Postcards from Route 66: The Ultimate Collection from America's Main Street

Here is a visual record, in postcard format, of the amenities on offer to travelers on this historic highway, which begins in Chicago and winds its way west through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, ending in California. In Missouri, it is noted that the Bridge Head Inn later became an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters owing to dioxin contamination in the area. Kansas had only 13.2 miles of Route 66, but the area is said to be haunted by "Spook Light." Oklahoma boasted an attraction with a supposedly tame buffalo that later killed its owner/trainer. In Texas, a restaurant offered free dinner to anyone who could consume a 72-ounce steak in one sitting. Arizona was home to the Geronimo Trading Post and the longest stretch (162 miles) of Route 66. Wigwam-style motels dotted the entire route, though few remain. Most postcard reproductions are in color, dating from the 1920s to 1960s, and include a brief history of the subject portrayed. Cities along the route are indexed for easy reference.