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- [Narrator] In America, one road has fascinated travelers

from all over the world for almost 100 years,

a unique and mythical road that is part of the folklore

and even the great American dream, Route 66.

In the land of opportunities, this road,

also known as US Highway 66, Will Rogers Highway,

or the main street of America,

originally stretched over 3,800 kilometers,

connecting small towns and big cities.

The eight-state snake starts in Chicago

and runs through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas,

Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona,

before ending at Santa Monica in California.

Since its establishment in 1926,

Route 66 has grown with America,

being a part of many obstacles

the country has gone through.

Poverty-stricken families escaped their former homes

off to a better future on Route 66

during the Great Depression.

Later, Route 66 became a military transport corridor

during the Second World War.

And during post-war years,

Americans prospered, bought more cars,

and went on vacation on Route 66.

But Route 66's fame ultimately led to its downfall,

when in 1956, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower

supported the construction of a new system

of high-speed, limited-access,

four-lane divided highways, today's interstates.

Route 66 remains an American historical landmark

where traces of the past lie all along the route.

The old cars, the diners, the motels, the neon signs,

and all its memorabilia of the 50s and 60s,

this highway museum not only attracts nostalgic Americans,

but people from all over the world.

With most of the original roads still functional,

let's take a road trip back in time

through America's most iconic highway

with Big Brown, a 1976 AMC Matador Brougham station wagon.

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The trip down memory lane starts

on the intersection of South Michigan Avenue

and historic US 66 in downtown Chicago.

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The first stop is at Lou Mitchells' diner,

a family business that's been up and running

even before Route 66 was even created.

Since 1923, U.S. presidents, mayors, governors,

senators, and athletes have been to Lou's

for top-quality food at affordable prices.

Sharon Wasberg, an employee at Lou Mitchell's for 38 years,

tells us more about the iconic diner and Mr. Mitchell.

- Mr. Mitchell and his father built this place.

He came to work every morning.

He went in the market before he came here

and picked out the fruits and vegetables.

He used to stay here all day long.

At two o'clock in the afternoon,

he used to have his lunch.

He used to come at five in the morning,

at two in the afternoon, he had his lunch

and then he smoked his cigar.

He had a cigar everyday.

- [Narrator] The restaurant has been welcoming commuters

from all over the world for a good old American breakfast.

- Saturday was one of our busiest days,

and now it's still a Saturday and Sunday, very busy days,

as you see a line out the door.

- [Narrator] Delicious donut holes are handed out

to customers waiting in line.

- People come and they eat, and the leave,

because they know it's busy.

When Mr. Mitchell was here, he used to say,

"Doesn't anyone ever go back to work?"

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It's fun to work.

It's nice meeting people all the time.

We have lots of people from different countries.

They come her to do the Route 66.

They used to come here from different countries,

Germany, whatever, on their motorcycles, and do the route.

There'd be like 25, 30 at the time,

but now they find out it's stupid to come here,

rent their motorcycles, and then do the trip.

We've had people from every country.

I had three this morning, three different tables

that were doing it today.

- [Narrator] Little ways down Route 66

to Chicago suburb of Cicero,

Henry's drive-in offers the best

Chicago-style hotdog around,

which are best-known for being a meal in itself.

This classic hotdog stand was started in the 50s by Henry,

and has survived through the years,

unlike other hotdog stands erected later on.

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About 50 kilometers down the highway,

in the city of Joliet, you can get dessert

at the Rich & Creamy ice cream store.

The monument has been restored to its original appearance

from the booming days of Route 66.

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Jake and Elwood, the Blues Brothers,

dance on the roof of the store,

representing a part of history

where Broadway was at its peak popularity.

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Across the street is Dick's Towing,

with the original building still standing,

surrounded by a series of classic cars,

including a tow truck perched on the roof.

Farther down in Wilmington stands the Gemini Giant statue,

which has been the Launching Pad restaurant's

main decoration since 1965, and is recognized

as one of Route 66's historical landmarks.

Unfortunately, the restaurant has been closed since 2010.

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Be mindful of the speed limits in the area.

You might wind up in jail like Jake.

Nearby in Joliet

is the Will County Adult Detention Facility.

You probably already recognized the establishment

that was used to film this classic film, The Blues Brothers,

where we saw Jake Blues getting out of jail.

In Odell, Illinois, Standard Oil gasoline station

has been there since 1932, and has kept

its original look with minor adjustments.

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For car enthusiasts, a small break-in Pontiac

is a must to visit a recently opened

and entirely dedicated museum, the Pontiac Oakland brand.

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Strolling through the land of Lincoln,

you will see the tall Paul Bunyan statue,

one of several molded fiberglass sculptures of its kind.

The first Paul Bunyan character was holding an ax.

Then, using the same mold, other characters were created.

At least three of them are still in Illinois,

along Route 66.

