A “Birthplace of Route 66 Plaza” is planned for downtown Springfield, Missouri, at the spot where local highway officials chose No. 66 for the Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway.
The spot at Jefferson Avenue at Park Central East is the former site of the long-gone Colonial Hotel. That’s where transportation officials chose No. 66 for the highway and sent a telegram in April 1926 to Washington, D.C., to confirm their decision to federal officials. U.S. 66 became official by November of that year.
Missouri State University owned the tract for parking, but it donated it to the city last week for the Route 66 project.
According to city documents:
The Birthplace of Route 66 Plaza will be constructed by the Rotary Club of Springfield and will serve as a quality of place attraction in Downtown Springfield paying homage to the historic site. The plaza will include a framed sculpture outlining portions of the façade of the Colonial Hotel and will include information on the monumental April 30, 1926 event
The public space will be dedicated as a part of the Route 66 Centennial Celebration on April 30, 2026.
KY3 in Springfield reported that Spanish artist Juan Garaizabal will create a “Ghost of Colonial Hotel” sculpture that pays tribute.
The Springfield Daily Citizen has more details about the art project.
(Screen-capture image from KY3 video of the artist’s rendering of the “Ghost of Colonial Hotel” sculpture)