Springfield, IL – The Illinois State Museum is celebrating Route 66’s upcoming 100th anniversary by preserving the voices of those who lived, worked, and traveled along the legendary highway.
In anticipation of the Mother Road’s centennial in 2026, the museum has launched an online Route 66 Oral History Project featuring 100 recorded interviews and searchable written transcripts. The collection highlights personal stories from travelers, residents, and historians who experienced the road during its heyday and continue to keep its spirit alive.
“These interviews provide a fascinating glimpse into what it was like to travel Route 66 back in the day,” said Erika Holst, curator of history and Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program co-organizer. “There are so many details you just can’t find in books.”
Commissioned in 1926, Route 66 once connected Chicago to Los Angeles and served as a major cross-country route for decades before the interstate system took over. Roughly 300 miles of the highway passed through Illinois, tracing much of today’s Interstate 55 corridor.
Amanda Bryden, registrar of history and program co-organizer, said the interviews capture everything from family road trips to stories of state troopers and small-town life. “They range from humorous and hopeful to tragic and tense,” Bryden said.
The project was made possible by the Illinois State Museum Society and a grant from the National Park Service’s Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program.
The full collection is available online through the Illinois State Museum’s website.
