U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway,US Route 6 Tourist Association is working to save our American Heritage through Cultural Preservation, see what's new in economic development.

U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association
1657 S.W. Old Clifton Rd.
Port Orchard, WA.  98367
Phone: 360/876-5063

 

MAKING HISTORY

     Historic Route 6 Sign Dedication - Lancaster, California

Sign Dedication - Lancaster, California 

From Left; Fred M. Hann, former Executive Director of the California U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association - State Assemblywoman Sharon Runner - Norm Hickling, Field Deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich - Betty Hann - Richard Saunders, Advisory Committee member and Carlos Valdez, Event Coordinator.

(Carlos is the owner of the "COOL" 1954 yellow Ford pickup truck)

2007 -  2008

With the support of individual SPONOSORS,  member businesses and communites in the State of California the  U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association drafted a Resolution that was sponsored by Assemblywoman  Sharon Runner of Lancaster, California. The Resolution restored the coast-to-coast integrity of the Grand Old Highway that was lost in 1964 as a result of renumbering. State Resolution ACR 26 approved on July 03, 2007 recognizing the historical significance of the pre-1956 alignment between the Nevada state line and the City of Long Beach, California.

Historic US 6 Route signage has been installed in the member Cities of Lancaster, Palmdale and Santa Clarita. Signage was recently (Summer 2008) completed within the jurisdiction of Los Angeles County between Kern County and Highway I-5.

ROUTE 6 RECALLED (June 11, 2008)

Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, right, and former Lancaster mayor Fred M. Hann, Executive Director of the California U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association, on Wednesday unveil a new Historic U.S. Route 6 sign on Sierra Highway at Avenue G. The County plans to erect 12 more signs between the Kern County border and Interstate 5 in Santa Clarita.


* * * * * * * *

From Bishop south to Long Beach, Historic US 6 signs are being established along State Highway 395 and Highway 14 into Mojave and from Mojave south along the Sierra Highway (historic alignment) through Lancaster and Palmdale to Santa Clarita. From Santa Clarita south US 6 is known as San Fernando Blvd. / Rd. and passes through the Cities of San Fernando, Burbank and Glendale. From Los Angeles it travels south on Figueroa Street through the Cities of Carson and Wilmington, then east on the Pacific Coast Highway into Long Beach and then south to the end of Long Beach Blvd. where it ends at Ocean Blvd.

Look across Ocean Blvd. and you will see the Long Beach Performing Arts Theater. On the landscaped wall in front of the theater is a plaque showing this to be the westerly end of 3,652 miles of Historic U.S. 6, also known as the Grand Army of the Republic "Memorial" Highway.

In 1953 the plaque was  located a couple blocks away on the nearby waterfront.

* * * * * * * *

The Associations next project will be to create detailed highway maps showing the original pre-1956 alignment as it exists today. This challenging project will only come to fruition through the help of volunteers and the financial support of SPONOSORS. Thank you to all who continue to support our work and a warm welcome to anyone interested in joining us as a member of the team.

Always feel free to contact us should you have any questions.

 

The Grand Army of the Republic (Memorial) Highway

(The King's Highway, Roosevelt Highway, and the Midland Trail, etc.)

The Grand Army of the Republic (Memorial) Highway is the present official name, however, during the late 20s and early 30s it was also known as the Roosevelt Highway, after President Theodore Roosevelt. Prior to 1926 it was called (in-part) the Midland Trail Roadway.

The Historic Highway began as an entity in November of 1926 when the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) adopted the U.S. numbering system for marking the Nation's main Interstate highways.

The Grand Army of the Republic (Memorial) Highway is the present official name, however, during the late 20s and early 30s it was also known as the Roosevelt Highway, after President Theodore Roosevelt. Prior to 1926 it was called (in-part) the Midland Trail Roadway.

The Historic Highway began as an entity in November of 1926 when the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) adopted the U.S. numbering system for marking the Nation's main Interstate highways.

The Grand Army of the Republic (Memorial) Highway is the present official name, however, during the late 20s and early 30s it was also known as the Roosevelt Highway, after President Theodore Roosevelt. Prior to 1926 it was called (in-part) the Midland Trail Roadway.

The Historic Highway began as an entity in November of 1926 when the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) adopted the U.S. numbering system for marking the Nation's main Interstate highways.

