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Discover Americana at the many roadside attractions along Missouri’s stretch of America’s Mother Road.
Established in 1926, Route 66 covers 2,448 miles and eight states, with Missouri claiming more than 280 miles of the route.
Roadside markers along Interstate 44, Route 66’s modern replacement, guide you past motor courts, gas stations and other highway-dependent businesses providing travelers a glimpse of the past.
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The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is located north of downtown St. Louis and Route 66's original crossing over the Mississippi River. The span, one of the longest pedestrian and biking bridges in the world, is open to visitors daily.
Follow the city’s Riverfront Trail, a hiking and biking path, from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge to the Gateway Arch. Wagon train pioneers paved the way for Route 66 by establishing wagon wheel ruts to the west from St. Louis in the 1800s. The Arch's Museum of Westward Expansion preserves rare artifacts from the days of Lewis and Clark, American Indians and the 19th century pioneers who helped shape the history of the American West.
Folks come from miles around to fill up on the breakfast and burgers menu at the Eat-Rite Diner.
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Ted Drewes Frozen Custard has served frosty "concretes" - frozen vanilla custard shakes blended with fruits, nuts, candies and other flavors - since 1929.
Across the street from Ted Drewes is the Donut Drive In, a Route 66 icon still serving up cakey glazed donuts.
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The Museum of Transportation holds a collection of classic cars, streetcars and locomotives.
The Earl C. Lindburg Automobile Center houses the distinctive tile-front exterior of the famous Coral Court Motel, a notable Route 66 art deco hideaway.
In Eureka, the 419-acre Route 66 State Park includes picnic areas, walking trails and a remodeled visitor center offering a peek into the past with artifacts and displays from the route's 82-year history.
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The oldest tourist attraction on the Mother Road is Meramec Caverns in Stanton. Opened in 1935 by Lester Dill, the “creator” of the bumper sticker, wanderers take a fascinating underground look at the region's history and geology.
Missouri legends say outlaw Jesse James hid men, loot and horses in the massive cave.
During the attraction's early days, owners took American roadside art to new heights by turning painted barn roofs across the country into billboards promoting Meramec Caverns.
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Travel through Bourbon to Cuba and visit the Wagon Wheel Motel, a classic Route 66 landmark that began as the Wagon Wheel Cabins in 1934. Drive the Old Route 66 in St. James, a five-block stretch of the first divided Route 66 pavement in America and visit Johnnie’s Bar, a café turned bus terminal turned dining establishment.
Rolla contains essential stops including the Mule Trading Post, complete with its restored signs of a mule with “wagging” ears and a hillbilly with “moving” arms and Zeno’s Motel and Steak House, a Route 66 tradition for over 40 years. In Hooker, home of the Hooker Cut, you will see the deepest pavement cut along Route 66 and a favorite photo on postcards in the 1940s.
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Pulaski County is home to the majestic beauty of Devil’s Elbow, the Big Piney River and its scenic bluffs.
Additional attractions include Sheldon’s Market (which doubles as the Devil’s Elbow Post Office), The Elbow Inn and BBQ Pit, (which originally opened in 1929), and the 1923 steel truss bridge.
The Route 66 Museum and Research Center in Lebanon offers hundreds of books, magazines and videos featuring the route, plus a collection of highway maps dating back to 1915. Built in 1946, the Munger-Moss Motel is still going strong today.
The Wrinkle family has been greeting visitors for over 50 years at Wrink’s Market, a popular stop with its Route 66 memorabilia and long history as a must-see on “The Mother Road.”
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Springfield is home to several historic hotels including the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven Motel.
Other hotels include the Rest Haven Motor Court built in 1947 with a classic Route 66 sign that still operates; and the Kentwood Arms Hotel built in 1926, now owned by Missouri State University.
The Gillioz Theatre, originally built in 1926 and completely restored in 2006, and The Landers Theatre, Missouri’s oldest and largest civic theater, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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On the west side of downtown Carthage, look for the glowing red-and-green neon sign of the historic Boots Motel, which once welcomed Clark Gable as a guest. A mile west of town on Old Route 66, enjoy Hollywood blockbusters at the meticulously restored Route 66 Drive-in Theatre.
In Webb City, stop by the Bradbury Bishop Deli – a ‘40s/’50s style deli complete with the original soda fountain.
Joplin, the last stop on Missouri’s portion of Route 66, is home to the Joplin Museum Complex which features a Route 66 display.
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