frank (pht),joe/ hopkinson,sonderman

The "Mother Road" has been open since 1926. Its heyday was the WWII and post-war era, with many roadside structures springing up to cater to the “tin-can tourists” making the journey from East to West. Gas stations, motels, and diners all had to compete for business and what better way to attract attention than with a wacky feature such as a wigwam motel, an iceberg cafe, or a whale-themed diner. Route 66 Then and Now® revisits some of these bizarre (and not-so-bizarre) structures to see what’s left before time takes its toll. Route 66 historian Joe Sonderman takes readers on the 2,500-mile trip, starting in Chicago, to the Blue Whale in Catoosa, past Angel Delgadillo’s store in Seligman, Arizona, to the end point in Santa Monica.