New Mexico’s Route 66 History
Travel back through a century of milestones, detours, and roadside legends that shaped New Mexico’s stretch of the Mother Road.
2024
Beckoning travelers since the 1960s, the Imperial hotel closed in 2020 for renovations. The Central Avenue icon reopened with a new bar and local food pods, and restored neon sign, pool, and classic butterfly roof.
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2023
After 75 years on the original Route 66 in Santa Fe, the Western-themed Silver Saddle Motel rides off into the sunset, making way for the Mystic, a stylish 24-guest room retreat.
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2022
Albuquerque’s KiMo Theatre reopens after extensive renovations and repairs. Today, the theater continues to be an arts and culture hub, presenting performances, community events, and screenings.
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1999-2003
The New Mexico Route 66 Association leads an effort to restore nine vintage Route 66 neon signs in Tucumcari, Santa Rosa, Moriarty, Albuquerque, Grants, and Gallup.
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1999
The National Route 66 Preservation Bill is signed by President Bill Clinton, allocating $10 million in grants to historical organizations, businesses, and individuals to preserve their Route 66 infrastructure.
1994
New Mexico establishes a 300-mile stretch of the original Route 66 roads still open to traffic as a National Scenic Byway as a way to further the preservation of the Mother Road and the historic landmarks along the way.
1985
Route 66 is officially decommissioned by the U.S. government after the completion of I-40 in October 1984. Its preservation becomes the responsibility of city governments, local organizations, state historical societies, and private businesses.
1956-1976
The National Interstate System begins replacing Route 66 with divided highways, changing small-town economies along America's Main Street. The 1956 Interstate Highway Act drives this shift.
1946-1956
A brilliant blaze of neon starts to appear along Route 66 in New Mexico and the rest of the Mother Road. The glamorous glow of neon advertises motor courts, mom-and-pop diners, curio shops, gas stations, roadside attractions, and other sites.
April 22, 1946
“(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” is released as a single by the Nat King Cole Trio and hits the top of the charts. Composed by Bobby Troup, the song has been recorded by Bing Crosby, Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones, Depeche Mode, and other greats.
1939
The Blue Swallow Motel opens in Tucumcari. Its iconic neon sign depicting a blue swallow and promising “100% Refrigerated Air” has been a beacon for Route 66 travelers for generations.
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1937
Built in the Pueblo Revival style, El Vado Motor Court opens as one of Albuquerque’s first autocentric motels along Route 66. Recently renovated, El Vado is restored to its former glory.
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1937
The Santa Fe Loop, which ran through the capital city, is replaced with a new alignment, which bypassed Santa Fe for a more direct route across the state. New Mexico Governor Arthur T. Hannett ordered the highway’s redirection from its original...
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1927
The Pueblo Deco–style KiMo Theatre opens on September 19, becoming Albuquerque’s top vaudeville and movie theater. its Tiwa name means "king of its kind," and it stands at 423 Central Avenue along the post-1937 Route 66 alignment.
1926
Route 66 officially opens on November 11, connecting eight states spanning more than 2,400 miles between Chicago and Santa Monica. With 507 miles, New Mexico had a longer stretch of Route 66 than any other state.