This particular character was originally

at a hotdog restaurant in Cicero, named Bunyan's.

In 2002, Bunyan's closed and put the figure up for sale.

The city of Atlanta in Illinois

made a long-term loan arrangement with the owners

to display the statue on Arch Street

as a symbol of Route 66.

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Across the street from the Paul Bunyan statue

is the iconic Palms Cafe.

Once closed down and reopened 10 years ago,

this Route 66 staple is a must-go

for classic Route 66 fare.

- The Palms Brew Cafe actually opened its doors

first, in August of 1934,

ran through the late 1960s,

and then it closed down.

This building was completely gutted,

and it essentially disappeared, until 2008,

and that's when the Atlanta Public Library decided

it was going to reopen the cafe,

make it operational again, and hopefully,

help use it to attract visitors and tourists to town,

because they owned the building.

The building happened to be donated.

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I, at the time, came off with the idea and said,

"You know, if we really want to use this

"for the benefit of the town, let's recreate the cafe

"and turn it into an operating entity."

So we did, it opened in, I think it was April of 2009.

So we're almost 10 years in operation now.

And it's been wonderful.

Our goal is to provide folks with a little taste,

literally, of what it used to be like

to stop in a small town along Route 66.

We have several really interesting items on the menu

that they used to serve back in the day,

fried bologna sandwiches, fried spam sandwiches,

homemade pie, and everything that is done

here at the cafe is homemade.

That's one of the things that distinguishes it.

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We really didn't know what it looked like

when it first opened in 1936,

until I happened to be out mowing my yard one day,

it was one of those small town kind of things.

A woman I didn't know pulled up in a pickup truck

in front of my yard, rolled down the window,

and she had known that we were going to reopen the cafe.

She handed me this picture, and she goes,

"Here, I think you're going to want this."

(chuckles) So we had this guide all of a sudden

as to what it looked like when it first opened.

The reason she had the photo,

the women standing behind the cash register

in the photo, is her grandmother.

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If you really wanna walk in the door,

and all of sudden see, and smell, and taste, and feel

what it used to be like back in the 30s and 40s,

this is the place to come.

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- [Narrator] Midway between Springfield and Saint Louis

is the town of Litchfield,

tucked away in fields of corn,

soybeans, and wheat principal crops.

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The Ariston cafe was founded by Pete Adam,

a Greek immigrant in Carlinville, Illinois in 1924.

The cafe was originally located on Route 4,

but the restaurant was relocated in Litchfield in 1929,

and moved to its original location in 1935 along Route 66.

- So working here at the Ariston Cafe,

I believe that it's a lot more than just a restaurant.

It's a business that's been here

even before 66 has even been started,

and it's just been evolved, just as 66 has evolved

throughout time, so have we.

I feel like when we have travelers that come in,

it's our job to make sure they have a great experience

as they come from different countries,

coming to America, bringing business,

keeping the small businesses alive.

It's amazing just how many different places

people are from.

Just last week, I had people from Japan,

a couple from Italy on their honeymoon.

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- [Narrator] The town came close to disappearing

back when the railroads were under construction.

There was a debate upon which town

the railroad was going to pass through,

coming from Saint Louis,

Litchfield, or the town of Hardinsburg,

two miles southwest.

When it was decided that Litchfield

would have the railroads pass through,

the residents of Hardinsburg had prepared for the worst,

and had their houses built on skids.

They hooked them up on oxen, and dragged them to Litchfield.

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As Big Brown passes through Litchfield, another restaurant,

the Cozy Dog Drive In, is a good place to stop

for a delicious hotdog on a stick, an American classic.

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In Mount Olive, the Soulsby's Service Station

still stands since 1926,

with its house and canopy gas station design,

a popular style in its time.

Unfortunately, it no longer serves gasoline,

much like the other historic gas stations along Route 66,

but it is a sight to see.

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The last stop in the state of Illinois

is Country Classic Cars in Stanton.

What began as a hobby for a mid-western farmer

grew into a collection of over 630 classic cars.

- As the owners started in

probably around 20 years ago,

actually at his farm selling cars,

and he just kept growing, and then he finally

had to buy some property somewhere else.

It got too big there at the farm,

so he found this property.

And it started with, I think, 20 cars or so,

something like that, and just kept growing

(laughs) to what it is now today.

- [Narrator] Country Classic Cars isn't just

a museum for car fanatics to visit.

You can buy them, from road-ready classics to muscle cars.

You can find it at this family-owned business.

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But, the journey has its ups and downs.

- Last August, we had a fire here.

We're not sure what started it,

but we're thinking it was a car,

possibly electrical (mumbles).

And it started in the middle of one of the buildings

and just spread out, you know, it was in the evening.

We actually had 13 fire departments here

from different areas, to get it out.

I mean, it was a total loss.

We lost 142 cars there.

And of course, the complete building,

so we had to rebuild the building.

