U.S. Route 66 in Kansas U.S. Route 66 in Kansas U.S. Route 66 (US 66, Route 66), the historic east–west US highway between Chicago, Illinois and Santa Monica, California, passed through one brief segment in the southeastern corner of Kansas. It entered the state south of Baxter Springs and continued north until it crossed the Brush Creek, from where it turned east and left the state in Galena. After the decertification of the highway in 1985, this road segment was numbered as US-69 (alternate) from Quapaw, Oklahoma north to Riverton, Kansas and as K-66 (Kansas highway) from Riverton east to Route 66 in Missouri. The
U.S. Route 66 in Kansas it had been converted to storage space. Food service establishments fared somewhat better by relying on a strong local clientele after I-44 bypassed the state in 1961, but ultimately lead and zinc mine closures in the Tri-State district plus the diversion of US-66 traffic by I-44 led to the closure of many local Cherokee County businesses. U.S. Route 66 in Kansas U.S. Route 66 (US 66, Route 66), the historic east–west US highway between Chicago, Illinois and Santa Monica, California, passed through one brief segment in the southeastern corner of Kansas. It entered the state south of Baxter Springs and