By Charly SHELTON

The journey of Route 66 is a long one. Not only the journey on the road, but how far the road itself has come and what it means to America and the world. This journey was presented, via slideshow and photos by Ben Fitzsimmons of the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage, at this month’s meeting of the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley.

The Autry is currently hosting an exhibit featuring Route 66 from a national viewpoint – the first time an exhibition has covered such a large scale. From the humble beginnings of the Old Trails Road to the inception of a nicely paved highway that stretched from Chicago to L.A., covering 2448 miles, passing through numerous towns along the highway, the history of Route 66 is the history of American freedom of movement.

With the rise of the highway system, travel changed from a fun journey along the way to a necessary hassle before reaching a destination.

The presentation, which lasted about one hour, was informative and kept the audience entertained.

To learn more about Route 66, visit the Autry Museum’s exhibit, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles.

  Charly Shelton