Learn everything you ever wanted to know about the famous Main Street of America, Route 66, in this contemporary reference book. A reference book with a twist, The Route 66 Encyclopedia presents alphabetical entries on Route 66 history, landmarks, personalities, and culture, from Bobby Troup's anthem "Route 66" to Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath to the Wigwam Motel. It's illustrated with more than 1,000 old and new, color and black and white photographs and pieces of memorabilia. You'll learn about Jack Rittenhouse and Will Rogers, as well as the contributions of lesser-known figures like Arthur Nelson and Angel Delgadillo. With references to the old (including the history of the U Drop Inn Cafe in Texas) and new (including a section about the recent Cars movie), The Route 66 Encyclopedia provides a sweeping look at a highway that has become more than just a road. These pages cover the history of Route 66 and the people who played a role in its transformation from highway to icon between 1926 and the present, but like the highway itself, this work does not fit within the traditional confines of generalities or terminology.Yes, this is an encyclopedia, a reference book for all things Route 66. However, it is also a time capsule, a travel guide, a history book, a memorial, a testimonial, and a chronicle of nearly a century of social change and evolution.