Historic Route 66
ROUTE 66 HISTORY
Dating back to 1926, Route 66’s two lanes stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles across eight states… 2,448 miles! Known as the Mother Road, thanks to John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, and immortalized in Bobby Troup's lyric Get Your Kicks on Route 66 as well as CBS TV's Route 66, Route 66 was foundational to our country’s economic development. And although new highways and freeways have replaced Route 66, the stories and iconic landmarks of the Mother Road bring people from all over the world to experience the legacy for themselves.
66 DINER – Sam’s Sixty Six Service
Sam's 66 Service Center was built in 1945 as a Phillips 66 gas station by John H. Samuelson. Soon after, a large service area was added on the north side. The building was used for a variety of automotive sales and service operations until it was repurposed into the 66 Diner in 1987. A photo of Sam's 66 Service Center is located in the entry area. It was enhanced from a 3"x4" photo donated by Sam's daughter, Mary Louise Samuelson Bommelaere.
The original gas station building houses the kitchen, soda fountain and front and side dining areas. The side dining area was the original lubrication bay. The hydraulic lift is still under the hopscotch board. The large service area added to the gas station is our back dining area. The enclosed dining "garage" on the north side was an addition.
A fire destroyed the 66 Diner in 1995. When rebuilt on the original footprint, the restrooms were added to the west side and the kitchen area rearranged to increase efficiently. While most of the contents of the Diner were destroyed in the fire, the 1958 Seeberg Jukebox was restored and still works, most of the time.
The Streamline Moderne architecture as well as the curved ceilings in the dining areas is reminiscent of the diners of the past, some built from repurposed railroad dining cars. The decor, music and the food we serve are designed to return our guests to the classic diners along Route 66.
Route 66, America's Highway, ran 2,448 miles, through eight states, Chicago to Los Angeles, Today, Route 66 has but vanished, either renamed (Albuquerque's Central Avenue), or reduced to dusty frontage roads on the side of Interstates. The disappearance of the old road has stirred a sense of what Route 66 meant and still means to many Americans. The 66 Diner is dedicated to preserving the spirit of the roadside diner along Route 66. Our food is always fresh and always the absolute best we can offer. Our food, service and decor are all a very special part of the homage we pay to a vanishing part of America's history ... Route 66.