Historic U.S. Route 6 --- Coast-to-Coast Through 14 States

At this point, U.S. Route 6 was still just a patchwork of mis-matched highways. Writer/Historian George R. Stewart commented that, "Route 6 runs uncertainly from nowhere to nowhere, scarcely to be followed from one end to the other, except by some devoted eccentric." However, it lost its transcontinental status in 1965 when AASHO approved a request from the State of California to end the Historic Highway at the Town of Bishop. Currently, U.S. Route 6 is 3,227* miles long, making it the second longest U.S. Route in the country. U.S. Route 20 is now classified as the longest route at 3,345* miles. Much of the original alignment remains intact between Bishop and Long Beach, California. I can only hope that, someday, the State of California will properly post these remaining portions of this famous Highway.

The West End Question

Over the years there have been several different west endings to Historic U.S. Route 6, and all were located in the City of Long Beach, California. The big question is, at which location did it actually end? Our archives reveal the following three documented endings.

Prior to 1953 the Historic Highway ended at the east end of town, at the Long Beach Traffic Circle.

In 1953 Route 6 ended at the water front at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium. It was here that the Grand Army of the Republic Association(G.A.R.) held an official U.S. Route 6 Encampment. A bronze plaque was placed on the outside of the wall of the Auditorium which identified this location as the westerly end of U.S. Route 6. The Auditorium was located at the intersection of what is now Long Beach, Blvd. (Old Route 6) and Seaside Blvd.

As an item of interest, the Long Beach City Council officially authorized the placing of temporary U.S. Route 6 signs along Long Beach Blvd. in order to direct G.A.R. encampment traffic to the auditorium. Because of this, U.S. Route 6 is officially known as The Grand Army of the Republic Highway.

Prior to 1953 it is said that the West End was in Wilmington at the intersection of Figueroa Street and the Pacific Coast Highway. However, we have no documents to support this as a fact. (back to researching the archives)

For additional information about the West End
Historic US 6 Highway ends in Long Beach CA

So where is the location of the bronze plaque today?

After the Municipal Auditorium was torn down in the 60s, a monument marking the west end of the Historic Highway was relocated on the wall of the Terrace Theater, located on the south side of Ocean Blvd.

On January 23, 2001 the Association received a letter from the Historical Society of Long Beach which informed us that the plaque is now located on Ocean Boulevard near the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, formerly known as the Terrace Theater.

Should anyone reading this text have any questions, or knows of any other historical facts about the west end of Route 6, I would appreciate hearing form you.

Russ Lombard, President
U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association
08/2001

 

PLAQUE AT THE WEST END

( Pictures Taken - March 26, 2004)

Thanks to the Historical Society of Long Beach, California, and to Floyd Farra, Historian with the Sons of Union Vetrans, we now know the current location and have some pictures of the Plaque which established the West End of Historic U.S. Route 6 on May 3, 1953. The Plaque is located on the wall in front of the Long Beach Performing Arts Center at Ocean and Long Beach Boulevard.

The Historical Society of Long Beach

The Plaque

On the wall

Click to See Full Size
Picture From the Colorado State Archives.  

Click to See Full Size

Road Sign Located East of Bishop, CA Looking Towards the Nevada State Line.  Photo by Mike Blubaugh 8/4/2001

US ROUTE 6 - COAST TO COAST CHARITY RUN

Singer To Run Across the Country for South Bay Charities
By Keith Burbank BAY CITY NEWS
April 25, 2015

Coast-to-Coast
3,652 miles
Charity Run - Aprylle Gilbert - Morgan Hill Times
April 10, 2015

IOWA - February 2014
CPC (The Atlantic Community Promotion Commission) approves funding for Historic Route 6 signs

 

IOWA - August 2013
Historic Route 6: Classic car trip starts here

 
IOWA - March 2013
U.S. 6 - The Grand Army of the Republic Highway
 
NEBRASKA - Sept. 2012
Ashland Historical Society - Ready For Visitors At New Office
 
Iowa's U.S. 6 - History Noted ... Quad-City Times - July 23, 2012

IOWA - July. 2012
Iowa's U.S. 6 - History Noted ... Quad-City Times - July 23, 2012

 
IOWA - June. 2012
County road dubbed 'Historic Route 6'
 
IOWA - June. 2012
Get your kicks on Route 6: Area towns will use sign language..MuscatineJournal
 
Press Releas - Yahoo.com
Author Malerie Yolen-Cohen Announces Release of Stay on Route 6: Your Guide to All 3652 Miles of Transcontinental US Route 6
 
IOWA - May. 2012
Old 6 gets its proper name back : Quad-City Times: Quad Cities, IA/IL
 
 
COLORADO - Dec.. 2011
Harms marks 50 years as Town of Paoli mayor
 
 
CALIFORNIA - Sept. 2011
Firm completes spacecraft factory in Mojave - latimes.com
 
 
OHIO - July 2011
Lakewood And The Civil War - Lakewood's Blue Ghost Army?
 
