Ghosts of Route 66


Ghosts of Route 66

Spook Light tantalizes travelers on Route 66 near the Missouri/Kansas/Oklahoma area

Spook Light tantalizes travelers on Route 66 near the Missouri/Kansas/Oklahoma area

Route 66 winds through countless communities on its way from Chicago to California. Along the way the culture of the highway includes ghostly stories and haunting legends. The culture also includes many ghost towns—places left behind by the changing tides of economics and alternate paths. The Ghosts of Route 66 explores both the Ghost Stories and the Ghost Towns to be found along the country’s most famous highway.

In Chicago, Route 66 runs past the site of the infamous Schuttler Mansion, the palace of a multi-millionaire that stood empty and possibly haunted for decades after its owner’s death. Archer Avenue in the southwest suburbs was often a construction detour for Route 66 in the area where a ghostly Resurrection Mary has been known to ask for a ride from unsuspecting travelers.

In the area where 66 traverses Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma in just a few miles, the mysterious Spook Lights have enthralled and puzzled locals and visitors alike. Dancing in the sky and among the trees, are they reflections of headlights from the highway, or are they the restless spirits of starcrossed Native American lovers? In Flagstaff, the Museum Club is a famous local watering hole that was once home to collections of hunting trophies, stuffed animals, and Native American artifacts. It is said that the ghosts of former owners who died tragically still wander the building. Whether these stories are manifestations of a spirit world or simply spirited imagination, they abound in all 8 of the Route 66 states.

Glenrio, a Route 66 Ghost Town on the Texas/New Mexico border.

Glenrio, a Route 66 Ghost Town on the Texas/New Mexico border.

There is no denying the reality of the many Ghost Towns along the road. Where 66 once brought countless travelers right down the main street of towns such as Funks Grove, Texola, Glenrio, and Amboy, the building of the Interstates left these places to decay. The second half of The Ghosts of Route 66 looks at the stories of many of these towns and compares their boomtown days to their current stark reality. The relics of these towns manifested in their deteriorating structures embody the living spirit of the entrepreneurs that invested their hopes and dreams in the myth of Route 66. Through Ghost Stories and Ghost Towns, the Ghosts of Route 66 live on!

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