And as you can see now, we've got most of the cars

replaced with different cars.

- [Narrator] The collection of classic cars

has travelers from all over the world

coming to visit through their road trip on the Mother Road.

- There's so many people that drive by here,

turn around and come back and look at it.

And there's people from all over the world, actually,

the planned trips, you know, to do Route 66

from Chicago to Los Angeles.

This is usually one of their stops on their trip.

In the summertime, it's just people non-stop,

coming in here.

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- [Narrator] The Mississippi River divides

the state of Illinois and the state of Missouri.

Crossing the river, you'll take

the new Chain of Rocks Bridge.

This bridge has two versions.

The older version was used for Route 66 prior to 1970,

but now, it serves only for pedestrians and cyclists,

as a historical landmark.

Once you've crossed the river,

the Gateway Arch welcomes travelers

to the city of Saint Louis.

Standing 630 feet tall,

it's the tallest arch in the world.

The design was thought up

by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarenen.

The Gateway Arch was envisioned to revive

and stimulate the economy of Saint Louis.

Its construction was finalized in 1965,

and remains the tallest man-made structure in America.

The memorial monument was dedicated to the American people,

honoring the development of the westward expansion

of the United States.

It is a must-see for travelers on Route 66.

After seeing pre-boarding exhibits featuring

60s-era animation and Gateway Arch trivia,

take a tram ride to the top for a beautiful view

stretching up to 50 kilometers out.

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In Saint Louis, Ted Drewes Frozen Custard

has become a popular treat amongst locals

and tourists traveling on Highway 66.

The store was built in 1941,

and has kept its original design

down to the serving cups.

Due to the success of the business,

Ted Drewes Jr. decided to expand

the size of the store in 1985,

having 12 serving windows instead of five.

The family business' signature treat is the concrete,

which was created in 1959.

The concrete is a custard so thick

that it is served upside down.

Only two stands out of four,

and are still up and running,

both on the south of Saint Louis.

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Big Brown strays away from U.S. 66,

three miles off the highway down a winding road

in the woods of Stanton, Missouri.

Down a valley lies a hidden treasure

beneath the ground, the Meramec Caverns.

Time has allowed limestone formations

to create some of the most beautiful

underground wonders in the world,

which stretch across 7.4 kilometers.

- Most folks that come to visit the Meramec Caverns,

a lot of them are left in awe.

The don't quite know what to expect.

When they leave here, they're basically reminded of how

there's so much beauty beneath the Earth

that they didn't really expect to see.

- [Narrator] The 400-million-year old caves

made of limestone have served multiple purposes

over the years, from sheltering Native Americans,

to becoming a saltpeter plant

for the manufacturing of gunpowder,

to serving as a ballroom for square dancing events

in the late 19th century.

The cave system is one of Route 66's biggest attractions.

- It's quite rich in family history

as well as Missouri history.

The Caverns has been used in numerous Hollywood movies,

and then dating back even further than that,

our cave was used during the Civil War in the United States.

And even prior to that, it was used for exploration

and in the hopes of finding valuables, gold,

but none was ever found in our cave.

- [Narrator] In 1935, Lester B. Dill

opened the caves to tourists.

Dill was the sole creator of the bumper sticker,

using the stickers as a means

of promoting the caverns, along with billboards.

- My great grandfather first purchased

this area where the cave is.

What he knew that was going on

was square dancing inside of the cave.

It was a weekend hobby, and he used that

to fund his exploration of the cave.

He did weekends (mumbles) during the week as well.

He went on to discover the entire seven levels

of Meramec Caverns.

We call ourselves the oldest staff on Route 66

because we've been here for thousands of years, literally.

- [Narrator] Back on the main street,

Big Brown heads down 23 miles to Cuba, Missouri.

The Wagon Wheel Motel was built

in the chaotic times of 1935,

when the nation was barely out of the depression,

and the Dust Bowl had destroyed millions of acres.

It included the cabins, a cafe, and a gas station.

Robert and Margaret Martin were the first owners

of the Wagon Wheel Cabins, purchasing the land in 1934.

The Martins hired Leo Friesenhan to do the building.

Local farmers carried the stone to him

to build the indestructible cabins.

There are 14 cabins at the Wagon Wheel Motel,

with 12 car shelters and two locked garages,

but due to the increasing length of automobiles,

tourism trade, and military traffic, the garages

and the buildings were converted into units.

After World War II, the cabins, the cafe,

and the gas station were split

and sold to different owners.

It's still there, bearing its original look.

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It isn't uncommon on Route 66

to bump into friendly travelers like Vincent Daino,

who is traveling Route 66

entirely on his motorbike from California.

- What I'm learning the most, I think, on this trip,

aside from the noted structures and the iconic symbols

and visitor points, is the personalities

and the people that I have been meeting,

the people that, for instance, run

this establishment, the Wagon Wheel.

