The 66Vault is a living time capsule of the people, places, and stories that made Route 66 iconic.
For the first time ever, the history of Route 66 is being gathered into a single digital archive. From postcards and neon signs to family road trips and forgotten headlines, the 66Vault brings together the moments, memories, and artifacts that shaped America’s most legendary highway.
Explore 66Vault and Add Your Story.
Take a road trip across America’s most legendary highway through stories, photos, and roadside memories.
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Explore the Archive
Dive into the rich and growing collection of Route 66 history — photos, footage, documents, maps, and personal stories from across the decades. Whether you’re researching, reminiscing, or discovering for the first time, it’s all here.
A snapshot from a family road trip, a faded postcard, or an old menu from a Route 66 diner? Share it and help preserve the legacy for generations to come. Share it and help preserve the legacy for generations to come.
Packard’s “Fuel-Izer” – Turning Gasoline into Gold
Connect66 Demo
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Historic Photos
Dust Bowl “Okies” on Route 66
Connect66 Demo
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Historic Photos
Angel and Juan Delgadillo – Route 66 Revival
Connect66 Demo
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Historic Photos
Indian Trading Post, Elk City, Oklahoma 1982
Connect66 Demo
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Literature & Media References
Route 66 – The Main Street of America
Connect66 Demo
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Historic Photos
Historic Route 66 Sign in Albuquerque
Connect66 Demo
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Videos & Film Clips
Route 66 Kodachrome Home Movie
Connect66 Demo
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Cultural Artifacts & Memorabilia
Blue Swallow Motel Postcard
Connect66 Demo
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Historic Photos
Toward Los Angeles, California
Connect66 Demo
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Historic Photos
The "Bunion Derby,"
Connect66 Demo
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Route 66 History Types
Journey through the archive of Route 66.
Historic Photos
Vintage Route images, before & after shots, capturing Route 66’s evolution.
Video & Literature
Rare travel footage, news reels, and books from Route 66 travelers.
Written Stories
Personal narratives from those who have lived and traveled Route 66.
Audio Recordings
Audio histories, interviews, and classic radio moments spanning generations.
Documents & Maps
Historic maps, letters, brochures, and official Route 66 documents.
Cultural Artifacts
Photos and descriptions of signs, classic cars, menus, and Route 66 relics.
Share your timeless
story to the 66Vault
From vintage photos and road trip journals to postcards and diner menus — every piece helps tell the story of Route 66. The 66Vault is a living archive built by people like you.
Connect66 is a living, breathing ecosystem built to reimagine Route 66 for the next 100 years.
It’s where immersive storytelling, advanced technology, and cultural preservation come together to restore the soul of America’s most iconic highway.
But it’s more than a project — it’s a movement.
A digital and physical revival designed to empower communities, spark tourism, and preserve what matters most: the stories, places, and people that define the Mother Road.
We’re telling the story of America —
One story. One immersive interaction. One revival at a time.
Despite its legendary status, Route 66 has long suffered from fragmentation. Information is scattered, small towns are struggling, and travelers often don’t know where to go, what’s happening, or what they’re even looking at. Connect66 solves that by creating a centralized, immersive experience that ties everything together — history, travel tools, events, and community engagement — into one cohesive ecosystem that serves both locals and global visitors.
Connect66 was created by a team of strategists, preservationists, technologists, and creatives with a deep love for Route 66 and a shared belief that its best days are still ahead. This isn’t a corporate takeover or a government program — it’s a grassroots-driven, purpose-led movement with decades of expertise behind the scenes.
The team brings together experience in branding, tech innovation, historic preservation, economic revitalization, and media storytelling to create something entirely new: a scalable, immersive system designed to honor the past and ignite the future of the Mother Road.
Most Route 66 efforts focus on one piece of the puzzle — a museum, a documentary, a tour book, or a travel site. Connect66 combines them all into a unified ecosystem. It brings together digital tools, historical archives, economic revitalization, entertainment content, and real-world engagement to create something entirely new. It’s not about nostalgia — it’s about building a bridge between past, present, and future.
