1

Marilyn Monroe

Image: Sam Shaw, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

When we think of her, one iconic garment immediately comes to mind: her white halter dress . This image, now a key part of American pop-culture history, comes from the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch, in which she stands over a New York City subway grate as a gust of wind blows her dress upward.

2

Elvis Presley

Image: MGM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

His style made such an impact that it became a symbol in its own right. Just a high pompadour and a flashy jumpsuit with flared pants are enough for anyone to recognize a reference to Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll. But here’s something you might not know: when he was young, Elvis’ natural hair color was blonde!

3

Jackie Kennedy

Image: U.S. Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

When talking about fashion icons, Jackie Kennedy has to be on the list. Her classic pillbox hat became famous worldwide in 1961, when she wore it to her husband’s inauguration. Beyond the hat, her elegance shone through her tailored suits, pearl necklaces, and cat-eye sunglasses.

4

Frank Sinatra

Image: William P. Gottlieb, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

If someone says "fedora," we think of Sinatra. His suits were sharp and extremely elegant, sure, but it was that slightly tilted hat that stole the show. We have to say that no one ever wore a fedora quite like he did!

5

Steve Jobs

Image: AB

Turtlenecks aren’t for everyone, we know. But there was a man who knew how to wear them with unmistakable style. Steve Jobs made the black turtleneck his signature look; he wore it so consistently that it became his personal "uniform." In addition, each one was custom-made by Japanese designer Issey Miyake.

6

Johnny Cash

Image: Heinrich Klaffs, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

It’s no wonder Johnny Cash earned the nickname "The Man in Black." His style was not only elegant, but it was also extremely cool, thanks to his signature all-black wardrobe. Every item, from head to toe, was that color. Many tried to imitate him, but none could match him.

7

Farrah Fawcett

Image: ABC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Her smile was lovely, but her hair is what everyone remembers most. Farrah Fawcett set the standard for ’70s and early ’80s hairstyles with her famous feathered, voluminous blowout that turned heads everywhere she went.

8

Bob Dylan

Image: Rowland Scherman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Bob Dylan doesn’t need flashy clothes to make a style statement. What really defines his look is that carefree, rebellious vibe, especially his voluminous hair, as seen in photos from his youth and even today. Of course, his guitar and harmonica were constants throughout his career, helping to shape his unmistakable image.

9

Michael Jackson

Image: White House Photo Office, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Michael Jackson was the definition of style. We could fill an entire article talking about his clothing and accessories, but one item set him apart: his single white glove. Covered in numerous sparkling Swarovski crystals, he first wore it in the early ’80s, perfectly complementing his legendary dance moves.

10

Buddy Holly

Image: Buddy_Holly_Brunswick_Records.jpg: Brunswick Recordsderivative work: GDuwenTell me!, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Who knew a pair of thick black-rimmed glasses could make someone an icon? That’s exactly what happened with Buddy Holly. He didn’t just keep wearing them after reaching fame; he turned them into the key item that defined his image. We can’t imagine his face without them!

1

History

Image: Christian Linnemann

Let’s start from the very beginning: in 1926, almost 100 years ago, Route 66 was established, covering a total of 2,448 miles. It was one of the original highways built under the then-new Numbered Highway System (also known as the "Federal Highways").

The route famously started in Chicago, Illinois, and stretched all the way to Santa Monica, California, passing through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. At the time, Route 66 proved to be a quick and easy way to get to the western part of the country, which logically led to an increase in its popularity.

2

Landmarks

Image: Mick Haupt

If you find yourself driving along the 2,448 miles that make up Route 66, you’ll certainly come across a fair share of outstanding landmarks, including American icons like the St. Louis Gateway Arch or the Santa Monica Pier. Not only that, you might want to explore some natural wonders, such as a 50,000-year-old meteor crater located in the heart of Arizona.

However, if you're more interested in landmarks focused on unusual or outlandish topics, there are plenty of roadside attractions worth visiting . For instance, you might want to stop for a few hours in San Bernardino, California, to visit the original McDonald’s location, now turned into a museum.

3

One end of the road…

Image: Arnaud STECKLE

As we mentioned before, Route 66 is too long for us to include every single state it crosses in this article. However, we still felt the need to pay a small tribute to the two ends that "America’s Main Street" was built to connect. With that in mind, let’s start with Chicago, the easternmost point of Route 66.