I spent last night at the Munger Moss

and got to know Ramona, she's an angel.

They still have the essence of Americana.

They still have the essence

of friendship and neighborly love,

and between Santa Monica and here,

I have had issues with my motorcycles

where I've had people on Route 66 seeing me stop,

and they'll come out and render aid.

It makes you feel you're back in the 50s

where people who lived in the areas

wanted to make sure that their travelers,

if you're a traveler and you got stuck in their area,

they were your guests.

So I would say pulls of Route 66 are the people

that live and work in those communities

and treat us like we're family members, not even knowing us.

State by state, venue by venue,

each one is the course of the meal.

I wouldn't do justice by elevating one

and not comparing it to the other.

There is no comparison.

But if I did that and wind it down to one thing,

it's the human interaction of the people

who are keeping Route 66 alive,

adding and maintaining the structures and buildings.

There's an element where I'm on the road

in these open stretches and you're enjoying

this Route 66 pavement where you're lost in your thoughts.

But I would have to say the (mumbles) of my experience

is the personalities, the human contact,

the human element that really bring,

what really bring that,

that movie car and Walt Disney alive

is that personality and humankind.

- [Narrator] Not too far down the road

is the Missouri Hick for a choice of different meats

that have been smoked overnight for 12 hours.

It's worth the stop to grab a bite,

to eat at the Missouri Hick.

The two-story barbecue shack with a hillbilly theme

is the pride of Dennis Meiser,

a master barbecuer and woodworker

whose skills are displayed all over the place.

From the handmade tables and chairs

to the cedar stairs leading up to the balcony,

there is no mistaking the skill that went into this place.

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7.5 kilometers down Will Rogers Highway in Fanning, Missouri

is where you can see what used to be

the world's largest rocking chair.

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Built on April Fools Day in 2008,

Dennis' mighty chair is 42 feet,

four inches high on rockers each tree 1.5 feet long.

It lost its title as the world's biggest rocking chair

in 2015, by a 56.5-foot tall chair in Illinois,

but is still a part of Route 66's hall of fame.

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The main street of America went through

various modifications to meet the needs

of the U.S. military routes during World War II,

as well as when the highway was decommissioned completely.

Hundreds of businesses fought to survive.

This was the case for the Munger Moss Motel.

It all began at the Munger Moss Sandwich Shop

in Devil's Elbow, Missouri,

built in 1936 by Nelle Munger and husband Emmett Moss.

Unfortunately, business drastically slowed

due to the relocation of Route 66 in 1942

to accommodate heavy military traffic

going to and from nearby Fort Leonard Wood.

The business was sold to Jesse and Pete Hudson in 1945

and moved to the town of Lebanon, 30 minutes away.

They built a sandwich shop and a gas station,

and a year later, built the motel during the time

when rationing was still enforced.

Some tales say the lumber that was used

to build the motel was purchased off the black market.

It seems as though construction went on day and night.

The Feds could not stop the construction

if there was no sign of the owner,

so Mr. Hudson stayed hid most of the time.

The new four-lane Route 66 was opened in 1957,

and bypassed the booming motel, threatening its survival.

But that did not stop Mr. Hudson.

He went down to the corner and placed wood plank

across the ditch and formed a makeshift bridge

to his motel, along with a big painted sign.

Munger Moss was not going to be bypassed.

And it worked.

The business lives on.

The last stop before heading off to the state of Kansas

is Gary's Gay Parita.

- This place was founded in 1926

by Fred and Gay Mason.

All the buildings here were put up

between 1926 and finally finished in 1930.

Would have been the garage, the gas station,

the house on the hill, and the white building over there

was a grain and feeds store.

In addition to that, they had three cabins

where people could stay and spend the night.

- [Narrator] The owner, Gary, was always excited

to meet the travelers coming through and stopping by.

- Gary loved to see everyone on the Route.

For him, he wasn't just talking to people,

he was making friends.

And his motto for this place and ours as well,

friends for life.

Once you come to Parita, you're friends for life.

- [Narrator] Route 66 only goes on

for approximately 20 kilometers in the state of Kansas.

If there's something worth stopping for,

it's that the cars on the Route 66 that showcases replicas

from the famous cartoon movie, Cars.

By the way, the original version that was used

by modelers at Pixar created (inaudible)

who stands proudly next to the version that we all know.

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Now in Oklahoma.

The first stop is at the Afton Gas station.

This station was neglected

by its previous owner for many years.

It was only in 1998 that David Kane

bought the station and renovated it.

Over the years, the building

has housed multiple enterprises,

including 24-hour gas stations,

a large service garage,

a beauty parlor,

a western auto store,

a boat manufacturing plant,

and many other businesses.

The buildings today serve as a visitors center

and an extensive collection of Route 66

and auto memorabilia,

and houses an eclectic collection of Packard automobiles

along with other significant classic cars.

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30 kilometers down Route 66

is Allen's Conoco Fillin'.

