Experience66 — Route 66, in your pocket

About Route 66: U.S. Route 66, often called the “Mother Road,” is one of the most iconic highways in American history. Established in 1926, it once stretched nearly 2,500 miles from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, crossing eight states and linking countless communities. For decades, it served as a vital migration and travel route, especially during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl of the 1930s, when families moved west in search of opportunity. Beyond transportation, Route 66 became a cultural phenomenon. It was lined with neon-lit diners, motels, and roadside attractions that defined the spirit of the American road trip. Immortalized in music, film, and television, it came to symbolize freedom, adventure, and the open road. Although decommissioned in 1985, Route 66 continues to thrive through preservation and tourism. Arizona is home to some of the best-preserved sections of the highway, where visitors can still experience classic small towns, vintage architecture, and the nostalgic charm of mid-20th century travel. Today, Route 66 remains a living museum and a treasured piece of American heritage.

Our project: Experience66 is a capstone project designed to bring the history and culture of Arizona’s Route 66 into the hands of travelers and learners everywhere. While the Mother Road is celebrated worldwide, many of its stories and landmarks are scattered, making it difficult for visitors to fully engage with its legacy. Our project addresses this challenge by developing a mobile-friendly web application that curates key points of interest along Route 66 in Arizona. The platform combines photos, historical context, and wayfinding features to create a simple, engaging, and educational tool. Travelers can use it while on the road to explore nearby attractions, while students, researchers, and history enthusiasts can access the same information from anywhere. Designed with usability, accessibility, and long-term preservation in mind, the project is built as a static, standards-compliant website to ensure its archival reliability on NAU’s server. By uniting technology and cultural heritage, Experience66 offers a modern way to celebrate and preserve Route 66, ensuring that its stories continue to inspire future generations.