Route 66 was mostly bypassed after the construction of Interstate 40 through the late 20th century, leaving small towns like Valentine and Williams, in Arizona, behind.
But historic Route 66 designations have helped put its signs, and the towns it serves, back on the map.
While these small towns didn't come back to what they once were, they learned to adapt and to lean into the history of the American road trip.
From a petrified forest and meteor crater to old ghost towns and historic space observatories, Arizona's stretch of Route 66 showcases unique state history.
It's not all glitz, glamour and milkshakes. The highway's history also covers the struggle to strike it rich in the gold rush — or not.
Arizona's Route 66 can be a reminder that chasing the American dream was often far from the easiest road to travel.
This story was originally published by Craig McKee at Scripps News Phoenix.
