Route 66 in Springfield, MO: The Most Unique Stops in the Birthplace of the Mother Road

There are a lot of places along Route 66 that claim a special connection to the Mother Road, but Springfield has one of the strongest: it’s widely known as the birthplace of Route 66.

In 1926, a telegram sent from the Colonial Hotel in downtown Springfield confirmed the highway’s now-famous number, cementing the city’s place in American road trip history. Nearly a century later, that legacy still shapes the city. Vintage motor courts, neon signs, quirky roadside attractions, historic museums, and local institutions all tell pieces of the Route 66 story here.

When we spent a day exploring Springfield, we quickly realized that Route 66 history isn’t just something preserved behind glass. It’s woven into the city itself. You can photograph one of the oldest operating motor courts on the route, see artifacts from the highway’s creation, play mini golf at a decades-old roadside attraction, hunt down oversized roadside oddities, and end the night chatting with locals over drinks.

With the Route 66 centennial approaching in 2026, Springfield feels like the perfect place to experience both the past and present of the Mother Road. Here’s how we spent a full day exploring Route 66 in Springfield, Missouri, from historic landmarks to some wonderfully weird roadside stops.

Where We Stayed in Springfield, Missouri

While visiting Springfield, we stayed at American Legion Post 639 through Harvest Hosts, and it turned out to be a great stop. We were able to add an extra night and pay a small fee for electric and water hookups, which made the stay even more comfortable. The atmosphere was welcoming from the moment we arrived. The other Harvest Hosts guests were friendly, and we had a great time chatting with both the Legion staff and the regulars at the bar. It’s always nice when a quick overnight stop turns into a genuinely fun travel memory.

If you’re not familiar with Harvest Hosts, it’s a membership program that allows RVers to stay overnight at unique locations like wineries, breweries, farms, museums, and community organizations across the country. Instead of traditional campgrounds, you get memorable places to park and often meet the people who run them. If you’re interested in trying it out, you can use our affiliate link to learn more and sign up- it’s one of our favorite ways to find unique overnight stops while traveling full-time.

Stop 1: Rockwood Motor Court

There’s something about pulling up to a place that’s been standing since 1929 that makes you instinctively slow down. Tucked along an ordinary stretch of road in Springfield, the Rockwood Motor Court doesn’t scream for attention. It doesn’t need to. The warm Ozark sandstone cabins do all the talking.

Built as an Ozark sandstone tourist court in 1929, this little cluster of six cabins began welcoming travelers back when Route 66 was still young and road trips were a brand-new kind of freedom. Originally operating under different names, the property officially became Rockwood Motor Court in 1948, and today it holds the title of the oldest continuously operating motor court on Route 66. The six tourist cabins, the old Shell filling station, the café building, and the single-car garage are all original to the property. (There was once a second garage, but it’s no longer standing.) 

We didn’t stay the night, this was a photo stop for us, and I’ll admit, I felt slightly awkward at first pulling into an active motel just to wander around with a camera. But that hesitation disappeared as soon as we saw the sign welcoming photographers and Route 66 travelers. It felt like permission to step into a piece of living history. In 2019, the property underwent careful renovations, and the current owners reopened it to guests in 2020. We’d love to come back someday to actually stay here!

Stop 2: Route 66 Car Museum

Although the museum officially opened to the public in 2016, the collection itself dates back to 1990, when it began as a private passion project. That long history of collecting is obvious in the range and rarity of what’s on display. The vehicles span nearly a full century, from 1907 through 2005, and the lineup includes brass era automobiles, sports cars, well-preserved classics, and even a few celebrity-owned vehicles.

What surprised us most wasn’t just the recognizable names, but the number of rare cars we had never even heard of. There were unusual production models, lesser-known manufacturers, and vehicles with fascinating backstories that made us stop and actually read the signage instead of just snapping photos. Some felt like rolling sculptures, while others felt like time capsules from very specific moments in American culture and design.

This is one of those stops that easily appeals beyond hardcore car enthusiasts. Even if you’re simply curious about how quickly technology, style, and status symbols have evolved over the decades, the museum offers an unexpectedly engaging look at that progression. It ended up being far more memorable than we anticipated, and it’s absolutely deserving of a deeper, standalone post- so check back soon!

Stop 3: Birthplace of Route 66 Roadside Park

This stop was more of a quick pull-over than a full experience. The Birthplace of Route 66 Roadside Park is simple today, much simpler than we expected based on what we had seen online. I had seen photos of a full interpretive display with detailed historical signage, that doesn’t really exist anymore. What stands here now is a recreated sign for Red’s Giant Hamburg and a few Route 66-themed mosaics on a retaining wall across the street. 

