OTM Debuts Route 66 Exhibit

The Old Trails Museum and Winslow Chamber of Commerce hosted the grand opening for the museum’s new exhibit, 100 Years of Route 66 in Winslow, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 3 pm at the Winslow Visitors Center. The free event included refreshments and a Route 66 storytelling presentation by Lara Helmling. The exhibit opening was the kick-off event for the Winslow Route 66 Centennial Committee’s year-long celebration of the historic highway’s 100th anniversary.

On November 11, 1926, the Bureau of Public Roads certified U.S. Highway 66, better known as Route 66. More than any other two-lane highway of its era, Route 66—with its motels, diners, curio shops, and scenic attractions—became a symbol of the freedom, adventure, and romance of the open road in America.

For the last century, Route 66 has influenced Winslow’s growth, heyday, decline, and renewal. The city’s section of Historic Route 66 is the foundation of downtown revitalization, and visitors from all over the world now make Winslow a stop along their journey. 100 Years of Route 66 in Winslow highlights the people, businesses, and sites along the city’s stretch of the iconic highway, both yesterday and today.

The exhibit–which is just one feature of OTM’s Route 66 Centennial offerings, along with the 2026 calendar and speaker series–was developed by OTM Director Ann-Mary Lutzick, with graphic contributions from Jim Buckley and Lori Bentley Law. Historical sources include the Winslow Mail, archival material from the OTM Collections, and various articles and books (available upon request). Unless noted, photos are from the OTM Collections.

The printing of the exhibit by Northern Arizona Signs was funded by a grant from the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, and the installation was funded by the City of Winslow and Winslow Chamber of Commerce. OTM’s 100 Years of Route 66 in Winslow exhibit will be on display at the Winslow Visitors Center throughout 2026 and beyond.