Audio recording

A year later, John Steinbeck’s novel *The Grapes of Wrath* immortalized Route 66 as the “Mother Road,” embedding it in American culture. By 1940, Blackburn Park was established in Pacific, Missouri, as part of the Henry Shaw Gardenway, a beautification project connecting St. Louis to Gray Summit. However, the onset of World War II in 1941 brought new challenges. Route 66 became vital for military transport, despite its inadequate condition, and wartime restrictions in 1944, including halts in automobile production, gasoline rationing, and tire shortages, significantly affected civilian travel. With the war’s end in 1945, Route 66 entered a new era as Americans embraced leisure travel, marking the beginning of the highway’s golden age for family vacations and exploration.