Chapters 11-15

b. Route 66 was one of the first highways created in the United States. Route 66 became one of the most traveled roads in US during the 1930s when the Great Depression hit. People flocked from the Dust Bowl to California and to the North. Route 66 ran from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. Route 66 was not built like modern highways as part of the Interstate Highway System. The highway was built in 1926, but it was torn down to make way for modern highways in 1985. Route 66 allowed millions of people to access to California or vice-versa. Route 66 was not only a road going through the middle of the United States, but hundreds of towns also sprung up along the side of the road. these towns were built around the travelers that came across the road. There were thousands of gas stations to service the cars, and there were thousands more mechanics that worked along the road to fix cars that broke down away from home. To support these businesses, more restaurants popped up, and whole towns were created around the cars. Route 66 was almost newly built when the Joad family decided to move to California just as many others decided to. With the highway being so heavily used and providing jobs for thousands of others, people came to know Route 66 as the Mother Road.