The Postal Service dedicated its Route 66 stamps, commemorating the highway’s 100th anniversary, in Phoenix on May 5.
Established on Nov. 11, 1926, the highway originally stretched approximately 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles, connecting rural communities across eight states.
Known as “The Mother Road,” Route 66 helped shape American travel and commerce.
Over the decades, it carried Dust Bowl migrants, fueled postwar road trips and inspired the song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.”
“The Postal Service and Route 66 both played historical roles in our nation’s expansion, as conduits for goods and communication — moving hundreds of thousands of letters and packages for Americans as they journeyed westward,” said Jeff Adams, the Postal Service’s corporate communications vice president, who spoke at the event.
The ceremony took place at the National Postal Forum, where Adams was joined by Rod Reid, chairman of the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission, and David J. Schwartz, the stamps’ photographer.
Jennifer Toth, director of the Arizona Department of Transportation, emceed the event.
The stamps feature iconic landmarks from each of the eight states, including vintage cars, neon motel signs and iconic roadside landmarks, with each image appearing twice on the pane.
Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using existing photographs by Schwartz.
Though decommissioned in 1985, about 85 percent of the route remains drivable. Preservation efforts from state associations and federal initiatives work to maintain stretches of the road and the small towns that thrived along it.
The Forever stamps are available in panes of 16 at Post Offices and on usps.com.
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