The U.S. Highway 66 Association was organized in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1927. Its purpose was to get U.S. Highway 66 paved from end to end and to promote tourism on the highway.
The organization was similar to many that existed before the creation of federal highways in 1926, including those that promoted the Lincoln Highway and the National Old Trails Highway.
John T. Woodruff of Springfield, Missouri was elected the first president. The association began to advertise the highway in magazines, on billboards, and brochures. The continued push to completely pave the highway and complete an unfinished section (Watson Road in St. Louis, Missouri) paid off, the road was fully paved and completed in 1938, including a cut-off across New Mexico, bypassing a loop through Santa Fe.
The U.S. Highway 66 Association curtailed activities when World War II rationing of rubber and fuel disrupted leisure travel. In 1947, Jack and Gladys Cutberth revived the organization in Clinton, Oklahoma to promote "the shortest, fastest year-round best across the scenic West" with "800 miles of 4-lane highway".[1]
In 1955, construction began on the new Interstate Highway System. As these new interstates began to replace longer and longer sections of the old highway, the group in 1970 changed its name to the Main Street of America Association and continued to stand as a voice for the older highway. The association published its last brochure in 1974; the brochure's cover referenced the new interstate highways that would lead to its demise.
In 1976, the association disbanded as U.S. Route 66 was now largely concurrent with I-55, I-44, I-40, I-15, and I-10. In 1984, the last section through Williams, Arizona was bypassed and in 1985 Route 66 was formally decommissioned.
The former association is not officially connected with the various Route 66 Associations which currently exist in all eight US Route 66 states to preserve and promote the historic highway; the first of these was established in 1987 by Angel Delgadillo and fifteen businesspeople in Seligman, Arizona to obtain "Historic Route 66" signage" on the old highway.
Referencesedit
^Jon Sonderman; Jim Ross (2011). Route 66 in Oklahoma. p. 8. ISBN9780738590516. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
This Oklahoma-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
highway, association, organized, tulsa, oklahoma, 1927, purpose, highway, paved, from, promote, tourism, highway, organization, similar, many, that, existed, before, creation, federal, highways, 1926, including, those, that, promoted, lincoln, highway, nationa. The U S Highway 66 Association was organized in Tulsa Oklahoma in 1927 Its purpose was to get U S Highway 66 paved from end to end and to promote tourism on the highway The organization was similar to many that existed before the creation of federal highways in 1926 including those that promoted the Lincoln Highway and the National Old Trails Highway John T Woodruff of Springfield Missouri was elected the first president The association began to advertise the highway in magazines on billboards and brochures The continued push to completely pave the highway and complete an unfinished section Watson Road in St Louis Missouri paid off the road was fully paved and completed in 1938 including a cut off across New Mexico bypassing a loop through Santa Fe The U S Highway 66 Association curtailed activities when World War II rationing of rubber and fuel disrupted leisure travel In 1947 Jack and Gladys Cutberth revived the organization in Clinton Oklahoma to promote the shortest fastest year round best across the scenic West with 800 miles of 4 lane highway 1 In 1955 construction began on the new Interstate Highway System As these new interstates began to replace longer and longer sections of the old highway the group in 1970 changed its name to the Main Street of America Association and continued to stand as a voice for the older highway The association published its last brochure in 1974 the brochure s cover referenced the new interstate highways that would lead to its demise In 1976 the association disbanded as U S Route 66 was now largely concurrent with I 55 I 44 I 40 I 15 and I 10 In 1984 the last section through Williams Arizona was bypassed and in 1985 Route 66 was formally decommissioned The former association is not officially connected with the various Route 66 Associations which currently exist in all eight US Route 66 states to preserve and promote the historic highway the first of these was established in 1987 by Angel Delgadillo and fifteen businesspeople in Seligman Arizona to obtain Historic Route 66 signage on the old highway References edit Jon Sonderman Jim Ross 2011 Route 66 in Oklahoma p 8 ISBN 9780738590516 Retrieved 2012 08 20 nbsp This Oklahoma related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title U S Highway 66 Association amp oldid 1143333899, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
