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How did Route 66 influence American pop culture?
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Route 66
A final plan for the construction of Route 66 was approved in 1926, and it was built in segments, often discontinuous ones. Route 66 was not entirely paved until 1938. This map shows how the highway connected Chicago and Los Angeles through cities in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Route 66 became an icon in American popular culture, significantly influencing it through its portrayal in various media. Known as the "Main Street of America," it was a major route for commerce and travel, shaping roadside businesses and local economies. Its significance was amplified by its depiction in a popular song and a television series, both titled "Route 66," solidifying its place in the American consciousness. The highway also served as a symbol of migration during the Dust Bowl, famously earning the nickname "Mother Road" in John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath.12