By Dennis Sadowski
Lakewood photographer David Schwartz just can’t get enough of Route 66, America’s historic adventure road.
Schwartz, 55, has traveled parts of the celebrated highway more than 40 times since 2004. He’s planning another trip later this summer to document more of the sights, sounds and stories of the people along the what author John Steinbeck called the Mother Road in “The Grapes of Wrath.”
“I found very early on, on that first trip, that the people were really, really interesting and really welcoming,” Schwartz said.
Schwartz’s upcoming trip is his way to celebrate Route 66’s centennial. The federal government established the road Nov. 11, 1926. At 2,448 miles, Route 66 connected Chicago with the Santa Monica, California. It changed the way Americans traveled cross country.
The U.S. Postal Service issued a pane of 16 “forever” (82-cent) stamps on May 5 at the National Postal Forum in Phoenix. The pane features eight photographs by Schwartz, one from each state along the road’s lengthy trail: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
The stamps may be available at local post offices. If not, ask that they be ordered.
For Schwartz, the USPS commission was a dream that finally came true. As he processed his photos over time, he thought that some would make nice stamps. But he wasn’t sure how to proceed with postal officials.
His fortune changed in summer 2024.
“One morning the phone rings,” Schwartz said. “I pick up the phone. The lady on the other end says, ‘I represent the United States Postal Service. We’re doing a set of stamps for the Route 66 centennial. We found your work. It’s incredible. We love it. And we’d like to work with you if you’re interested.'”
“And I about fell out of my seat. I composed myself and I’m like, ‘Yeah, absolutely. I’d love to do this.’”
The original plan called for 16 different stamps with two scenes from each state, Schwartz said. However, USPS lawyers were cautious about obtaining legal rights for some of the items depicted in the images Schwartz provided. With deadlines looming last summer, Greg Breeding, a USPS art director, told Schwartz the project had to be limited to eight stamps, two of each design in the pane of 16 stamps.
A pane of 16 stamps marking the 100 the anniversary of Route 66 features eight photos by Lakewood photographer David Schwartz, who has traveled the highway more than 40 times.
The stamps depict iconic scenes such as a Ford Model A automobile on the road in Auburn, Illinois; the brightly colored Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Missouri; an old-style Kan-O-Tex gasoline pump in Galena, Kansas; and the neon sign with a swooping arrow pointing the way to Grants Café in Grants, New Mexico.
A ninth photo along the pane’s selvage shows a golden-hued highway stretching into Arizona scrubland, capturing, the USPS said, “the sense of possibility the open road inspires.”
With the stamp release, Schwartz has used the opportunity to market his images on postcards, matted prints and posters. His website, www.picsonroute66.com, details his history with the road, photos from his trips and merchandise.
In the mid-20th century Route 66 was a major travel route. It boosted tourism, hastened westward migration and enabled people to flee Dust Bowl conditions in the southern Great Plains to better economic opportunities. The increased traffic led to an expanding service industry in towns along the famed route.
Route 66’s future began to change, however, with the development of the interstate highway system in the 1950s. Superhighways bypassed the towns and services that made Route 66 a vivid part of Americana. Route 66 lost its place within the U.S. highway system in 1985.
Schwartz said he continues to hit the road to find stories of the people who still live and run businesses along the route. He envisions eventually publishing a book, “Keepers of the Mother Road.”
The years leading to the centennial led to resurgence in interest in the history and preservation of Route 66. While some efforts have been underway since the 1985 decommissioning, there are growing campaigns to promote tourism and create awareness of the roadway’s importance to the country’s development.
In addition, advocates are urging Congress to pass legislation that would designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail, opening the way for broader federal support.
Club meeting
The Black River Stamp Club will meet Aug. 12 at the Avon branch of the Lorain Public Library, 37485 Harvest Drive. The public is invited to join members at 5 p.m. for socializing, buying, selling and trading stamps, covers and postcards, followed by a business meeting and an auction. All are welcome.
Dennis Sadowski can be reached at sadowski.dennis@gmail.com.