Originally, Route 66 was commissioned as a quicker way to get from Chicago to Los Angeles in response to the large increase in car ownership that occurred in the 1920s. Route 66 shortened the distance between these two cities by 200 miles, providing an easy-to-follow route for millions of Americans.

4

…followed by the other end.

Image: Rocio Abrego

According to a popular saying, "All good things must come to an end," and the gorgeous west end of Route 66 is a living testament to this phrase. The "City of Angels" truly doesn’t need an introduction. In that sense, can you think of a more welcoming image than the warm California sun greeting drivers at the final stop of Route 66?

Interestingly, nowadays Route 66 ends in the equally gorgeous city of Santa Monica, located in Los Angeles County. In any case, the way the U.S. Route 66 Highway Association described the highway during its construction still holds true, and Route 66 can still be described as the "most scenic route from Chicago through St. Louis to Los Angeles ."

5

The "Father of Route 66"

Image: John Benitez

Nowadays, a route connecting Illinois and California seems almost logical, but at the time, it took the efforts of a visionary group of entrepreneurs to plan the construction of Route 66. Among them, one individual stands out, known to history as " The Father of Route 66 ": an Oklahoma businessman named Cyrus Avery.

A resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Avery was truly a jack of all trades. Originally a school teacher, he went on to become a businessman, an insurance agent, and an oilman after founding the Avery Oil & Gas Company in 1904. In the 1920s, Avery was a member of the federal board appointed to create the Federal Highway System, where he rallied for the establishment of what we now know as Route 66.

6

Feel like walking?

Image: Capstone Events

Who said that only cars can enjoy Route 66? Certainly not Charles C. Pyle, a Route 66 Association member who, in 1928, launched an innovative campaign to promote the new highway: a foot race from Los Angeles to New York City.

With a distance of 3,400 miles, this gargantuan race had a suitably large prize: $25,000, which today would be just under $400,000. Nearly 300 racers crossed America, passing through Route 66 and several checkpoints along the highway. Ultimately, the race was won by a Cherokee citizen named Andy Payne, who finished the race in 573 hours.

7

Culture inspired by Route 66

Image: Jonathan Gong

It seems only logical that such an iconic route has inspired a plethora of songs, books, and paintings. Let’s take a moment to pay homage to some masterworks of American culture that celebrate everything Route 66 has to offer. Celebrated authors like John Steinbeck and Jack Kerouac have set their novels on the highway, with Steinbeck nicknaming Route 66 "the Mother Road."

Perhaps most famously, songwriter Bobby Troup wrote the song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" while traveling on the highway on a road trip across America. The song became a smash hit in 1946 after it was recorded by the Nat King Cole Trio, and it was subsequently covered by music legends like The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, and Bing Crosby.

8

Decommission

Image: Alejandro Luengo

In the 1950s, President Eisenhower sought to upgrade America’s highway system into a more modern network, comprising several new routes that connected all 50 states. In 1956, Eisenhower signed the Federal Interstate Act, unknowingly initiating a series of steps that would eventually lead to the end of Route 66 .

After several decades, Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t travel through most of it. Nearly 85% of the original highway is still drivable, with many signs marking where the original route once stood.

9

Route 66 State Park

Image: Federico Lancellotti

As we mentioned before, there are plenty of spectacular landscapes to explore along Route 66 if you’re a fan of nature. With that in mind, did you know there’s a state park in Missouri named after Route 66?

Route 66 State Park is located at the site of the former town of Times Beach, Missouri, along the Meramec River. In addition to offering beautiful views and hiking trails, visitors might also enjoy seeing the old Route 66 bridge, which is currently undergoing restoration.

10

The music of the road

Image: Miguel Alcântara

We’ll end this article with a Route 66 fact you might not know. Route 66 has inspired many iconic songs, but did you know that a small part of Route 66 actually plays music on its own?

To encourage drivers to stick to the 45-mile-per-hour speed limit, the New Mexico Department of Transportation came up with a rather ingenious idea: by placing rumble strips at strategic points, cars driving under the speed limit will play " America the Beautiful "!

1

Money Materials

Image: Jorge Salvador

We call them paper bills, but do they undergo the same process as any other paper? Naturally, they don’t. U.S. bills are mainly made of two materials: 75% of their composition is cotton and the 25% left is linen. Besides, they have randomly disbursed red and blue security fibers embedded in the paper.

This special blend is made by only one company in America and that is Crane & Co . The company, based in Massachusetts patented this special blend and it has been the sole provider of paper for currency since 1879.

