San Bernardino County history: Route 66 – Welcome to San Bernardino County

A vintage blue car mounted on a stone pillar with "Barstow Route 66" sign. — *Route 66 runs along Main Street in Barstow.*

Officially established by Congress in the 1920s and fully paved by 1938, Route 66 spanned over 2,400 miles, connecting Chicago to Los Angeles.

It was intended to connect the main streets of rural and urban communities, and it became known as “The Main Street of America.” Route 66 ran through eight states and offered many roadside tourist attractions. During the Dust Bowl, the historic route saw significant traffic as many people migrated to California.

In 1946, Nat King Cole’s recording of “Get your kicks on Route 66” became a popular catch phrase and years later would inspire the TV series “Route 66.”

In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Interstate Highway Act, which led to Route 66 being officially removed from the United States Highway System. Today, several interstate highways have replaced Route 66 in California, including I-40 to Barstow, I-15 to San Bernardino, and I-10 around Los Angeles.

San Bernardino County currently maintains portions of Route 66, now known as National Trails Highway, which includes 127 timber bridges. In San Bernardino, Route 66 runs along Fifth Street; in Barstow, it follows Main Street; and in Victorville, it is known as 7th Street. This historic route also passes through Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana and Rialto along Foothill Boulevard.

The information in this historical feature was originally part of a video series produced by the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk’s office.

Additional County Update News – August 7, 2025