The final Missouri section of pavement was complete and Route 66 is opened between Rolla and Lebanon. A crowd of 8000 gathered that day for a celebration in Rolla. This section of new highway bypassed one of the best places on Route 66, Devil’s Elbow. This quaint little town has a great history, beautiful bluffs, a clean river, famous barbecue, and the deepest rock cut in the nation. During WWII trucks carrying aircraft up the hillside blocked the highway until they made the road cut & added lanes. Read more about this in Too Good to Pass By.

This post was contributed by Ross Malone. A historian and a retired school teacher, Ross has authored many books about Missouri’s history, weird facts, and folk tales. He has also written children’s historical fiction. Visit his website, and buy his books in the Missouri Life store.