Destinations. Artifacts. Memories. There are iconic symbols we visit and experience during our lives. Many are instantly recognizable and can invoke a wide array of emotions. They bring back a time and place and help tell the story of America.
Mount Rushmore (Keystone, SD.)
Washington Monument (Washington, D.C.)
The Statue of Liberty (New York City)
Arlington National Cemetery, (Arlington, VA.)
The Brooklyn Bridge (Brooklyn, NY.)
Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls, NY)
The Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco, CA.)
Disneyland (Anaheim, CA.)
The 9/11 Memorial (New York, NY.)
The Liberty Bell (Philadelphia, PA.)
The Las Vegas Strip (Las Vegas, NV)
Glacier National Park (Montana)
Coca-Cola Mural (Albion, MI.)
Space Needle (Seattle, WA.)
Motown's Studio A (Detroit, MI.)
The Cherry Blossoms of Washington, D.C.
The Gateway Arch (St. Louis, MO.)
The White House (Washington, D.C.)
The Alamo (San Antonio, TX.)
The oldest McDonald's in the world. (Downey, CA.)
Independence Hall (Philadelphia, PA.)
Alcatraz Island (San Francisco, CA.)
Rosa Parks' bus (Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI.)
Oklahoma City National Memorial (Oklahoma City, OK.)
Ryman Auditorium, home of Grand Ole Opry from 1943-1974 (Nashville, TN.)
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial (Washington, D.C.)
Grand Central Station (New York City)
Gettysburg Battlefield (Gettysburg, PA.)
Graceland (Memphis, TN.)
The Empire State Building (New York City)
The Hollywood Sign (Los Angeles, CA.)
Ellis Island (The Registry Room) (New York, NY.)
Vietnam Veteran's Memorial (Washington, D.C.)
Monticello (Charlottesville, VA.)
The Ruby Red Slippers (National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C.)
Little Rock Central High School (Little Rock, AR.)
Fenway Park (Boston, MA.)
San Francisco Cable Car (San Francisco, CA.)
Portland Head Light (Cape Elizabeth, ME.)
Ford's Theatre (Washington, D.C.)
Radio City Music Hall (New York, NY)
The Iowa State Fair (Des Moines, IA.)
The U.S. Capitol Building (Washington, D.C.)
Carnegie Hall (New York, NY.)
Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Yard of Bricks (Speedway, IN.)
The French Quarter (New Orleans, LA.)
Cloud Gate (Chicago, IL.)
Woodstock Music Festival Site (Bethel, NY.)
The Golden Dome at Notre Dame (South Bend, IN.)
Route 66 (Auburn, IL.)
Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon, VA.)
Times Square (New York, NY.)
Hoover Dam (Boulder City, NV)
Mall of America (Bloomington, MN)
Pike Place Market (Seattle, WA.)
R2-D2 and C-3PO (National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C.)
One of the last remaining Holiday Inn "Great Signs." (Cincinnati, OH.)
The Lincoln Memorial (Washington, D.C.)
Lambeau Field (Green Bay, WI.)
Wright Brothers 1903 Flyer (National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.)
Fort Sumter (near Charleston , SC.)
The Freedom Trail (Boston, MA.)
Field of Dreams (Dyersville, IA.)
Henry Ford's "Quadricycle" (Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI.)
The Edmund Pettus Bridge (Selma, AL.)
Plymouth Rock (Plymouth, MA.)
Sun Studio (Memphis, TN.)
The Kentucky Derby (Louisville, KY.)
Lincoln's Top Hat (Natural Museum of American History, Washington, D.C.)
The Las Vegas Welcome Sign (Las Vegas, NV.)
Mackinac Island (Mackinac Island, MI.)
Chicago
The Art Institute
Navy Pier
Bahai Temple
The Chicago River
Cloud Gate (aka The Bean)
Superdawg Drive-in
The Marshall Field's Clock
Holy Name Cathedral
The Shedd Aquarium
The Magnificent Mile
Buckingham Fountain
The Rookery Building (Oriel Staircase)
Auditorium Theatre
The Cobb Gate at the University of Chicago
Margie's Candies
Graceland Cemetery
The Field Museum (Sue the T. Rex)
Skyline view from Lincoln Park's Wooden Pavilion
The Chicago Theatre
Butch McGuire's
The Picasso
The "L"
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery
Music Box Theatre
Skyline view from the Willis Tower
Garfield Goose and Friends
The Board of Trade Building.
Wrigley Field
The Logan Square Christmas House
Dearborn Station
The Green Mill Cocktail Lounge
Pizzeria Uno
The John Hancock Building
Kiddieland (1929-2009) Sign
The Riverwalk
Lake Shore Drive
Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House
The Walnut Room
Uptown Theatre
Skyline view from the Hancock Observatory
Union Stockyards Gate
A St. Patrick's Day tradition.
