments. Only 38 of these were rated as
eligible for the national register - 13 tourist courts/motels, 9 gas stations, 6
curio/trading posts, 5 sections of abandoned road segments, 3 restaurants, and 2 municipal
roadside attractions.
Arizona
The U.S. Forest Service prepared national register nominations for six sections of the
road - Parks (1921), Parks (1931), Ash Fork Hill, Pine Springs, Branigan Park and
Williams. There is also a nomination for the Kingman Multiple Resource Area that includes
a list of ten commercial buildings that were on Route 66. All of these structures precede
Route 66, and except for three cases (Hotels Beale and Brunswick and Old Trails Garage)
they cannot be considered contributing resources. A Historic American Buildings
Survey/Historic American Engineering Record inventory of Arizona bridges lists five
bridges, all rated national register eligible. An Arizona historic property inventory
lists 49 properties (but no bridges or road segments)- 24 motels, 19 gas stations/auto
repairs/dealerships, 3 mixed uses, 3 diners, 1 store, and 2 miscellaneous.
California
There are no inventories or surveys. Vivian Davies of the California Route 66
Association has authored a guide that describes many of the Route 66 related properties.
However, there is no systematic inventory or survey.
INVENTORIES
According to the AAA Guide, Route 66 was 2.481.9 miles long in 1931. But this was not a
fixed distance. The guide periodically indicated how various highway options would save
miles or provide greater traveling ease. For example, to drive between Mitchell and St.
Louis there was a choice of two routes. The route via Granite City and Venice was 3.2
miles shorter: via Chain of Rocks bridge there was less traffic congestion.
Total Route 66 mileage figures seldom include the mileage from the various alignments
that modified the road before and after 1931. These are not insignificant. Some of the
major ones are in central Illinois (Chatham, Carlinville, Staunton, Edwardsville-77 miles:
Glenarm, Litchfield, Mt. Olive, Edwardsville 73 miles) New Mexico (between Santa Rosa and
Correo 147 miles). Arizona (between Seligman and Kingman 62 miles: between Kingman and
Topock 67 miles). California (between Needles and Essex 35 miles: between Essex and Amboy
132 miles). There are also about 500 miles of less dramatic route changes in urban areas
where the alignments used during the life of the highway were a short distance apart.
The descriptions below do not make an assessment of the quality of the driving
experience. In some cases it is possible to drive on pavement that dates from the early
1920s. In others the original pavement and feel has disappeared. but the highway corridor
remains almost unchanged. From Chicago to Los Angeles there are relatively few sections
where all evidence of Route 66 has completely disappeared.
Illinois
The 1931 AAA Guide indicated that the state had 294.5 miles of Route 66. Later
realignments added about 30 miles in the area west of Joliet and more than 140 miles for
the Chatham, Carlinville, Staunton road (Route 4). In some locations there are several
generations of highway side by side. With very few exceptions. the interstate was not
built on Route 66, and major portions remain a frontage road. Only in large cities, such
as Chicago, Bloomington, Springfield, and East St. Louis, has the character of the road
been overwhelmed by modern development. But it is still possible to find important Route
66 resources in all of these urban areas. There are more than 300 miles of Route 66 in
Illinois.
Missouri
The 1931 AAA Guide indicated that the state had 302.2 miles of Route 66. A series of
realignments through St. Louis and west of the city (Manchester Road to Gray Summit),
around Devil's Elbow, Springfield and Joplin make up for the very few miles that cannot be
driven east of Stanton and a 10-mile section west of St. Louis where the inter-state was
built on Route 66. Nearly 300 miles of Route 66 can be driven today.
Kansas
The 1931 AAA Guide indicated that the state had 14.7 miles of Route 66. There have been
some realignments, but the road remains virtually unchanged.
Oklahoma
The 1931 AAA Guide indicated that the state had 408.3 miles of Route 66. Most of these
original miles can still be driven today as Oklahomans claim to have the longest segment
of Route 66. Several alignment changes through Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Miami, Vinita, Hydro,
Elk City, and Erick indicate that the number of drivable miles today might exceed the
distance recorded in the AAA Guide.
Texas
The 1931 AAA Guide indicated that the state had 194.7 miles of Route 66. According to
local experts more than 91% of the road is drivable. Only a small segment near Alanreed
and one on the eastern edge of the state have been lost. Amarillo boasts several
realignments through town and the route through Jericho Gap follows an original 1920s
alignment. There are at least 185 miles of Route 66 in Texas.
New Mexico
The 1931 AAA Guide indicated that the state had 535.2 miles of Route 66. This included
the alignments through Santa Fe and Los Lunas. After 1937 the road no longer went north to
Romeoville from Santa Fe but directly east through Tijeras Pass to Albuquerque. lt no
longer went south to Los Lunas but east toward Laguna. The road through Gallup underwent
small alignment modifications. Since it is still possible to drive the original alignments
from Santa Rosa to Romeoville, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Los Lunas, there are probably
more than 500 miles of Route 66 left in the state.
Arizona
The 1931 AAA Guide indicated that the state had 400.3 miles of Route 66. The actual
losses of drivable road (mostly east of Winslow and west of Holbrook) are relatively
small, and because the alignment change between Kingman and Topock offers additional
miles, there are probably nearly 350 miles of Route 66 still drivable in Arizona.
California
The 1931 AAA Guide indicated that the state had 332 miles of Route 66. The road ended
at Los Angeles (Broadway and 7th) and did not extend to Santa Monica. With very few
exceptions, it is possible to drive most of the original corridor through California.
Reprinted from:
Special Resource Study Route 66
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service (See Credits)
NPS D-4 July 1995.
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