CALIFORNIA - July 2011
Destination Lancaster in the heart of the Antelope Valley, CA
 
NEBRASKA - July 2011
The Ashland Gazette > Linoma Beach Lighhouse > Summer Hot Spot!
 
 
CALIFORNIA - June 2011
Travel Writer Makes Cross-Country Trip On Historic Route 6 « CBS Los Angeles
 
IOWA - June 2011
Omaha Newsstand >Cruising Into Wilton-PDF file
 
NEBRASKA - June 2011
Omaha Newsstand > The Ashland Gazette > "Stay on Route 6"
 
IOWA - June 2011
Highway 6 cruise to stop in Newton Friday - Newton Independent
 
IOWA - June 2011
Classic car and hot rod owners invited to cruise US Route 6 - Quad Cities Online
 
IOWA - April 2011
Walcott, Iowa: Open for business along the 6 - QCtimes.com Quad City Times Newspaper
 
NEBRASKA - March 2011
Historical society joins U.S. 6 Tourist Association - The Ashland Gazette
 
NEBRASKA - February 2011
Gretna vote a boost for outlet mall - Omaha World-Herald
 
 
ILLINOIS - December 2010
Joliet landmarks world’s first ‘DQ’ - Beacon News
 
NEBRASKA November 2010
Gretna Downtown Association meets with Route 6 Association
 
IOWA - November, 2010
Bank bistro gives Ladora something to sing about - The Quad-City Times
 
NEBRASKA - October, 2010
Investors plan to restore Linoma - Ashland Gazette
 
 
CALIFORNIA - August, 2010
(Human Interest Story & Slide Show - Los Angeles, CA)

Girl's downtown accordion practice puts spring in their step - latimes.com
 
CALIFORNIA - August, 2010
The American Tour - The Santa Barbara Independent
 
 
PENNSYLVANIA - July, 2010
PA's Route 6: Driving Through "God's Country" | Frommers.com
 
MASSACHUSETTS - July, 2010
P'town touts Route 6 as link to California | CapeCodOnline.com
 
 
 
 
UTAH - Jan. 2010
ksl.com - Stats show US Highway 6 is a safer road to drive
 
UTAH - Jan. 2010
Highway's name irks descendants of Civil War vets - Salt Lake Tribune
 
MASSACHUSETTS - Jan. 2010
Westport sees growth potential in Route 6 area
 
IOWA - Dec. 2009
Discarded sign marked historic road
 
 
 
 
PENNSYLVANIA - Sept. 2007
Officials: Route 6 museum would boost revitalizations - from Meadville Tribune *
 
NEBRASKA - Aug 2007
Traveling Highway 6 by two-wheeler-McCOOK Daily Gazette
 
 
PENNSYLVANIA - July, 2006
PA's Route 6: Driving Through "God's Country" | Frommers.com
 
 
NEBRASKA - Oct 2005
McCook Daily Gazette: Story: Cabin has new home in Holbrook park - updated 02/10/2021 *
 
UTAH - Aug. 2005
Truck Carrying Explosives Blows Up in Utah August 11, 2005  U.S. 6 motorists must find new route
 
NEBRASKA - Jul. 2003
 U.S. Highway 6 - a national treasure McCook Daily Gazette, July 2003
 
NEBRASKA - Jun 2003
Hastings College Student Actively Promoting Highway 6 -- Hastings Tribune, June 2003 Story by Ginger ten Bensel
PDF version
 
route6sign.jpg (16159 bytes)
Photo Submitted by Ted and Barbara Krzycki
STOP.jpg (21491 bytes)
Signs Located at the Intersection of U.S. Route 6 and Ed Street in SE Hastings, NE (August 2001)
jennifer2.jpg (35320 bytes)
Jennifer Harrison in Front of This Historic Route 6 Road Sign Located 6 Miles West of Lincoln, NE at the Intersection of Route 6 & SW 140th Street. (August 2001)
 
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The oldest, longest and highest of the old roads!  3,652 miles long with a high point of 11,990 feet.
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