Route 66 Built These Towns — Then America Drove Around Them

Route 66 turns 100 this November, but the towns along it have been fighting for survival for decades. In 1926, a single telegram gave America its most famous road. Over the next 50 years, it turned quiet farm towns into neon-lit boomtowns, with motels, diners, and gas stations built to catch every passing driver. Then the interstates arrived, and the traffic simply drove around them. In this video, we count down 15 towns along the Mother Road, from the birthplace of the number 66 in Springfield, Missouri to the exact midpoint in Adrian, Texas, and from Oatman, where wild burros still wander Main Street, to Williams, the last town bypassed. And at number one, we meet the barber who refused to let his town disappear and helped save the road itself. If you enjoy forgotten American history told through the places that lived it, hit subscribe so you don't miss the next one. Which town on this list surprised you the most? Tell me in the comments. And if you have ever driven any part of Route 66, I'd love to hear where you stopped. #Route66 #MotherRoad #AmericanHistory #RoadTrip #HistoryDocumentary #RoadsideAmerica #GhostTowns #USHistory #Route66Centennial #ForgottenHistory