Route 66, the original highway opened in 1926, offered freedom and opportunity, with fill stations from the windy shores of Lake Michigan to the warm California coast.

With as much traffic as miles, the popular Mother Road (as John Steinbeck called it) built businesses and the American car culture. Weary migrants and farmers headed west on Route 66 to escape the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. Vacationers later rolled through to visit some of the nation’s quirkiest outlets and landmarks.

While four-lane highways reduced the iconic road to bits and pieces, the memories live on in family photo albums, faded to the sandy tan of the Arizona landscape.

Communities celebrating the route’s 90th year are experiencing renaissances as old and new motorists seek to connect with the past.