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The Great American Road Trip, Fueled by — and Undercut by — the Automobile that Created It
Postwar highways and car ownership made family road trips a national ritual, but interstates, cheap flights and segregation later reshaped the experience.
- Historian Susan Rugh identifies the period after World War II through the 1970s oil crisis as the apex of the American family road trip, driven by rising middle-class wealth and federal highway investment.
- Route 66, commissioned in 1926, became the "Main Street of America," catering to a mid-century craze for the Old West while strengthening family bonds and educating children as citizens.
- Despite the ideal, the open road did not signal freedom for all; Black families faced systemic segregation and discrimination that influenced passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
- Today, cheap airfare and interstates bypass small towns, prioritizing speed over interaction; Professor Allen Pietrobon notes travelers trade opportunities for unexpected discoveries for convenience of reaching final destinations.
- People still travel from around the world to experience neon lights and kitschy Western-themed attractions, as some roadside businesses remain despite interstates diverting traffic from historic communities.
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The great American road trip, fueled by — and undercut by — the automobile that created it
The road trip holds a special place in Americans' hearts. It evokes images of long drives and iconic destinations like the Grand Canyon or Death Valley. Despite the love we have for the idea of a road trip, most of…
The great American road trip, fueled by — and undercut by — the automo
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — There’s something about the American road trip. It brings to mind visions of cars the size of boats, the glory days before seat-belt laws and pit stops at the world’s largest fill-in-the-blank. It
·Baltimore, United States
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Total News Sources18
Leaning Left10Leaning Right0Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution63% Left
Bias Distribution
- 63% of the sources lean Left
63% Left
L 63%
C 37%
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