Route 66
Episode 35 · 2005-07-06
- Documentary
Episode overview
Route 66, encompassing eight states from Illinois to California and 2,400 miles, represented an American myth–that something better lay over the rainbow. Route 66 began in the early 20th century when a confluence of technologies–automotive, steel construction, and concrete paving–merged with population explosion, westward migration, and prosperity after WWI. The federal government responded with highway bills that converted existing roadways into an interstate called Route 66. Later, WWII highlighted the need for a strategic system similar to Germany's Autobahn–wider, safer, and more advanced. As federal and state governments worked on a superhighway, millions sought "their kicks on Route 66." By 1985, the abandoned roadway no longer "officially" existed, yet, it remains a destination for nostalgic travelers wishing to recapture a simpler, more adventurous era.
44 minutes
Season 12 episodes
1. Poison2005-01-05
2. Car Tech of the Future2005-01-06
3. The Arch2005-01-12
4. More Nature's Engineers2005-01-18
5. World's Biggest Machines 32005-01-26
6. Blackbird Stealth2005-02-04
7. The Butcher2005-02-08
8. George Washington Carver Tech2005-02-15
9. Firefighting!: Extreme Conditions2005-02-15
10. Desert Tech2005-02-23
11. Sub Zero2005-02-23
12. The Great Bridge: 8 Miles of Steel2005-02-23
13. Howard Hughes Tech2005-02-28
14. Edwards Air Force Base2005-03-02
15. Taxidermy2005-03-09
16. SWAT2005-03-09
17. Deadliest Weapons2005-03-16
18. The Doomsday Clock2005-04-07
19. The Basement2005-04-26
20. Paint2005-04-27
21. Mega Movers2005-04-27
22. Punishment2005-04-28
23. Bricks2005-05-11
24. Glue2005-05-18
25. F/A-22 Raptor2005-05-20
26. Civil War Tech2005-05-25
27. Machines of D-Day2005-06-03
28. John Hancock Center2005-06-08
29. The Cape Cod Canal2005-06-15
30. Secret Japanese Aircraft of World War II2005-06-16
31. Future Tech2005-06-22
32. Edison Tech2005-06-28
33. Secrets of Soviet Space Disasters2005-07-01
34. Mountain Roads2005-07-05
35. Route 662005-07-06
36. Cowboy Tech2005-07-20
37. Sewers2005-07-27
38. Challenger Tank2005-07-29
39. World's Biggest Machines 42005-08-02
40. Dredging2005-08-03
41. Lube Job2005-08-10
42. Secret Luftwaffe Aircraft of World War II2005-08-17
43. The World's Fastest2005-08-24
44. The B-2 Stealth Bomber2005-08-26
45. High Risk: Helicopter Lineman2005-08-31
46. Wiring America2005-08-31
47. Nature Tech: Lightning2005-08-31
48. HMS Victory2005-09-02
49. Engineering an Empire: Rome2005-09-13
50. Coffee2005-09-14
51. Sugar2005-09-14
52. Cereal: History in a Bowl2005-09-14
53. F-117 Nighthawk Stealth2005-09-22
54. German Small Arms of World War II2005-09-24
55. The Auto Store2005-10-05
56. Secret Allied Aircraft of World War II2005-10-14
57. Engineering Disasters 172005-11-02
58. Brewing2005-11-16
59. The Lumberyard2005-11-30
60. Da Vinci Tech2005-12-04
61. Custom Cars2005-12-05
62. More Hardware2005-12-06
63. Weird Weapons: The Allies2005-12-17
64. More Snack Food Tech2005-12-20
65. Walt Disney World2005-12-25
66. Nature Tech: Hurricanes2005-12-29
70. Private Collections2004-12-06
