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By Amanda Greenwood
Associate News Editor
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The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has announced plans to release a new set of commemorative stamps in May 2026, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Route 66, perhaps the most iconic highway in American history.
The Route 66 Stamp Collection
The Route 66 stamp collection launch features eight stamps, each representing one of the eight states the historic highway passes through. The song (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66, recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946, celebrates the road and some of the stops as it crosses Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
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Route 66, portrayed as "The Mother Road" in John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath originally stretched roughly 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, after it was established on November 11, 1926. It played a pivotal role in shaping American travel, commerce, and migration during the 20th century.
Although Route 66 was gradually replaced after the passage of the Federal‑Aid Highway Act of 1956—which funded the modern interstate system—the road remains a powerful cultural symbol.
During the Great Depression, it served as a key migration corridor for families heading west in search of opportunity, and later became synonymous with postwar travel, neon‑lit motels, roadside diners, and American car culture.
When Will the Stamp Collection Be Available
The stamp collection will make its official debut at a first‑day‑of‑issue ceremony on May 5, 2026, during the National Postal Forum at the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona, according to the official USPS announcement.
The USPS said that the first‑day‑of‑issue event will be free and open to the public and held in the lobby of the Phoenix Convention Center, meaning attendees will not need a ticket to the National Postal Forum to attend.
The unveiling is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. (MT) and will feature speeches from USPS leadership and representatives from the United States Route 66 Centennial Commission.
Among the speakers expected to attend are Jeffery A. Adams, vice president of corporate communications for USPS, Rod Reid, chairman of the Route 66 Centennial Commission, and David J. Schwartz, the photographer whose work appears on the stamps.
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Route 66 Stamps Design
Schwartz’s eight photographic images were selected to reflect the character and history of the route, each highlighting infamous roadside landmarks, landscapes, and communities that have defined the highway for generations.
The stamp pane also includes one stamp that features a larger background image, known as the selvage, which shows Route 66 stretching out, into the distance in Arizona—an image USPS said is meant to capture the enduring sense of freedom and possibility associated with the open road.
The stamps were designed by USPS Art Director, Greg Breeding, who used the existing photographs, taken by Schwartz, over the years he has been documenting the route.
How Can Customers Purchase The Stamp Collection
USPS said customers will be able to purchase the Route 66 stamps and related products through The Postal Store online, by phone, by mail, and at Post Office locations nationwide.
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