Social Media-Fueled Vandalism and Decay Erasing Route 66 History

LUDLOW, CALIFORNIA - MAY 1: A so-far undestroyed historic cemetery is seen as decay and an explosion of social media-fueled vandalism rapidly destroy the history of Route 66 while Americans celebrate the 100th year of the iconic "Mother Road" on May 1, 2026 in Ludlow, California. Only three grave stones stand among about 50 crosses that are too old and weathered to still show the names of the deceased yet the cemetery is still occasionally visited by descendants of those buried there. Social media has dramatically increased the popularity of destroying historic sites for fun and 'likes'. The vandalism includes, but is not limited to, painting graffiti, trashing and burning down old buildings, applying thousands of stickers to signs, and leaving human waste and garbage in and around old structures. Construction of Interstate 40 (I-40) freeway gradually replaced Route 66 between the 1950s and the 1980s, diverting traffic away from the old highway and causing widespread hardship for those who owned businesses along the route. U.S. Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 and ran 2,448 miles from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. It was officially decommissioned as a national highway on June 27, 1985. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)