The tiny station was built out from the exterior wall

of the final building on Main Street.

It now serves as a museum and gift shop.

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Off the Main Street road, a lot of travelers

on their roadtrip down Route 66 make a detour to Foyil

to see Ed Galloway's world's largest

concrete totem pole at the Totem Park.

- It started with Mr. Galloway.

He is the totem pole creator.

When he was a young man,

he was always interested in woodworking,

that's why he has fiddles,

the beautiful furniture pieces.

But I think the totem pole actually started

when he was a very young man.

He was in the Spanish-American War,

and he was in the Philippines.

And that was a particularly hard war that hurt his heart.

- [Narrator] The totem is 60 feet tall

and 30 feet in circumference.

Inside the locked totem is a ladder

that climbs up four stories.

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Ed Galloway was born in Missouri,

fought in the Spanish-American War,

and while on his way to California with his family,

he took a temporary job in Foyil.

- He built it as a way for people

to enjoy each other, to fellowship.

He wanted to build beautiful work in art and give it to us.

Some of his last words were, "I did the best I knew how,

"built these things by the side of the road

"to be a friend to you."

And that's what he did, he shared his artwork

with the world, it's what his goal was.

- [Narrator] He then spent 20 years teaching young boys

woodworking in the Children Home Orphanage in Sand Springs

and retired in Foyil.

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Some might think the large totem he built

was in honor of Native American tribes,

but he said it just gave him

something to do when he retired,

and would probably be a good attraction for young ones,

boy scouts, in particular, to visit.

It took him 11 years to complete the large totem,

which was finalized in 1948.

Ed built several other sculptures around his property

but none bigger than the totem.

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Some people give flowers to their wives on anniversaries,

but others give 80-feet long concrete sperm whales.

The Blue Whale, one of Route 66's icons,

is built along the shores of a pond in Catoosa, Oklahoma.

Hugh Davis unveiled this mastodon to his wife, Zelta,

on their 34th wedding anniversary in the 1970s,

which he originally built

for the use of just the Davis kids,

with a diving platform on its tail

and a slide coming out of its head.

On their property, the Davises

were operating an alligator farm.

But David eventually closed the attraction in 1988.

For a decade, the whale fell into disrepair,

but it was too visible and too beloved to be left behind.

Now, every few years, whale boosters converge on Catoosa

to patch its concrete and give it a fresh coat of paint.

Next stop is at Pops, a modern gas station

and restaurant where you can find

a signature collection of 700 kinds of soda,

sparkling waters, and other ice cold refreshments.

It's hard to miss the huge neon sign

in the shape of a soda pop bottle.

It stands 66 feet tall, in honor of Route 66.

- We carry anywhere from 750

to 800 different flavors of soda,

all different brands from different countries,

different places.

There are some that we do not get anymore at quick bottling.

A lot of bottles you see on the shelves here,

they've been up for 11 years.

The only time we really change is when the color goes out.

Bottles, that's one of our biggest sale

as other people come from all over

just to (mumbles) selection of bottle.

So we have all brand which we have a great plains soda

which is basically great.

Then we have our orange crane (mumbling).

Then we have the Round Barn root beer

which is our brand as well,

which we bottle (mumbling).

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- [Narrator] Many villages along the route try

and take advantage of the renewed excitement for Route 66.

It's the case of Elk City, who has proposed a museum

that will please and impress the true fans

of this mythical road.

If you do decide to take on

the entirety of Route 66,

stray away from fake attractions,

and take advantage of the real ones.

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The last stop in the state of Oklahoma

is a shop where nothing is for sale,

and its greatest curiosities are its owners,

Harley and Annabelle Russel, the Mediocre Music Makers.

If you're interested in a personal music concert,

you might get lucky

at the Sandhills Curiosity Shop in Erick.

In the shop, you'll find old oak furniture,

a variety of artwork, and vintage music instruments,

along with other curious and fascinating object.

Entering the land of the cowboys,

in Shamrock lies the U-Drop Inn.

This gas station and restaurant was built in 1936

for the amount of $23,000.

The design for the place is said to be drawn

by a friend of the owner, who picked up an old nail

and scratched out the plans for the building in the dirt.

The local newspaper said it was the swankiest

of swank eating places,

and was the most up-to-date edifice of its kind

on U.S. Highway 66, between Oklahoma City and Amarillo.

It happens regularly today for customers

to stop and say that they ate in the cafe

20, 30, 40, even 50 years ago.

In 2003 and 2004, the building received

a 1.7 million federal grant in which the city

was able to hire a firm specializing

in historical renovation.

The building has since been restored to its original glory

and adapted into a museum, visitors center, gift shop,

and the city's Chamber of Commerce.

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In Groom, Texas stands slanted

one of the most iconic attractions of Route 66,

the Leaning Water Tower.

It is a strange sight to see,

unsettling, yet fascinating.

