*Highway 66 (Ch. 11-15, B)

         Route 66 was born in November of 1926, & was completely paved by 1938. The route ran from Chicago to Santa Monica. Between the years of the Depression, small farmers packed little of their belongings and started out towards the promised state of California. They loaded their trucks with family members, livestock, & household items, & head out along the road. The business people along the route often had compassion for these travelers & gave them gas, food, or meals that would get them closer to their destination. Although the final stop was California, many families settled in Arizona & New Mexico to begin their new lives. 
         In the times of struggle & misery, individuals often unite & help one another.  “The road not only brought the MidWesterners [sic] to California but it also brought the people together along the way. Route 66 with its bumpy and uneven pavement and the car with its numerous flat tires, forced people to come to each other’s rescue. Lonely hitchhikers were assimilated into traveling families. Children found comfort in any migrant mother along the way. Men joined together in efforts to begin strikes or just hold meetings. Thus, these people, despite coming from four or five different states, were fused together by their same backgrounds, problems, and will to survive” (“The Dust Bowl and It’s People” 2012). Route 66 brought together different people from diverse cultures as one group, one nation. Many families that had experienced the Dust Bowl, such as the Joads, migrated West to California through Route 66. 

http://www.route66university.com/study/history.php
https://sites.google.com/site/route66meaning/1-history-of-route-66/1-2-the-road-of-flight---the-role-of-the-route-66-during-the-great-depression-period