Route 66's first stop in California was Needles, the hottest place in the country.  As hot as it was, it was a green place because it rested in the Colorado Valley.  Before travelers headed out across the Mojave Desert on their way to Los Angeles, they prepared for their nighttime trek across the desert by filling up their gas tank, stocking up on lots of water-- water for the car, for the people in the car, and for the canvas water bag they purchased to hang on their car's radiator.

In California, Route 66 fell into four distinct sections:  the Mojave Desert between Needles and Barstow; the Mojave River Valley between Barstow and San Bernardino; Foothill Boulevard between San Bernardino and Pasadena; and Los Angeles.  Each of the desert stops between Needles and Barstow had a single business geared to helping people across the desert.  Between Needles and San Bernardino, only Barstow and Victorville offered a wide selection of roadside businesses.       

Route 66 originally ended on Sunset Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles.  In 1935, the California Highway Department extended Route 66 to Santa Monica along Santa Monica Boulevard.

In 1953 in southern California, Maurice and Richard McDonald hired Stanley Merston to design a "fast food" stand they could reproduce every time they expanded into a new place.  The building design, along with its golden arches, became the model for food stands along Route 66 from Los Angeles back to Chicago and everywhere else... the "fast food" stand known as McDonalds.

This special blend of Route 66 coffee is labeled with original artwork depicting the scenery along California. The California flavor is a succulent Creme Brulee.

This is sure to become a collectors series. Collect all eight states in our Route 66 series. Visit our online store to order.