Red’s Giant Hamburg operated along Route 66 from 1947 until 1984 and is often credited by some as being the world’s first drive-through restaurant. The story behind the name is classic roadside Americana: it was supposed to read “Red’s Giant Hamburger,” but when the owner ordered the sign, he mismeasured and couldn’t fit the entire word “Hamburger,” so it became Red’s Giant Hamburg instead. The original building was eventually torn down in 1997, but in 2013 the city crowdsourced funds to recreate the iconic sign as a tribute to its place in Route 66 history.

Stop 4: History Museum on the Square

If you’re spending time in downtown Springfield, this is the stop that gives everything else context. The History Museum on the Square could easily fill half a day on its own, and while we initially went for the Route 66 exhibit, we ended up enjoying the entire museum more than we expected.

The obvious highlight for us was the Birthplace of Route 66 exhibit, which is thoughtfully designed and packed with meaningful artifacts. Seeing the actual telegram that officially launched Route 66, on loan from the Library of Congress, was one of those unexpectedly cool moments. The exhibit also includes restored neon signs, memorabilia from local Route 66 businesses, and several well-done photo opportunities that feel fun without being cheesy.

Beyond Route 66, the museum does an excellent job telling the broader story of Springfield. Permanent exhibits include Native Crossroads at the Spring; Trains, Trolleys, & Transportation; Pioneers and Founders at the Crossroads; Civil War in Springfield; Wild Bill Hickok & The American West; and Birthplace of Route 66. Each section flows well into the next, and I especially appreciated the creative design touches in the video areas, they felt immersive rather than like an afterthought.

There was also a temporary exhibit highlighting famous people from Springfield. It was simpler in design, mostly informational panels, but still interesting to see just how many notable names have connections to the city.

This museum deserves a deeper dive (which we’ll definitely be doing), but if Route 66 is what brings you to Springfield, this is where you really start to understand why the city proudly claims its place in the story.

Stop 5: Springfield’s Historic Town Square

After finishing up at the museum, we stepped back out into the sunshine and walked over to the Historic Springfield Square itself. It was one of those unexpectedly perfect weather days, and downtown felt alive. Restaurants were busy, people were lingering on benches, and at one point we passed a surprisingly large group gathered together playing Pokémon Go, which felt like a very 2026 contrast to the layers of history surrounding them.

The square is perhaps most famously known as the site of the 1865 duel where Wild Bill Hickok shot Davis Tutt, an event often described as one of the first “quick-draw” duels of the Old West. Standing there now, with traffic circling and storefronts buzzing, it’s hard to picture the tension of that moment, but it’s a reminder that this quiet-looking square once held national attention.

There’s also a much heavier piece of history marked here. A memorial honors Horace Duncan, Fred Coker, and William Allen, three Black men who were lynched on the square in 1906. It’s not an easy marker to read, nor should it be. Including it in the landscape of downtown makes it clear that Springfield’s story isn’t just about nostalgia and neon signs, it includes painful chapters that deserve to be remembered alongside the more celebrated ones.

Walking the square after spending the day immersed in Route 66 history felt like stepping into the broader timeline of the city itself. It’s lively and welcoming today, but the layers are still there if you take the time to notice them.

Stop 6: Lunch at Steak n Shake

By the time lunch rolled around, it only felt right to lean fully into the retro theme of the day. We headed to the vintage Steak ’n Shake along Route 66, and honestly, the building alone is worth the stop. The bold mid-century lines, the classic black-and-white detailing, and that unmistakable sign make it feel like you’ve stepped straight into a postcard from the early 1960s.

Built in 1962, this particular location is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it’s easy to see why. Unlike modern fast-food buildings that are designed more for efficiency than character, this one still carries the architectural personality of its era. Even before you walk inside, it feels nostalgic in the best way.

After a morning of museums, memorials, and motor courts, sitting down in a place that has been serving travelers for decades felt like a fitting way to round out our Route 66 day in Springfield. It wasn’t just lunch, it was one more piece of living roadside history.

Stop 7: Hazelwood Cemetery

I’ll always detour for a cemetery, so this stop felt inevitable. Hazelwood Cemetery is peaceful and sprawling, and it holds several names that shaped Springfield’s history. The grave I specifically wanted to find was John Woodruff, whose story we had just learned more about at the museum.

