Historic U.S. Route 66 in Pacific
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"The Mother Road" was established on November 11, 1926, and ultimately stretched 2,448 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. Starting in Chicago, westbound travelers traversed a series of towns in Illinois before arriving in St. Louis.
Heading westbound in Missouri, Route 66 traveled through these cites and towns:
Historic U.S. Route 66 Byway in Missouri |
Route 66 across Missouri stretched 317 miles and connected a variety of large cities and small towns, traversing rolling hills and valleys. The Mother Road followed much of the Kickapoo, or Osage, Trail, an Indian trail that later became the Old Wire Road. Like other Route 66 segments, the actual alignment varied over the years as engineering improvements were constructed. We've driven much of Route 66, including multiple segments across Missouri, and visits to Pacific. |
About Pacific Missouri
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The City of Pacific, Missouri, formerly the town of Franklin, is located in Franklin and St. Louis Counties. St. Louis is 30 miles northeast of Pacific. Pacific is located along Historic Route 66, also called Osage Street. The City calls itself "Train Town USA". Interstate 44 cuts through the northern part of the city. It is home to more than 7,000 residents.
U.S. 66 arrived in Pacific in 1932. The city soon developed a number of businesses to cater to the new traffic through the town.
Today, Pacific has many attractions with Route 66 running through the heart of the community, including the Red Cedar Inn and Campbell's Service Route 66 Museum. There are several golf courses and wineries in the surrounding areas of the town also. It is an easy drive to the east to downtown Saint Louis and the metropolitan area, and the doorway to the Ozarks to the southwest with instant access to Interstate Highway 44 which parallels Historic Route 66.
Map showing the approximate location of Pacific between St. Louis and Cuba on Route 66 in Missouri
Red Cedar Inn: Pacific Visitor Center and MuseumOne of the first businesses to open in Pacific was the Red Cedar Inn, which continues to stand today. The Inn was built by James and Bill Smith in 1934 with wood logs from the family farm, and filled with chinking to reflect earlier pioneer days and to attract guests. Famous for its fried chicken and other popular dishes, it was closed in 2005. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2017, the City of Pacific purchased the building and has developed it as a new Visitor Center and Museum, opened in August of 2023. See the photos below showing the Route 66 "Get Your Kicks" sign outside of the Red Cedar Inn, and the new Visitor Center. This excellent new museum presents a nice mix of Route 66 history, local history, and the history of Red Cedar Inn. Not only does it have the museum, but in the back area there is a kids area with a huge sandbox, interactive toys, and a large wall with animation on it. Children can color a picture, put it on the scanner, then the picture they draw shows up and moves around with the characters on wall animation! Best of all, it's FREE! There is also a well stocked gift shop that has everything from Route 66 t-shirts and hats, to hard to find old time candy. Oh, and CLEAN bathrooms! It is located at 1047 East Osage Street in Pacific. Phone 636.271.0500 Ext. 222 Read more about the Red Cedar Inn at the City of Pacific Tourism website |
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Campbell's Service Route 66 MuseumAs travelers drive up on Campbell’s Service they’ll be immediately transported back in time. The reimagined building has been designed to invoke a service station from the 1950s. Larry West has developed the building to house the extensive Route 66 collection he purchased from Duane Campbell. Duane and his family have years of memories from putting together the collection and the people these pieces connected them to. They are now thrilled that the collection will stay together and be on display right on Route 66 for more people to enjoy/ Located at 18625 Historic Route 66 in Pacific, Campbell’s Service is a must-see stop for Route 66 travelers, service station enthusiasts and historians alike. At the present time, visits are by appointment only. For more information, visit the Campbell's Service Museum website and Campbell's Service on Facebook |
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Interactive Map of Pacific, Missouri
More Resources about Pacific and Missouri |
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