Unfortunately, this Leaning Water Tower

was an ingenious marketing ploy.

Ralph Britten, a man who wanted to start up

a truck stop and restaurant off Route 66 in Groom,

bought the water tower from the town of Lefors

to attract new visitors.

He towed the enormous thing 55 kilometers to Groom,

wrote Britten USA on top, and then, using a bulldozer,

elevated two of its legs off the ground,

dangling them in mid-air without support,

so that the water tower made an 80-degree angle

with the ground.

Passersby would think that the tower

was in the process of collapsing.

Worried route takers often swerved off the road

and into his truck top, shouting, "Watch out!

"The tower is about to fall."

Britten would say that it had been like that for years,

and invited them to have some food and drinks.

It worked very well to attract customers.

Unfortunately, the truck stop burnt down and closed,

but the Leaning Tower is still there.

There is no way to miss the Big Texan in Amarillo, Texas

when passing by Route 66.

The Big Texan is a restaurant, brewery,

motel, gift shop, and even horse motel.

- It was my father that came down.

He was from Chicago and he didn't know anything

about being a cowboy, what western was really all about.

And he came down here and he wanted to open up

a cowboy restaurant, so he did everything

in his power to make it cowboy, it wasn't working.

But the thing that did make it cowboy was the fact

that the original Big Texan was right next door

to the stock yards, and there was hundreds

and hundreds of cowboys that worked there everyday.

They would come into his place everyday after work,

and he would cash or pay checks and sell them nickel beer.

And they started acting like Texans do,

so he put them at the very center table of the dining room

and allowed them to do whatever they wanted to do,

and if you will, paint the wet canvas at Texas,

so (mumbles) would come in

and see this table for the cowboys,

watching them act like what they expected,

and that's what gave the Big Texan its personality,

was the people coming here,

not really what he thought he knew about being cowboy.

(chattering)

Well, the 72-ounce steak challenge started

with the same thing with my dad

about these cowboys that are in his restaurant,

they were acting like cowboys

and they were always trying to outdo each other.

"My muscle's bigger than yours.

"I'm smarter than you.

"I can eat more than you."

And the eat more than you appealed to my father,

and he was smart enough to say,

"Next Friday, I got 12 seats at this table.

"I'll give everybody one-pound steaks

"for over an hour period of time,

"and whoever eats the most one-pound steaks,

"I'm gonna give it to you all free."

So one cowboy ate four and a half one-pound steaks.

He was a big show-off, so he ordered a baked potato,

shrimp cocktail, tossed salad and bread with it,

and he ate the entire meal.

And my dad said, "From this day forward,

"in 1960, whoever can eat four and a half pounds of beef,

"a baked potato, a shrimp cocktail, a raw butter,

"it's for free."

And 58 years ago, it hasn't changed a bit.

It's still the 72-ounce steak challenge.

The quickest was by a lady

who also owns all the record sport.

She weighs 128 pounds, and she ate

three 72-ounce steaks in 20 minutes,

the first one in three and a half minutes.

A lady, a 128-pound lady,

three 72-ounce steaks in 20 minutes.

But it's still (mumbles).

Everybody else comes in to try it,

and it's still the same percentages.

One out of every six men will take it down.

One out of every two women will eat it.

So the percentage hasn't changed

and it's not about the big (mumbles) that comes in here,

or the little tiny guy.

You never know who's gonna do it.

20 minutes into this contest, you can usually tell.

Route 66 gave the Big Texan its birth.

It's because of Route 66, it carried all

the east-west travelers through this part of Texas.

And when they come through here,

they wanted to see cowboys,

like if you go to Hawaii,

you expect to see a girl in a grass skirt.

When they come to this part of Texas,

they want to see the cowboy,

they want to see the big steaks,

they wanna see people on horseback.

And that's what my father was smart enough to realize

and that's what they get to see.

And if it wasn't for Route 66, it wouldn't have happened.

(mellow strings music)

- [Narrator] The Cadillac Ranch,

one of Route 66's attractions

west of Amarillo, Texas,

was invented and built by a group

of art hippies from San Francisco.

The group called themselves the Ant Farm

and created the piece of work for their silent partner,

Amarillo billionaire Stanley Marsh 3.

He wanted an art piece that would turn heads.

And the hippies came up with a tribute

to the evolution of the Cadillac Tailfin.

10 caddies were driven into one of Stanley's fields,

then buried, nose down, in the dirt,

supposedly at the same angle

as the Great Pyramid of Giza.

They faced west in a line,

from the 1949 Club sedan, to the 1963 Deville.

Their tailfins held high for all to see

on the empty Texas Panhandle.

Since the creation of the art piece,

many who've come to see it have taken the liberty

of grabbing a piece and taking it home as a souvenir.

This did not bother its creators,

and they actually encouraged it.

But as everyone took a little piece with them,

the 10 Cadillacs became almost unrecognizable.

