Home > Missouri
Historic Route 66 in Missouri
From St. Louis to Joplin, MO is about 320 miles, plus any additional miles
driving alternate alignments and side trips.
 St.
Louis 2
100 Washington Ave.
The 600 foot tall Gateway Arch welcomes you to the Show Me state.
But that's not all St. Louis has to offer ... read
more |
 Shrewsbury
& Marlborough
Just west of St. Louis proper you pass through a tiny bit of Shrewsbury
and a lot of Marlborough. Marlborough was a sort of a motel row
in the heyday of Route 66 ... read
more |
 Crestwood
& Eureka
Just west of St. Louis you go through Crestwood and on to Eureka
and the Route 66 State Park Visitor Center ... read
more |
Note: Going west from Crestwood follow Watson onto the freeway
and merge onto I-44-going west.
 Pacific
Pacific sits on the 1933 - 1974 alignment of Route 66. Today Historic
Route 66 still runs along Osage Street through downtown. I-44 opened
in 1965 and ... read more |
 Gray
Summit
Located at I-44 Exit 253 right where the 1926, 1932 and 1975 alignments
of Route 66 meet. Check out the giant signs of the Gardenway and
Diamond Inn ... read more |
 Villa
Ridge
The route runs through Villa Ridge from I-44 exit 251 to exit 247.
The 1945 Sunset Motel is just of of the local landmarks ... read
more |
 St.
Clair
When it comes to Historic Route 66 the St. Clair and Stanton have
a couple of cool landmarks, as does Sullivan ... read
more |
 Stanton
& Sullivan
When it comes to Historic Route 66 the St. Clair and Stanton have
a couple of cool landmarks, as does Sullivan ... read
more |
 Bourbon
Don't get excited, the 1925 Bourbon Water Tower only holds water!
But it's a fun photo op! It's just one of a few landmarks in town
... read more |
 Leasburg
There's an old former motel, Skippy's Restaurant, a small roadside
park with historic markers and more to see in Leasburg...... read
more |
 Cuba
& Fanning
Cuba calls itself the Mural City, it doesn't take long to see why.
Then down the road at Fanning you'll find ... read
more |
 St.
James
The Mother Road took three paths through St. James, 1926, mid-50s
and finally I-44. There's plenty to see here ... read
more |
 Rolla
Route 66 winds its way through Rolla on N. Bishop Ave. and Kings
Hwy. between I-44 exits 186 to 184 ... read
more |
 Hooker
& Devil's Elbow
Checkout the Hooker Cut, the Elbow Inn, the 1923 Big Piney River
Bridge, Miller's Market and the Devil's Elbow overlook ... read
more |
 Gascozark
& Hazelgreen
The name Gascozark is taken from the name of the of Gasconade River
and the Ozarks. Hazelgreen has an endangered old bridge ... read
more |
 Lebanon
Lebanon has several landmarks to explore, like the Munger Moss Motel
and Wrink's Market just to name a couple ... read
more |
 Caffeyville
The old store is still there, but that's about it until you get
to the Meramec Caverns barn signs ... read
more |
 Niangua
On the 1926 to 1954 alignment of Route 66 which followed the old
Ozark Trail. In 1955 Route 66 was realigned to follow the newer
... read more |
 Marshfield
Marshfield is on the original 1926 to 1954 Route 66. The mid-50s
4 lane Route 66 bypass became I-44 in the mid-70s. The replica Hubble
Telescope ... read more |
 Strafford
When Route 66 came to Strafford it bypassed the main street by one
block. So the businesses on the main street basically dressed up
the back door to welcome ... read
more |
 Springfield
Springfield is known as the "Birthplace of Route 66 and the
"Queen City of the Ozarks. There were multiple alignments of
66 here over the years and there's lots to... read
more |
 Plano
& Halltown
Very little is left of Plano but it and Halltown have a couple of
buildings with interesting histories ... read
more |
 Paris
Springs
MO Hwy. 266 / Route 66
Both the late Gary Turner and his Gay Parita Sinclair Station are
legendary. The station is one of a few interesting ... read
more |
 Spencer
& Heatonville
County Rd 2062 / Old Route 66
Sidney Casey bought the town of Spencer for $400.00 in 1925. Heatonville
is just down the road a bit ... read
more |
 Albatross
This little community that sits between Heatonville and Avilla at
MO 39 and 96 did fairly well in the heyday of Route 66 with as many
as ... read more |
 Phelps
A short stretch of the original 2 lane Route 66 serves as a sort
of a north frontage road for the newer MO Hwy. 96 in Phelps ...
read more |
 Avilla
The original alignment of Route 66 (now MO 96) runs through Avilla
on what was once known as Old Carthage ... read
more |
 Carthage
Carthage saw several alignments of the Mother Road. The town has
over 600 sites on the National Register of Historic Places ... read
more |
 Carterville
There are several old buildings of interest here, but the SuperTams
Ice Cream place may be all you need to ... read
more |
 Webb
City
Webb City was 50 years old when Route 66 came to town in 1926. There's
plenty to see in this city between Carthage and Joplin ... read
more |
 Joplin
There were a few routes through Joplin over the years, we take you
along the 1926 alignment plus 2 short side trips the later ... read
more
|
 Central
City
As you come to the state line between Missouri and Kansas you'll
find a handful of vintage buildings and businesses ... read
more |
 Stay tuned,
there's more to come!
|
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Martin
Spring
Doolittle,
Arlington & Jerome
St.
Robert & Waynesville
Phillipsburg
& Conway
Rescue
& Plew
About Us We started traveling Historic U.S. Route 66 as a destination in 2009. It's like a 2,400 mile long drive back in time from Chicago to Santa Monica! more
Did
You Know: Many parts of the old 4 lane Route 66 were reverted to a 2 lane
road after 66 was realigned to the interstate. In many places the abandoned
lanes are still there.