Introduce route 66 in the United States.

Category: Transportation/Tourism >> Other means of transportation

Analysis:

Route 66's Legend of American Highway History

Route 66 stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.

Cars, an animated film jointly produced by Disney and Pixar, describes that in an anthropomorphic world, all cars can talk, think and have emotions, and the protagonist "Lightning McQueen" is a rookie in the racing industry. I wanted to show my skills in the upcoming California pistol cup competition, but unexpectedly, because of an accident, I stumbled into Radiator Springs, a declining town on route 66, and started the strange life journey of Lightning McQueen.

Car Story has played an entertaining role, which not only makes the audience think about the meaning of life in their busy lives, but also awakens the American people's memories of route 66 again because of the release of this film.

Route 66, once the traffic artery of the United States, was once prominent, and experienced ups and downs under the change of things. Its past and present remain in the minds of many Americans.

To transport goods across national holidays.

Route 66, which no longer exists on the road map of the United States, can be said to be the most beautiful highway in the first half of the 20th century. Built in 1927, it belongs to the American highway system and was not built until 1938. This highway extends from Chicago to Los Angeles and even south to Santa Monica. Passing through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California; It is 2,448 miles (about 3,939 kilometers), spanning eight states and three time zones, and connected in series, shortening the journey from the midwest to the west coast.

With the development of route 66, the number of tourists has increased, and the towns along the way have developed one after another, so a small shop (mom-and-pop-business) has emerged to provide refueling, dining and shopping services for tourists. In addition, the expressway is smooth and easy to walk, which is favored by truck drivers, so it is very busy every day and becomes an important east-west transportation channel.

During World War II, because most war-related industries were established in California, more people moved from the east coast or midwest of the United States to the west coast to find business opportunities. In addition to people's livelihood materials, route 66 also plays an important role in transporting armaments; During this period, the busy and prosperous highways are getting busier and busier, which is endless.

Line 66 crosses many famous scenic spots, such as the painted desert, the Grand Canyon and the meteorite cave in Arizona. Therefore, in the 1950s after World War II, cargo transportation was the main way for Americans to spend their holidays in California from the east.

With the rise of route 66, some scenic spots along the way have also developed, such as Indian Cone Tent Motel, Indian Heritage Store, crocodile sightseeing farm and so on.

Even some stores saw business opportunities and began to introduce creative marketing methods. The first fast food restaurant, Red's Giant Ham-burg's, came into being in Missouri, and invented the so-called "drive-in" operation mode, so that passengers can easily buy delicious hamburgers without getting off the bus. The first Mc Donald was born in San Bernardino, California.

Some shops are even more surprising. At that time, a beefsteak restaurant on the roadside launched a 72-ounce steak, claiming that anyone who can solve it in an hour can enjoy the Big Mac steak for free. Many people flocked to see this advertisement, and the store made a fortune.

Such scenic spots gradually changed the original simple style of Route 66, but also made Route 66 famous. It witnessed the life of ordinary Americans in the early 20th century, and its historical value is not only a road history, but also a microcosm of American modernization.

Declining interstate highways have taken their place.

During the Second World War, President Dwight Eisenhower-Eyre was deeply impressed by and admired German highways. He hopes that there will be similar highways in the United States, so that people can run quickly and safely on comfortable and flat highways. During the war, troops can move quickly and instantly, and materials can be transported. After the war, Eisenhower vigorously promoted the Interstate Expressway Act, which was successfully passed in 1956, which changed the fate of route 66 and began to decline from prosperity.

After the completion of the wide, straight and four-lane interstate highway, it will bring people a faster and more convenient transportation network; Route 66, built along the winding terrain, is no longer favored by tourists, and gradually degenerates into local roads, private car lanes and even abandoned. Later, the United States * * * removed it from the road map at 1985, and route 66 officially entered history here.

After 20 years of prosperity, the 66-way, which used to have thousands of trains every day, is now the top ten cars every day; After being removed from the road map, sometimes there are no vehicles with 10. The towns along the way were eclipsed, and once famous businesses closed one by one, which made the scene of route 66 even more desolate.

Reviving and pursuing the same memories.

Although route 66 is no longer visible on the road map, there are still a group of people who are obsessed with this road and miss the dribs and drabs it has brought to the American people. So in 1990, the "National Historical Route 66 Federation" was established in Arizona and Missouri respectively, so as to gather common interests and arouse Americans' memory of it.

In the same year, Missouri even declared this road as a "state historical route" and set up a "historical route 66" road sign. Thanks to the efforts of route 66 League, it has disappeared from Line 66 of the map and returned to the map in the name of "Historical route 66".

Route 66 has experienced many ups and downs, but it will always have an irreplaceable position in the history of American highways. It is the earliest avenue from east coast to west coast in America. Because of its diagonal path (from Chicago to Santa Monica), it breaks the previous restriction that the east-west expressway is horizontal and shortens the east-west time. Route 66 is not only the main artery of east-west traffic in the United States, but also plays an important role in the history of the American Wesade Movement.

