Route 66: 100 Years — A Centennial Celebration in Print from Jim Hinckley and Friends

As the old saying goes, “If this highway could talk…” Well, hold onto your hats and dust off your road maps (or GPS). I have some big news!

Coming in fall 2025 from Quarto Publishing is Route 66: 100 Years . This is my 23rd book. If that announcement seems a bit flat for such a momentous milestone, here is some early promotion with a bit more excitement.

“We are eagerly awaiting the release of Route 66: 100 Years, the latest book from prolific author, historian, humorist Jim Hinckley, one half ot the Jim Hinckley’s America network team. This centennial anthology is not just a book, it’s a passport to adventure, a tribute to the road that ceame an icon, and a celebration of the passionate people who keep its story alive.”

The Road That Became a Legend

So, why does Route 66 captivate the hearts of so many around the world? It’s not the oldest road. It’s not the most scenic. And officially it doesn’t even exist. It was even decertified in 1985.

And yet, the legendary Mother Road endures. From its humble beginnings in 1926, it became a stage for the American experience in the 20th century. The Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, wartime mobilization, postwar prosperity, and cultural milestones ranging from The Grapes of Wrath to Easy Rider are all intertwined with US 66, the Main Street of America.

In Route 66: 100 Years, I worked with an impressive cast of contributing authors to bring the prehistory, mythos, and evolution of Route 66 to life like never before. This beautifully illustrated volume journeys from the road’s origins to its centennial and beyond, revealing how this old highway became a global cultural icon.

A Dream Team of Route 66 Storytellers

This isn’t just a book. This is reflection of the international Route 66 community. It was a distinct honor to be joined by such a diverse and passionate team of historians, authors, photographers, and preservationists whose resumes are as fascinating as the road itself:

• Cheryl Eichar Jett – Historian, playwright, and a founder of the Miles of Possibility Conference.
• Dries Bessels – Dutch Route 66 Association founder, tour guide, preservationist and passionate global ambassador of the road.
• Rhys Martin – President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, author, photographer, and manager of the Route 66 preservation programs at the National Trust for Historic Preservation
• Joe Sonderman – Radio personality, author, and walking encyclopedia of Route 66 postcards and history.
• Gregory Hasman – Journalist and traveler who’s documented roadside America from coast to coast.

These contributors, and contributions made by people like Kaisa Barthuli, former director of the National Park Service Route 66 Corridor Preservation program, and the editorial team at Quarto Publishing, have created a book that is as enduring and vibrant as the highway billed as America’s lngest small town that it celebrates.

A Global Highway with a Local Heart

This book reminds us that Route 66 is no longer just a mere road. It’s a movement. From European festivals to associations in Europe, Japan, and Canada to New Zealand travelers and Dutch guidebooks, people around the world see Route 66 not as asphalt but as the American experience made manifest.

Even the Route 66 Navigation app — a game-changer for road trip planning — was developed in Slovakia. That global love affair is reflected in every page of this book.

Jim Hinckley’s America: Where the Journey Continues

This book is just one chapter in the ongoing story of Jim Hinckley’s America, a network built to share America’s story and inspire road trips by telling people where to go.

• Coffee With Jim – A weekly podcast on Podbean featuring Route 66 luminaries, tourism leaders, and storytellers. Past guests include Rhys Martin, Vickie Ashcraft, owner of the Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park and direcrtor of the New Mexico Route 66 Alliance, Austin Coop of Two Lane America, Wade Bray of AAA Route 66 Road Fest, and more.
• YouTube Channel – A visual road trip experience with history segments, interviews, and vintage travel tips.
• Website – A one-stop resource for travel inspiration, event news, and historic deep dives. (and integrated podcast and YouTube sections!)
• Social Media – Follow Jim on Facebook and Instagram for travel photos, live videos, historical tidbits, and classic road trip humor.

Join the Journey – Be a Patron, Be a Sponsor, Be a Friend

Whether you’re a small business owner on the Mother Road or a wanderer-at-heart in Germany dreaming of a Route 66 road trip, you can help keep the story alive.

• Become a Patron – Join our Patreon community to help fuel storytelling and preservation work.
• Sponsor the Adventure – Businesses like Cactus Inn Motel, Wagon Wheel Motel, Enchanted Trails Trading Post, Roadrunner Lodge, RouteTrip USA, Two Lane America, and Gilligan’s Route 66 Tours already support this mission — and your business can too.
• Subscribe and Follow – Every click, share, and listen helps amplify the voices that are keeping Route 66 alive.

Preorder Now: Your Ticket to the Past, Present & Future

Route 66: 100 Years isn’t just a history book. It’s a roadmap of memories, a celebration of community, and a time capsule of American resilience and reinvention. It’s due for release in fall 2025, just in time for the official centennial celebrations.

Preorder your copy today on Amazon
Route 66: 100 Years – Jim Hinckley
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