The Drake Hotel
Chicago Cultural Center
Charlie Chaplin's Essanay Studios.
The Water Tower
Mario's Italian Lemonade
The Willis Tower
Looking west along the Chicago River and Wacker Drive.
Billy Goat Tavern
Calder's Flamingo
Brookfield Zoo
Hermann Weinhardt Mansion
Chinatown Gate
The legendary Bushman.
The Harbor Lighthouse
Jane Addams Hull-House
Edgewater Beach Apartments
Manny's
Museum of Science and Industry
The Great Hall at Union Station
Marina Towers
Bozo's Circus
The Merchandise Mart
Site of the onetime Pump Room at the Ambassador Hotel.
Millennium Park
The Palmer House
Pullman Historic District
The White Palace Grill
The Beginning of U.S. Route 66
Skyline from Adler Pier.
Oz Park
The Congress Hotel
The Lincoln Park Zoo
The Wrigley Building
Miller's Pub
The Biograph Theater
The Second City
O'Hare International Airport
San Francisco
The late Walter Cronkite probably summed up The City by the Bay best when he said, “Leaving San Francisco is like saying goodbye to an old sweetheart. You want to linger as long as possible.”
The Golden Gate Bridge at Battery Spencer.
"Where little cable cars fly halfway to the stars."
The Painted Ladies.
The Palace of Fine Arts.
Haight-Ashbury.
Alcatraz Island, aka "The Rock."
The Sea Lions at Pier 39.
The Transamerica Pyramid.
Chinatown.
Fisherman's Wharf.
Lombard Street.
Kezar Stadium.
Walking the cellblock at Alcatraz.
The Coit Tower.
New York City
The Statue of Liberty.
The Brooklyn Bridge
The 9/11 Memorial.
Carnegie Hall
Rockefeller Center at Christmas.
The Registry Room at Ellis Island.
The Empire State Building.
The Dakota.
The Oculus at the World Trade Center.
Macy's Department Store
Grand Central Station.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
One World Trade Center.
Madison Square Garden.
Radio City Music Hall.
The U.S. Open.
Times Square.
The American Museum of Natural History.
Washington, D.C.
The Cherry Blossoms in Spring.
Arlington National Cemetery.
The FDR Memorial.
Ford's Theatre.
The Jefferson Memorial.
Marine Corps Memorial
The Watergate Hotel.
The Lincoln Memorial.
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Martin Luther King Memorial.
National Museum of Natural History.
The Smithsonian Castle.
The United States Capitol Building.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The Washington Monument.
The White House.
National Air and Space Museum
New Orleans
Jackson Square.
Street musicians.
Beignets.
Carousel Bar.in the historic Hotel Monteleone.
Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar.
The Ladies Entrance at the original location of Angelo Brocato's Italian Ice Cream Parlor on Ursulines Street still remains many years after the 1981 move.
Le Petit Theatre
Bourbon Steet.
Musical Legends Park.
Cafe Du Monde.
New Orleans Streetcar.
Chalmette National Historic Park
Preservation Hall.
Royal Pharmacy.
The Cornstalk Fence Hotel.
The French Market
The Superdome
LaLaurie Mansion
Philadelphia
LOVE PARK/John F. Kennedy Plaza
The Rocky Statue
The Liberty Bell.
The Betsy Ross House.
Bookbinder's Restaurant.
Merchants' Exchange Building.
Christ Church.
Elfreth's Alley.
Independence Hall.
Washington's Tent at the Museum of the American Revolution.
Grave of Benjamin and Deborah Franklin at Christ Church Burial Ground.
Carpenter's Hall.
Signers' Hall at National Constitution Center
Franklin Court.
Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rocky Steps.
The Wanamaker Building.
City Tavern.
30th Street Station.
Declaration House.
The United States Mint.
The First Bank of the United States.
Reading Terminal Market.
Old City Hall.
Washington Square Plaza.
Second Bank of the United States.
City Hall.
Congress Hall.
President's House.
Seattle
Pike Place Market.
The Gum Wall.
The Seattle Aquarium.
The Space Needle
Throwing fish at Pike Place Market.
The Seattle Great Wheel
The Original Starbucks.
Skyline
The Seattle Art Museum.
Mount Rainier towers over a population of 3.3 million in the Seattle Tacoma metropolitan area.
Lumen Field
Rachel the Pig at Pike Place Market.
Las Vegas
Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas
The Neon Museum
The Bellagio
Vegas Vic
The Tropicana (1957-2024)
Circus Circus
The Golden Nugget
Mandalay Bay
Fremont Street Experience
The Flamingo
Excalibur Resort
Caesar's Palace
The Las Vegas Strip
New York, New York Hotel
The Strat Tower
Pyramid at Luxor Las Vegas
The Mother Road
For nearly 100 years, it has been one of the most famous roads in America. Established on November 11, 1926, U.S. Route 66 covers 2,448 miles stretching from downtown Chicago to the end of the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles County, California.
