USA TODAY readers say Route 66 among best scenic drives. Here's the Springfield connection

USA TODAY readers have already made their opinions known on many Ozarks attractions: They named Silver Dollar City as America's top theme park for the third year in a row, last year they named Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium as the top aquarium and, this year, Mother's Brewing Company even got a nod for the art on its Winter Grind Stout can.

The Ozarks can add one more feather to its cap, with Route 66 at No. 5 on the list of 10 best scenic drives in America. While the historic road runs through a number of states — eight, to be precise — Missouri has some special claims to it.

Springfield named Route 66

Springfield is known as the birthplace of Route 66, and for good reason. While the Mother Road doesn't start in Missouri, nor did the concept originate here, it did get its name here.

The Chicago-to-Los Angeles route was named "Route 62" in 1925, according to the Springfield History Museum on the Square. However, in April 1926, Springfield entrepreneur John T. Woodruff and the Oklahoma Highway Chairman Cyrus Avery, who led a group of federal planners, met at Springfield's Colonial Hotel. They disliked the name "Route 62," as it "made them think of a second-rate road."

They sent the following telegram from the hotel to Washington, D.C.:

“Regarding Chicago-Los Angeles Road…if California, Arizona, New Mexico and Illinois will accept Sixty-Six instead of Sixty we are inclined to agree to this change. We prefer Sixty-Six to Sixty-Two.”

And the rest is history.

Classic cars line St. Louis Street in Downtown Springfield during the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023.

Springfield celebrates Route 66 every year

The Queen City of the Ozarks is proud of being the birthplace of Route 66 — so proud, in fact, that for the last 13 years, it has a festival in honor of it.

The Birthplace of Route 66 Festival is set for Aug. 8-9 this year and features a car show, a parade, live music, food, and exhibits by authors, collectors and artists. The festival is free.

Multiple downtown businesses have expressed concerns last year about the weekend-long festival negatively affecting business and traffic. However, City of Springfield spokesperson Cora Scott said in April that festival organizers have made a concerted effort to work with center city businesses as the 2025 festival is planned, according to previous News-Leader reporting.

Springfield Mayor Jeff Schrag addresses the crowd after an announcement of Springfield being selected as the host city for the national Route 66 centennial celebration on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at the Route 66 Best Western Rail Haven.

Springfield will kick off the national Route 66 centennial celebration

2026 will mark the centennial celebration of Route 66. In April, Gov. Mike Kehoe announced that Springfield was chosen to be the host city for the kickoff to the year's festivities.

The kickoff event will be April 30, 2026, at the Historic Shrine Mosque in downtown Springfield. According to past News-Leader reporting, the event will include a concert, classic car showcase, Route 66 storytelling, food and "cut-ins from other cities on a live broadcast."

Route 66 in Springfield was home to the nation's 1st drive-thru (possibly)

Sheldon "Red" Chaney opened the iconic Red's Giant Hamburg on Route 66 in 1947.

He installed his drive-thru window in 1948, which is thought to be the first one in the nation. According to the Missouri Encyclopedia from the State Historical Society of Missouri, Chaney put the drive-thru window in to keep up with the customer demand — it allowed customers to place their order, park and then pick up their food. The same year, In-N-Out debuted its drive-thru, which had two-way speakers.

Red and Julie Chaney worked at their fast-food business behind the Giant Hamburger sign on what today is Chestnut Expressway near College Street and which has been Route 66.

Chaney and his wife, Julia, served up their hamburgers, called "Redburgs," fresh french fries and home-brewed root beer until they retired and closed the stand in 1984.

The original building was demolished in 1997 and today retro coffee shop Trailer Perk Coffee carries on the drive-thru legacy at 2848 W. Chestnut Expressway.