Only their carcasses remain, stained by graffiti.

In fact, they've been in the ground

longer that they've been on the road.

The art piece is now seen

to represent America's hopes and dreams,

art and commerce, materialism and spiritualism,

all the infame.

(upbeat strings music)

The last place in Texas worth seeing

is the Midpoint Cafe in the town of Adrian.

- We're famous for the pies,

and I think, very friendly people.

We try to make everybody feel like

they're special when they come to the door.

(laughing) Yeah, and we have a great gift shop,

and you can get pretty much find anything you want

at Route 66 here in the Midpoint Cafe

or the midpoint period.

There's great photo-ops here, and good food.

- Yeah, and great food, yeah (laughs).

They bring a lot of fun, that's what I think (laughs).

We enjoy visiting with them and having a good time.

And that we do, it's like a great job.

We literally have fun everyday.

(upbeat music)

- [Narrator] The first break in the state of New Mexico

could easily be at night.

The Blue Swallow motel is a must-stop,

if it isn't for the kitsch in the outside

that lights up the night.

Originally built in 1939,

it keeps up with the original style inside and out.

It feels like a walk back in time.

(upbeat music)

Near Grant, we stumble upon a treasure trove

of classic cars waiting to be refurbished.

An incredible selection, from Chevys to Fords,

and a few imports like the famous Volkswagen Beetle.

Any classic car enthusiast would revel

in such a sight, with hundreds of vehicles

as far as the eye can see.

(upbeat music)

A quick stop before hitting the road with Big Brown

for a small transmission tune up.

As always, the people along Route 66

are always friendly and helpful.

(upbeat music)

15 minutes later, we're ready to roll.

(upbeat music)

Making its way towards Arizona,

Big Brown makes one last stop

in the state of New Mexico,

in Gallup, at El Rancho Hotel.

El Rancho was built in 1937,

originally as a base camp for movie stars.

Brother of film director David Wark Griffith

built it to accommodate actors

when they were shooting films in the wild west.

(mellow music)

During the 30s and 40s, 100 western films

were filmed around Gallup,

with their stars staying at the El Rancho.

Guests included stars such as Ronald Reagan,

Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn,

May West, and over 150 others.

The place still looks and feels

as it did back in the day.

(mellow music)

In Arizona, the state best known for the Grand Canyon,

hidden gems reside along Route 66.

The Wigwam Motel, a distinctive historical landmark

built along Route 66 in Holbrook, was built in 1950,

one of seven Wigmam Villages.

(upbeat music)

The units are teepee-shaped,

but were mistakenly named wigwams.

The Pixar film Car Story is entirely based

on the Route 66 experience, and one of the characters

owns a motel called the Cozy Cone Motel,

which is clearly inspired by the Wigwam Village

in Holbrook, Arizona.

(upbeat music)

The first Wigwam Village was built in 1933 by Frank Redford.

It was located on the corner of US 31E

and Highway 218 in Horse Cave, Kentucky.

Redford created the village

after adding teepee-shaped units

around a museum-cum-shop he had built to store

his collection of Native American artifacts.

He applied for a patent on the ornamental design

of the teepees, and was granted design patent in 1936.

The original drawing includes a swastika,

at the time, a symbol associated with Native Americans

or often often worn as a good luck charm.

(upbeat music)

For all the Eagles fans, the best spot to stop on Highway 66

is on the corner in Winslow, Arizona.

The English setting of the Take it Easy song

of the famous rock band, Standin' On The Corner Park,

has become a tourist attraction.

The town of Winslow used to be

the biggest town in the state of Arizona.

That is, up until the late 1970s.

When the town was bypassed

by the new transcontinental highway,

tourism-based businesses downtown closed up shop,

and for the following 20 years,

the town was frozen in time.

All of this changed when in 1994,

La Posada Foundation put efforts

into refurbishing the La Posada Hotel,

a hotel built in 1930.

This revived the town.

Seeing the success it had brought to the town,

La Posada Foundation changed its name

to Standin' On The Corner Foundation,

and decided to build a park

dedicated to the Eagles song.

They hired artists to paint a mural

and make a sculpture of a man

standing on the corner of the park.

(upbeat music)

About 177 kilometers down Route 66

is another historic eatery called Delgadillos

Snow Cap drive-in in Seligman, Arizona.

The drive-in was built in 1953

by local resident Juan Delgadillo.

Delgadillo built the restaurant mostly from scrap lumber

obtained from the nearby Santa Fe railroad yard

because he was working on an extremely tight budget.

John Delgadillo, son of Juan Delgadillo,

tells us more about his family and the drive-in.

- My father built it with his father

and his brothers in 1953.

He opened in June of 53.

And we've been here ever since.

- [Narrator] Juan Delgadillo's brother owned

a 1936 Chevrolet hard top and cut the roof off,

adorned the vehicle with paint, horns,

and various other items,

including an artificial Christmas tree

in the rear of the car.