The beginning of Route 66 (Downtown Chicago, IL.)
The Berghoff Restaurant (Chicago, IL.)
Lou Mitchell's (Chicago, IL.)
John J. Murphy's Standard Oil and Castle Car Wash (Chicago, IL.)
Henry's Drive-In (Cicero, IL.)
Wishing Well Motel (formerly in LaGrange, IL., the original sign and well are now at the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, IL.)
Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket (Willowbrook, IL.)
White Fence Farm Restaurant (Romeoville, IL.)
Old Joliet Prison (Joliet, IL.)
Rialto Square Theatre (Joliet, IL.)
The Gemini Giant (Wilmington, IL.)
The Polk-a-Dot Drive In (Braidwood, IL.)
Former Site of the Riviera Roadhouse (Gardner, IL.)
Streetcar Diner (Gardner, IL.)
Two Cell Jail Cell (Gardner, IL.)
Ambler-Becker Texaco Station (Dwight, IL.)
Odell Standard Station (Odell, IL.)
Meramec Caverns Barn (Cayuga, IL.)
Route 66 Mural (Pontiac, IL.)
Bob Waldmire's 1972 VW Microbus (Pontiac, IL.)
Memory Lane (Lexington, IL.)
Dead Man's Curve (Towanda, IL.)
Sprague's Super Service Station (Normal, IL.)
Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirip (Funks Grove Township, IL.)
Dixie Truckers Home (McLean, IL.)
The Palms Cafe (Atlanta, IL.)
Arch Street in Atlanta, IL.
Paul Bunyan Hot Dog Statue (Atlanta, IL.)
The Tropics Neon Sign (Lincoln, IL.)
World's Largest Covered Wagon (Lincoln, IL.)
Pig Hip Restaurant Site (Broadwell, IL.)
Frank's Old Station (Williamsville, IL.)
Mahan's Filling Station (Springfield, IL.)
Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop (Springfield, IL.)
Cozy Dog Drive In (Springfield, IL.)
Original Sign from Sonrise Donuts (Springfield, IL.)
Historic Brick Road (Auburn, IL.)
Deck's Drug Store (Girard, IL.)
Original sign of Arts Motel and Restaurant (Farmersville, IL.)
Sky View Drive-In (Litchfield, IL.)
Ariston Cafe (Litchfield, IL.)
Jubelt's Bakery & Restaurant (Litchfield, IL.)
Soulsby Service Station (Mount Olive, IL.)
Henry's Rabbit Ranch (Staunton, IL.)
World's Largest Catsup Bottle (Collinsville, IL.)
Chain of Rocks Bridge (Madison, IL.)
Ted Drewes (St. Louis, MO.)
Donut Drive-In (St. Louis, Mo.)
Crestwood Bowl (St. Louis, MO.)
Original segment of Coral Court Motel (now at National Museum of Transportation, St. Louis, MO.)
Big Chief Roadhouse (Glencoe, MO.)
Beacon Motel Sign (Pacific, MO.)
Gardenway Motel (Pacific, MO.)
Gardenway Motel Sign (Pacific, MO.)
Red Cedar Inn (Pacific, MO.)
Jensen's Point Overlook (Pacific, MO.)
Sunset Motel (Villa Ridge, MO.)
Meramec Caverns (Stanton, MO.)
Circle Inn Malt Shop (Bourbon, MO.)
Wagon Wheel Motel (Cuba, MO.)
Bob's Gasoline Alley (Cuba, MO.)
Phillips 66 Cottage Style Station (Cuba, MO.)
Large Rocking Chair (Fanning, MO.)
Vernelle's Motel (Newburg, MO.)
Devil's Elbow Bridge (Devil's Elbow, MO.)
Gasconade River Bridge (Richland, MO.)
Munger Moss Motel (Lebanon, MO.)
Phillips 66 Space Station & Cafe (Lebanon, MO.)
Phillips 66 Space Station & Cafe (Lebanon, MO.)
Rail Haven Motel (Springfield, MO.)
Gillioz Theatre (Springfield, MO.)
Red's Giant Hamburg (Springfield, MO.)
Birthplace of Route 66 Sign (Springfield, MO.)
Rest Haven Court (Springfield, MO.)
Rock Fountain Court Motel (Springfield, MO.)
Gay Parita Sinclair (Ash Grove, MO.)
66 Drive-In Theatre (Carthage, MO.)
Boots Court Motel (Carthage, MO.)
Whisler's Hamburgers (Carthage, MO.)
Galena Mural (Galena, KS.)
Old Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Depot (Galena, KS.)
Geared Curios (Galena, KS.)
Cars on the Route (Galena, KS.)
Old Riverton Store (Riverton, KS.)
Independent Oil and Gas Service Station (Baxter Springs, KS.)
