As countless thousands of RVers and travelers from around the world drive historic Route 66 during its 100th anniversary year, the United States Postal Service has issued a set of First-Class Mail Forever® stamps celebrating America’s most famous highway. The stamps make a fitting addition to postcards and letters mailed from stops along the Mother Road.
Established on Nov. 11, 1926, Route 66 stretched about 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles, and transformed the way Americans traveled. The new stamps commemorate the highway’s centennial while recognizing ongoing efforts to preserve one of the nation’s most recognizable roads.
The stamps’ art director, Greg Breeding, said the project initially seemed daunting. The design team ultimately turned to photographer David Schwartz, who has spent more than two decades documenting Route 66. Schwartz not only supplied many of the images but also shared the history and stories behind the highway.
Breeding said he appreciated the photojournalistic quality of Schwartz’s work, noting that the images feel authentic rather than overly polished.
Schwartz’s fascination with Route 66 began in 1988 after hearing Bobby Troup’s song, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.” He first drove the historic highway in 2004 and has since driven it more than 40 times.
Rather than rushing from Chicago to Los Angeles, Schwartz prefers exploring shorter sections of the highway, spending time in the small towns, meeting local residents, and photographing landscapes that many travelers pass by.
He said he looks for genuine moments that tell a story, paying particular attention to the changing light at sunrise and sunset and to places that reveal the passage of time through preservation, decay, or restoration.
To Schwartz, Route 66 is far more than a highway.
“It weaves together American history, culture and identity,” he said. “Driving it today connects you to that story in a real, tangible way.”
Schwartz said seeing his photographs featured on Forever® stamps is a lifelong dream. He hopes the images inspire others to discover Route 66 for themselves and experience the same sense of adventure that first drew him to the historic road.
Get the stamps at local post offices or on the USPS website.
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RVT1269b
Thank you for the information and discussion, RV Travel. I see they are forever stamps, so, what? 78 cents each? Glad that “forever” stamps were introduced. Keeps one from having to buy several small-denomination stamps to cover changes in first-class stamp prices and add to ones first-class stamps in.order to use them. Have a great day and safe travels!