2

Origin of the U.S. dollar symbol

Image: Paris Bilal

The dollar sign is a matter of debate. One line or two across a capital S, the symbol is today a worldwide sign for money, but where does it come from?

Even if there are several theories as to where the U.S. dollar symbol comes from, all of them agree that it was derived from the Spanish peso . When the time came, and the new nation needed its own currency, the basis was that of the Spanish coinage, which was the most common currency in the colonies before the country’s independence.

The adoption of the sign was made official in 1785, and today, the United States is not the only country that uses this symbol, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand do too!

3

Who appears on the bills?

Image: AR

Having your face forever stamped on the little piece of paper that rules the world should be a milestone in your career, right? However, there were certain rules as to who qualifies to be granted this honor .

Probably, the most surprising, yet the most logical one is that no living person can be portrayed in American currency. Since the Founding Fathers considered it unpatriotic to be portrayed while alive, this was first a tradition and then made official in an Act of Congress in 1866 .

However, contrary to popular belief, this honor is not only reserved for presidents! Anyone who contributes to the nation can be portrayed.

4

Folding Papers

Image: Emilio Takas

Bills come and go all the time. We take them out of our pockets and put them in our purses only to take them out again a few hours later and give them to the shop assistant. For a life that busy, we can only hope the paper is tough enough , right?

Well, as a matter of fact, it is. Compared to regular paper, which can only be folded 400 times before it breaks, money paper can be folded up to 8,000 times before it breaks .

It's not that you’re going to try it out and see, but you can rest assured: Fold your bills away, they can handle it!

5

Damaged Goods

Image: Jp Valery

Even if they can be folded that many times, the life of bills is limited, not to mention accidents happen. Who hasn’t sent a bill to the washing machine by chance?

So, what happens when a bill is damaged? Well, at least 50% of it has to be clearly identifiable for the bank to replace it , otherwise, you’ll just lose your money. You don’t feel like folding them much now, right?

On the other hand, and mainly due to time damage, at least 70% of the new bills are used to replace old bills . These bills, once taken out of circulation are shredded and sent to companies that can recycle them!

6

Security Features

Image: Colin Watts

Counterfeiting has been a problem ever since paper money was created and statistics about which countries counterfeited most of the money are simply shocking. But we won’t get into that.

What we will say is that thanks to technological advancement, the U.S. bill is getting harder and harder to counterfeit. In modern bills, there are at least six security features which are: UV security ribbon, raised printing, microprinting, 3D security ribbon, color-shifting ink, and traditional watermarks. Do you pay attention to them?

7

U.S. Coins

Image: Kenny Eliason

Coin production in America is in charge of the U.S. Mint and there are four production facilities across the country. They are located in Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and West Point.

It is estimated that every year the Mint produces about 16 trillion coins which are valued at over $1.09 billion dollars. What is truly impressive is that Americans throw away an estimated 62 million dollars worth of coins every day!

They may not be worth much alone but don’t throw them away, all of them together can make you rich!

8

Green Ink

Image: maria pagan

Have you ever wondered why the U.S. dollar bills were green? It is not about design or aesthetics, even if we think they look pretty.

The decision to use green ink was a matter of security, in order to prevent counterfeiting. Back then, black and white ink made it easier to create photographic fakes. For that reason, green was the color of choice, and, when paper money was standardized in 1929, it had great acceptance due to the positive connotations of the color . Do you like it?

9

Andrew Jackson’s Take on Paper Money

Image: Elsa Olofsson

Every denomination has an important figure stamped on the front. In the case of the 20-dollar bill, Andrew Jackson was the chosen one.

Jackson was the seventh president of the United States and, even if it is not a rule that only presidents can be portrayed, his contributions gained him this honor.

Ironically, Jackson was not in favor of using paper money. For him, only gold and silver coins should have remained legal tender. After learning this, one can only assume he wouldn’t be so happy to be the face of the 20-dollar bill, right?

10

Facelifts and redesigns

Image: Kenny Eliason

One of the ways of keeping paper money safe and hard to counterfeit is by giving the bills new designs.

New faces were expected to appear in future bills, but, in the meantime, the changes always had to do with the proportions of the elements within each denomination. Bigger faces, rearrangement of the signatures, stuff like that.

Now, these changes and facelifts haven’t reached all the bills. 1-dollar bills haven’t been changed or redesigned ever since 1929. Why is that? Because it is not worth the trouble for criminals to counterfeit. One dollar won’t take them too far!