It’s both. Connect66 works at a national scale — covering all eight states of the Route — but it’s rooted in local partnerships. Every town, museum, business, and person along the Route has something to contribute. This initiative is designed to spotlight the hyperlocal while giving it a national (and even global) platform. It’s scalable and personal at the same time.
Both. Connect66 honors the past by preserving stories, places, and memories through tools like the 66Vault. But it’s just as focused on the future — using technology, media, and design to inspire a new generation of travelers, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Route 66 isn’t a relic — it’s a launchpad for what’s next.
Connect66 is a multi-pronged initiative with both for-profit and nonprofit components. The main development work is driven by private companies that are building the tools, content, and experiences. But there’s also a fully independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit — the Connect66 Foundation — that focuses on education, historical preservation, and community grants. So whether you’re a sponsor, a donor, or a city partner, there’s a place for you in the structure.
The 66Vault is the digital heartbeat of the Connect66 Initiative — a central repository where the history of Route 66 lives, grows, and evolves. It’s where thousands of stories, photos, documents, and cultural artifacts are collected, tagged, preserved, and made discoverable for generations to come. Think of it as both a library and a launchpad — powering everything from online archives to immersive travel experiences.
While the website allows users to explore the 66Vault through timelines, maps, and galleries, the Explore66 App uses this data to trigger real-time historical moments on the Route.
And that’s just the beginning. Over time, the 66Vault will serve as a platform for educators, museums, researchers, and creatives to tell deeper stories about America’s past through the lens of its most iconic road.
Anyone. Whether you’re a lifelong a historian, a museum, a Route 66 traveler, a local business owner, or someone who just uncovered an old family photo — your story matters. The Vault is open to individuals, organizations, archives, and institutions. Contributors retain full credit, choose their licensing terms, and help shape a more complete picture of Route 66’s legacy.
When the full platform launches, you’ll be able to submit content directly through our “Share It” feature. You’ll upload your photo, video, document, or story — add a short description, optional metadata like date or location, and choose how you want your content to be licensed and displayed.
Submissions will go through a quick moderation and tagging process before becoming part of the public 66Vault. Contributors will also have the option to create a profile to manage their uploads and track how their content is used across the platform.
In the meantime, check out the 66Vault section to learn more about the types of history we’re preserving and what’s coming soon.[/
Yes — and we strongly encourage it. Museums, libraries, tourism offices, historical societies, and educational institutions are ideal Vault contributors. Whether you’re digitizing an archive, curating a regional story, or building curriculum around American history, the Vault can help amplify and preserve your work. For institutions interested in bulk uploads, metadata integration, or educational use cases, contact us to collaborate.
Not quite — while most content in the 66Vault is viewable through the website or app, each contributor decides how their content can be used. Some choose to make their work fully public and downloadable. Others may set it to view-only, limit it to educational use, or require explicit permission before reuse.
Each item is labeled with its license type, and users can filter search results accordingly — so it’s always clear what’s shareable, downloadable, or protected.
For items marked “Contact for Licensing,” you’ll be able to reach out directly to the contributor to request permission for use.[/
Yes — in many cases. The Explore66 App and Time Machine web interface both pull from the 66Vault. If your content has strong historical value and relevant metadata (like location or date), it may be included in:
Augmented reality stops
Interactive maps
Historical overlays
Location-based experiences You’ll always be credited, and licensing settings are respected across all platforms.
Absolutely. When uploading to the Vault, you choose from six license types that control how your content can be used, shared, or repurposed. You’re always credited by default, and you can update your licensing preferences later if needed.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the available options:
Public Domain: No restrictions — free for anyone to use, share, or remix.
Creative Commons (Attribution): Use is allowed, even commercially, as long as you’re credited.
Non-Commercial Use Only: Can be shared and used for education or personal projects, but not for profit.
