Route 66 in California

Images of America: California

by Glen Duncan, California Route 66 Preservation Foundation

The "Mother Road" hauled it all, traversing the American West from Chicago to Santa Monica Beach, the last 350 miles through Southern California. For settlers, Depression-era "Okies" and "Arkies," and post-World War II families bound for suburbia, Route 66 was a migration funnel for generations. Wending through the mountains and badlands of San Bernardino County into Los Angeles County, Route 66 became a state of mind and a catchphrase for travelers everywhere, especially after singer Bobby Troupe popularized the hit song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" and actors Martin Milner and George Maharis hit the road with the ragtop down and the shades on in the namesake television series that seemed to go anywhere every week. The shield of the Route 66 sign has become iconography for the growth of Southern California's economy, population, popularity, and folklore.

Genres: History

128 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2005

Reviews

[amanda luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not ashamed to admit I cried a little reading this. Route 66 is one of my extremely personal niches and I’m also super invested in the history of my state, so the intersection between the two means a lot to me. Loved the pictures and the history. It’s my dream to travel the full stretch of Route 66 one day, but until then, I can explore it in my home state!

[Karel Baloun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly remarkable collection of historical photographs with copious and comfortable narration.

Set between 60-100 years ago, a thoroughly disappearing view of California history. Southern California was a tourist mecca for the cold Midwest and Northeast, and “western cowboys” developed a cultural celebration of transplanted racism. The defense industry and cheap land fueled an even larger second gold rush.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

My husband has a bunch of these books from different places we love to visit in our home state. I never realized the book is mostly just photos with longer captions. Some of the captions are interesting and informative but a few others were written as if a grade schooler captioned the photo... My favorite part was the photos from the strip of Route 66 the goes through my current town.

[Fritters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best Arcadia book. It could use a lot of editing as a great deal of it diverges from the subject. Also, the author personalizes it a good deal, which is also distracting. The book is worth it if you are really into the subject, but otherwise it's pretty mediocre.