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As Route 66 approaches its 100th anniversary, the City of Chicago is preparing to celebrate the legendary highway by moving the starting point to a tourist hotspot in hopes of raking in more money. To mark the centennial of one of America’s most iconic roads, Chicago will formally recognize Navy Pier as the official starting point of Route 66. I’m not sure how this can just be moved by a proclamation.
The dedication ceremony, celebrating the roadway’s enduring place in American history and culture will take place on March 25th. The designation was approved through a resolution introduced by Alderman Brendan Reilly and adopted by the Chicago City Council.
Route 66 has long been celebrated as a symbol of freedom, travel, and exploration. While Chicago has always been closely tied to the highway’s origins, the new designation makes Navy Pier the official Beginning of the Trail.
A new Route 66 sign will be installed at Navy Pier to commemorate its role as the starting point and give travelers a new landmark to visit. Personally, I prefer the original location (pictured above) in the Loop since that is where the road actually began.
In 2009, the western endpoint of Route 66 was moved one mile west to the Santa Monica Pier in California. With Navy Pier now recognized as the official starting point, Route 66 will take on a new symbolic identity as a true Pier-to-Pier journey. I didn’t realize the end point was moved as well (more revisionist history). This bookend connection links Lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean, reinforcing Route 66 as not only a historic highway but also a lasting gateway for modern exploration.
Established in 1926, Route 66 stretches from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA. It covers 2,448 miles. Over the decades, it has become an enduring emblem of American innovation and adventure, earning its beloved nickname The Mother Road.
Anthony’s Take: With this new dedication at Navy Pier, Chicago is ensuring that Route 66’s centennial celebration begins not exactly where the story started. It’s good to see the historic road commemorated, but I don’t agree with the move.
(Featured Image Credit: Umut Tolga Pehlivan via iStock.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