/kloc-At the end of 0/9th century, route 66 was just a dirt road that could only be driven by wagons. But in 1926, in view of the need of transportation, * * * spent a lot of money to connect the intermittent roads. Because of the undulating terrain, it was not easy to build, and it took more than ten years to complete. At that time, the United States was experiencing a period of "economic panic". The construction projects in route 66 provided tens of thousands of jobs for the depressed economy at that time and helped many workers make a living.

In addition, according to the data, the midwest of the United States suffered from drought, and the vast land suddenly became barren. At that time, many farmers were forced into poverty by the drought, so they packed up their only property and took their families all the way along route 66 to California, hoping to pursue wealth and start a new life in the west. Therefore, in the hearts of Americans at that time, route 66 was a road symbolizing the dream and practicing the American dream.

Nostalgia Experience the Dream Road of the West

Nowadays, driving on the historic route 66, you can see corn fields, Indian reservations and endless deserts. On the vast loess, when cactus is scattered sporadically, it is full of cowboy style in the west; Many studios choose to shoot western films or albums along the way in route 66. A trip to route 66, like falling in and just visiting, returned to the era when cowboys prevailed in the west. Next to the highway town, there are pubs selling bubbling water, neon-lit motels, antique old gas stations, and legendary anecdotes in the west are staged one by one. Nostalgic people will definitely fall in love with the atmosphere created by route 66. They might as well stop at a strange pub and have a beer to enjoy the simple and slow-paced feeling of the past.

A traveler once drove a Cadillac convertible across the United States along the route 66, from Chicago to Los Angeles. The journey lasted nearly 2,500 miles, and the scenery along the way was like "the American legend unfolded before your eyes". "It's long, but you don't want to rush by." For many tourists who come to route 66 for pilgrimage, this journey is like a dream road, looking back and experiencing the western customs.

Symbols embody the spirit of popular culture.

At the beginning of the 20th century, route 66 not only provided convenience for the east-west transportation in the United States, but also became an element of American pop culture at that time.

The most famous example is the masterpiece Grapes of Wrath published by the writer john steinbeck in 1939. The protagonist in it moved all the way from Oklahoma to California, and everything he experienced along the way, both bitter and warm, happened in this route 66.

Through this novel, the author describes and attacks many contemporary problems, including poverty and racial discrimination. Many people immigrated to the West Bank through route 66, seeking hope for life and a better future for the next generation. In this book, Steinbeck called Route 6 "Mother's Road" and "Flying Road", which is still used today. 1940 After winning the Pulitzer Prize, The Grapes of Wrath became more popular, and route 66 became more deeply rooted in people's hearts, becoming a symbol of American pioneering, brave and pursuing freedom.

Trop, a jazz composer and actor, wrote the most famous song of his life, "Get Your Kicks on Route 66", after competing in route 66 and driving all the way to California. Later, this song was recorded and released by the famous singer Nat King Cole, which became a popular song at that time and made Trump climb to the peak of his career.

At that time, this road was very famous. CBS TV Company launched a TV series called Route 66 at 1960- 1964. The play describes the adventures of two protagonists driving a Chevrolet sports car Corvette on the American highway; Because of this album, this Corvette became the endorsement car of route 66. Besides TV series, there are also some documentaries aimed at route 66 to remind the public of its past scenery and history.

Fans who love basketball know that this road is the name of Tulsa 66 ers, a minor league team under Southwest Basketball Co., Ltd. American baseball player Chen Yongji's current 1A team "San Bernardino Inland Empire 66 ers" is also named after this road. This shows that route 66 has a profound influence on American culture.

Streets are always the mother of highways.

Many people jokingly call route 66 "the main street of America". Although some people think that another interstate 40 is the so-called "American Avenue"; However, thanks to the efforts of the 66-way alliance, this title was retained.

Also, because route 66's road from Chicago to Oklahoma is a diagonal line in the northeast and southwest directions, it looks like a diagonal line drawn on a map of the United States, so many people called it "Big Diagonal Road" shortly after its completion.

In addition, "route 66 Association" named it "1952 wil rogersl Highway". In memory of comedian Will Roger, a monument was built, especially on the border of route 66 in Santa Monica.

Just like Steinbeck's "Mother of Roads", route 66 really played a decisive role in the history of American highway development. Since 1950, the Federation has made great efforts to build modern interstate highways, basically based on route 66. In addition, today's major highways across the United States, such as Highway 40 (I-44), Highway 44 (I-44), Highway 55 (I-55) and so on. It is also along the route 66 of that year; Therefore, route 66 is called "the mother of highways", worthy of its name.

Today's route 66, with the help of a group of enthusiastic people, has repaired the damaged roads in eight states it passes through. The "route 66" Alliance also launched the "Adopt the Hungry" program, in which 27 volunteers each take the journey of 100 mile and drive around the area at least twice a year. If any pavement is damaged and needs maintenance, they will report to the construction alliance.

Although route 66 is long, each section has witnessed the history of the 20th century in the United States, and also entered the life of the American people, accompanying them to write a chapter in their lives.