Route 66 celebrates its 100th birthday along with America’s 250th

America celebrated a few milestones this year, beginning with its 250th birthday in July. But another honorable designation of Americana deserves to be celebrated as well. “The Mother Road,” better known as Route 66, the iconic American highway that spans over 2,000 miles from Chicago, Ill., to Los Angeles, Calif., marks its 100th anniversary today, having been originally commissioned on this date in1926 in Springfield, Mo. to connect two of the country’s largest cities from the east coast to the west coast. The highway was remembered back in April when it was the 100th anniversary of the inception of the highway, though its official status would not be realized until 100 years ago to the day.

This excerpt comes from the named source. Read the original for the full reporting.