Editorial Use Only: Use is limited to journalism, research, and non-commercial educational purposes.
View Only: Your content can be viewed, but not downloaded or reused.
Contact for Licensing: Others must request permission to use your content — ideal for professionals or institutions.
You can also opt to receive licensing requests if someone wants to feature your work in a documentary, campaign, or commercial project.[/
The 66Vault isn’t just a digital archive — it’s a cultural preservation engine. We’re collecting stories that might otherwise be lost and connecting them into something bigger: a living, evolving story of America told through the lens of the Mother Road. Beyond exploration and tourism, the Vault will become a powerful tool for education — powering curriculum, immersive history programs, and research across generations. Whether you’re contributing a photo or discovering one, you’re part of ensuring that Route 66’s legacy lives on — not as something frozen in the past, but as a story we continue to tell together.
There are lots of ways to get involved — whether you’re a history lover, Route 66 traveler, local business owner, or just passionate about preserving America’s cultural legacy. You can share content with the 66Vault, donate to the Connect66 Foundation, volunteer, become a local ambassador, or simply help spread the word. Check the Get Involved page to explore all the options.
Yes! Donations can be made through the Connect66 Foundation — our nonprofit arm dedicated to preservation, education, and community development. Your contribution helps fund historical archiving, events, educational tools, and small-town revitalization efforts across all eight states. Every dollar goes toward making the Route more vibrant and connected. Go to Connect66.net/Foundation for more information.
The Connect66 Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works alongside the main initiative to focus on education, preservation, and community empowerment. While the broader Connect66 ecosystem includes for-profit media, technology, and tourism tools, the Foundation handles the mission-driven efforts — like preserving historical assets, awarding community grants, and developing classroom-ready educational materials.
We’re actively building partnerships with museums, historical societies, Route 66 associations, tourism bureaus, libraries, and local governments. Whether you want to contribute archived content to the 66Vault, host a Summit, or help shape the travel experience in your area — we’d love to hear from you. Reach out through the Partner With Us page to start the conversation.
Absolutely. You can volunteer, donate, become an ambassador, or just help share the word with friends, communities, and social networks. You can also share your own personal experiences — even recent travel stories — to help inspire others and build momentum around the movement.
Yes. We’re creating scalable tools and visibility opportunities for towns, small businesses, and local attractions along the Route. Whether you’re interested in promotion through the Explore66 App, listing an event, collaborating on history, or getting funding for a revitalization project — we want to hear from you.
Yes. We’re building a network of local and digital volunteers who can help bring the movement to life — from spreading awareness in your town to helping moderate 66Vault submissions. Ambassadors help represent the spirit of the Route in their communities. Want in? Just sign up on our Get Involved page and we’ll get you started.
Yes — once the full upload platform is live, you’ll be able to share your Route 66 content directly through the 66Vault. In the meantime, you can learn more on the 66Vault page and sign up to be notified when early contributor access opens.
Join our email list and follow us on social media. You’ll be the first to know when the Explore66 App goes live, when new stories drop in the Vault, and when events, Summits, and campaigns launch. We won’t spam you — we’re too busy rebuilding a legend.
We offer sponsorship opportunities at every level — from regional campaigns and Centennial celebrations to media content, app integrations, and Route-wide visibility. Whether you’re a small-town business or a national brand looking to align with one of America’s most iconic stories, we’d love to collaborate. Sponsorship dollars go directly toward preservation, programming, and community impact.
Yes. We’re actively partnering with media outlets, production companies, tourism boards, and cultural institutions to co-create content, share stories, and activate campaigns across Route 66. If your organization is interested in collaborating on storytelling, digital experiences, or national campaigns — we’re ready to talk.
No problem. Just visit the Get Involved page and answer a few short questions — whether you’re a fan, donor, teacher, business owner, traveler, or just Route 66-curious. We’ll help connect the dots based on your interests and skills.
Let’s go for a cruise. Sign up and Get Full Access to Browse and Share Your Story to 66Vault.