And they would it around to attract customers

to the restaurant.

The old Chevy is still there parked in front.

Today, people come from all over the world

and stop at Delgadillo's Snow Cap drive-in

for the 30s and 40s experience.

Part of the service at the drive-in are the jokes.

There are jokes for everything you order,

which extends to the building itself.

The restaurant is filled with humorous decor

and comical phrases.

In the back of the restaurant,

there is a collection of old automobiles,

which has its humorous touch as well.

Nevertheless, running a drive-in is a lot of work.

- It's work, a lot of work,

and talking to people, having fun with people,

because they come back, they bring their family,

they bring their friends, because we have fun with them.

- [Narrator] At Delgadillo's Snow Cap drive-in,

it's the perfect place for someone

with a good sense of humor

and an appetite for great food.

(upbeat music)

The last stop in Arizona

is at the El Trovatore Motel in Kingman.

This historic Route 66 motel started in 1937

as a service station,

with a tourist court added later in 1939,

and was first owned by John F. Miller.

You can spend the night

in the motel's Hollywood-themed rooms,

which remain in the original decor of when it was built.

Mr. Fisher knows exactly what Route 66 today

is all about and why it remains an iconic route.

- People come here for their bucket list 66.

Let's say, younger people will come here to do this.

Older people come here and say,

"We used to drive the station wagon with my grandfather

"all the way across Route 66."

And the original people that left Oklahoma,

because they lost their farms,

because they (mumbles) the field too much,

and they drove across Route 66

to California for a better life.

So that's a part of Route 66.

- [Narrator] In the town of Kingman,

classic cars are not uncommon.

- Just in this town alone, there is over 350 classic cars.

Once a month, they go to downtown and they drive around

in procession like this for four hours.

It's called Chill on Beale.

Once a year, there's a thousand cars come on Route 66.

They do a fun run.

But every few months, there's another group

come here from Australia, New Zealand,

either with motorcycles, and it's fun to be here.

It's fun to meet the people.

The fun part was not remodeling it,

doing all this work.

The fun part is meeting people

that have in their eyes, this yearning to see this,

and they come all the way from

the Czech Republic.

Why would they want to come here?

That's because there is a road like this.

(mellow strings music)

- [Narrator] Reaching the Black Mountains

of Mohave County, Arizona,

a small town resides called the Oatman.

The town started as a small mining camp

soon after two prospectors tracked

a $10-million gold mine.

The town was named Oatman in honor of Olive Oatman,

a young Illinois girl who had been taken captive

by Indians during her pioneer family's journey westward

in 1851, and forced into slavery.

She was later traded to Mohave Indians

who adopted her as a daughter

and had her face tattooed in the custom of the tribe.

She was released in 1856 at Fort Yuma, Arizona.

(firing) (clamoring)

(upbeat guitar music)

After the district had produced 40 million,

or approximately 2.6 billion

in today's market price in gold by 1941,

all of the gold extracting operations ceased,

and the town changed its business

to cater to travelers on Route 66.

(upbeat guitar music)

In 1953, the new highway was built

and bypassed the town,

and Oatman was all but abandoned.

But as Route 66 gained recognition worldwide,

Oatman revived.

It is well-known for its wild burrows

wandering the streets,

the descendants of pack animals

abandoned by early prospectors in Sitgreaves Pass

which tops out at 3,550 feet.

The pass was named after Captain Lorenzo Sitgreaves,

who traveled through the area in 1851.

Old Route 66 did not cut through the land.

It moved with the land, unlike the new interstate.

The last state sliced by the pavement

of the Mother Road is California,

gifted with spectacular scenery,

diversity, and wonderful weather.

It is best known for its standing in show business,

its premises filled with movie stars,

musical artists, and popular culture.

It is a place where dreams come to life for many.

(upbeat music)

The first stop in California is Elmer's Bottle Tree

in Oro Grande.

Elmer Long's two plus acres are crowded

with hundreds of metal sculptures

adorned with colored bottles,

and just about anything else one could imagine.

Elmer was only a boy when he started collecting bottles.

He found a dump with trash that went back to the 1800s.

And as far as Elmer could tell,

the stuff he found in them were priceless,

which included bottles.

Elmer has been collecting bottles for years

and found a way to display them.

It started with one bottle tree.

Now, hundreds are planted on his land.

(upbeat music)

(pensive piano music)

At the pier is the Pacific Park.

(pensive piano music)

Several restaurants and loads of smiles and fun.

You've reached the finish line,

but the fun does not have to end there.

(people squealing) (pensive piano music)

Driving down Route 66 makes for a humbling experience.

It shows you that happiness is in the little things.

People don't go through Route 66 to make good time.

They go through it to have a good time.

And once in a while, it's kind of nice to slow down.

(lighthearted piano music)