Facts About US Route 6

Historic US Route 6: From Massachusetts to California

US Route 6, once the longest highway in the U.S., originally stretched from Provincetown, Massachusetts, to Long Beach, California. Established in 1926, it traversed 14 states, connecting historic towns, bustling cities, and diverse landscapes. Nicknamed the “Grand Army of the Republic Highway,” it passed through New England’s colonial towns, the Midwest’s industrial and agricultural heartland, the Rocky Mountains, and the vast deserts of Utah and Nevada before reaching the Pacific Ocean. Though shortened in 1964, Route 6 remains a historic and scenic route cherished by travelers and preservationists.