Route 66 and the Formation of a National Cultural Icon

During the twentieth century, Route 66 became a national icon and was commonly associated with classic American cuisine, road trips, and the golden age of postwar American prosperity. This conception, however, is mythic. The reality of Route 66 travel was congestion, danger, and racism. Route 66 and the Formation of a National Cultural Icon: Mother Road to Mythic American Byway by Daniel Milowski explores the divergence between Route 66 myth and reality and provides a critical examination of the