Besides Cyrus Avery, often called the “Father of Route 66,” Woodruff is arguably one of the most influential figures in the creation of the highway. He was a strong advocate for the Good Roads movement and worked to promote highway development across Missouri at a time when improved road systems were far from guaranteed. As the first president of the US Highway 66 Association, he played a key role in securing Springfield’s place along Route 66, which permanently shaped the city’s economic and cultural trajectory.

Beyond Route 66, Woodruff was involved in numerous civic development projects throughout Springfield, leaving fingerprints on the city that extend well beyond the Mother Road. Visiting his gravesite felt like quietly acknowledging someone whose behind-the-scenes work helped make the entire day we’d just experienced possible.

Stop 8: Fun Acre Mini Golf

After a reflective stop at the cemetery, we shifted gears completely and headed to Fun Acre Mini Golf. I had read that it was retro mini golf with retro pricing, and that description turned out to be exactly right.

Opened in 1972, with batting cages added in 1974, Fun Acre still feels very much like a neighborhood hangout from another era. The course definitely shows its age, but in a way that adds to the charm rather than detracts from it. Even better, a full 18 holes cost us just $3.50 per person. Considering that a round was only 75 cents when it first opened, that’s honestly impressive pricing for 50+ years of inflation.

What shocked us most wasn’t the price, it was the crowd. The place was packed. We spent a fair amount of time waiting between holes because so many people were playing, and somehow that made it even better. There’s something really cool about seeing a decades-old roadside attraction still thriving instead of fading into obscurity.

Stop 9: World’s Largest Fork by Mass

Our final quirky stop of the day was the World’s Largest Fork by mass, because no proper Route 66 day is complete without at least one oversized roadside object. Standing 35 feet tall, weighing 11 tons, and made of stainless steel, this fork was first installed in 1990 in front of a Springfield restaurant. At the time, it was officially recognized as the world’s largest fork.

The fork has moved locations over the years, first when the original restaurant closed, and later to the offices of the communications company that had created the restaurant’s marketing concept. Although that company has since been sold and the current businesses on the property have no direct ties to the fork, it remains a beloved piece of local roadside lore.

Technically, it’s no longer the tallest fork in existence. A 37-foot fork was installed in Fairview, Oregon in 2002, and a 40-foot fork appeared in Creede, Colorado in 2012. However, Springfield’s fork still holds the title for largest by mass.

Both the fork and Fun Acre Mini Golf were also featured in Hot to Go! by Chappell Roan, who is from the Springfield area, which adds a fun modern pop-culture layer to these already nostalgic stops.

Stop 10: Relics Antique Mall

At this point in the day, we probably could have called it, but instead we decided to keep going and stopped at Relics Antique Mall, which turned out to be the busiest antique mall we’ve ever seen. When we pulled into the parking lot, it was completely packed. Our first assumption was that there must be something happening at their event center, but no- it was just a normal day at what is apparently a wildly popular antique mall. Inside, the checkout lines were long, but they had multiple cashiers working and moved people through surprisingly efficiently.

Opened in 2010, Relics houses roughly 500–600 vendors at any given time and spans about 90,000 square feet, making it the largest antique mall in Missouri. Despite the crowded parking lot, the building itself is large enough that shoppers can spread out, and it never actually felt claustrophobic. Booths ranged from true antiques to vintage kitsch to repurposed farmhouse decor, and it would be easy to lose a couple of hours wandering the rows. Even if you’re just browsing, it’s an impressive operation.

Stop 11: Dinner at Springfield BrewCo

For dinner, we headed to Springfield Brewing Company (often called BrewCo), ready to finally sit down after a full day of exploring. We shared a flight of beers, Springfield-style cashew chicken, and a figgy piggy pizza.

The beers were fine, though a bit underwhelming for the price, especially for taster pours. Nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out either. The food, however, was a different story. The cashew chicken was excellent: hand-breaded, cooked perfectly, and easily the highlight of the meal. Springfield-style cashew chicken is its own local institution, typically featuring crispy fried chicken topped with a savory brown gravy-based sauce and cashews, often served with rice, and it’s one of those regional dishes you really should try while you’re in town.

The figgy piggy pizza had toppings I genuinely love, and flavor-wise it worked, but the crust was thinner than I prefer, which made it slightly less satisfying than I’d hoped. Overall, everything was just ok, especially considering how expensive it was.

Stop 12: Drinks at The Snug

The real surprise of the evening came next door at The Snug, located inside Ty Iechyd Da Distillery and owned by the same group as BrewCo. We wandered in after dinner thinking we’d have one quick drink before heading out.

Instead, we ended up staying far longer than planned. The space feels cozy and intimate, and the bartender was incredibly friendly and chatty in the best possible way. Josh ordered a flight, but the evening quickly turned into sampling several different spirits and having one of those easy, wide-ranging conversations that makes travel feel special. It was one of those nights where you don’t just try good drinks, you connect with someone new and leave feeling like you’ve made a friend.

Out of everything we did that day, this might have been the most unexpectedly memorable stop. Route 66 nostalgia, oversized forks, historic squares- all of that was fun. But ending the night laughing at the bar in a cozy distillery is the kind of travel moment that sticks with you.

Springfield, Missouri Route 66 History

Even before Route 66 officially existed, Springfield was already a key hub for transportation. The “Springfield Road,” authorized by the state in 1837, was one of the earliest roads connecting Springfield and St. Louis. Within a few years, a stagecoach line was running along the route, and by the 1840s it became part of an overland mail route between St. Louis and San Francisco. The next year, telegraph lines were added along the Springfield Road, turning it into an essential “wire road” for Civil War communications.

Springfield’s role as a transportation crossroads made it the perfect city to host the birth of the Mother Road. In 1925, the American Association of State Highway Officials approved a new system for numbering interstate highways. There was initial debate about calling the new road Route 60, but Cyrus Avery noticed that 66 was unclaimed. On April 30, 1926, a telegram sent from the Colonial Hotel in Springfield officially accepted “Route 66,” giving the city its enduring nickname: the birthplace of Route 66.

From the start, Route 66 was advertised as the shortest, best, and most scenic route from Chicago through St. Louis to Los Angeles. By 1931, the Missouri section was fully paved, and by 1938, the entire highway was paved end to end. While some stretches of Route 66 suffered during World War II due to rationing, the Missouri route near Fort Leonard Wood actually saw road improvements and increased business, as families traveled to visit soldiers at the base. After the war, America’s love for road trips exploded, and Route 66 reached its heyday as the iconic Mother Road.

The road’s dominance waned after the Federal Highway Aid Act of 1956 paved the way for the Interstate Highway System. In Missouri, I-44 replaced much of Route 66, and the last sections were bypassed by 1984. The highway was officially decommissioned in 1985, though its legacy lives on.

One of the aspects I wanted to explore on this trip is how Route 66 was experienced by voices often left out of the mainstream story, especially women and Black travelers. I’ve been reading Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America by Candacy Taylor, and Josh is constantly hearing “Did you know…” from me in the truck now. The Green Book served as a travel guide for Black Americans who needed to find safe accommodations, restaurants, and services while traveling. Springfield had several entries in the Green Book. Black soldiers stationed at Fort Leonard Wood often had to drive all the way into Springfield to eat or socialize, because closer businesses would not serve them. Notable Springfield Green Book locations included Graham’s Rib Station and Alberta’s Hotel. Sadly, the dangers of traveling while Black aren’t just historical: in 2017, the NAACP issued its first-ever state travel advisory warning against visiting Missouri.

The Route 66 Centennial in Springfield, MO

2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Route 66, and Springfield, as the birthplace of the Mother Road, will be the main hub for celebrations. The centennial kickoff officially begins April 30, commemorating the historic 1926 telegram that gave Route 66 its name, but events will stretch from April 29 through May 3.

The festivities include a kickoff concert, classic car show and parade, live entertainment, the Telegraph Ball, Stars & Stripes on Route 66, the Red, White & Bridge Bash, landmark dedications, traveling exhibits, and more. Celebrations will be spread across the city, and many local businesses will be joining in. It’s shaping up to be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Springfield embrace its Route 66 legacy in full, and it’s the perfect reason to plan a visit next spring if you want to experience both history and community spirit along the Mother Road.

Find all the details on the Centennial events in Springfield at https://www.route66kickoff.com/

What We Missed in Springfield

• Springfield Visitor Center: they’re only open weekdays, but I was hoping they would has Route 66 passport stamps outside like some of the other visitor centers do when they’re closed- but no luck
• More breweries, wineries, & distilleries: there are so many in Springfield! Find a list here: https://www.springfieldmo.org/restaurants/breweries/
• Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium: this is one of the best known things to do in Springfield and is run by Bass Pro Shops, but it is way overpriced!
• Dickerson Park Zoo: we just ran out of time
• Fantastic Caverns: slightly outside of town
• Springfield Art Museum: temporarily closed

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