Get Your Button Kicks on Route 66

On November 11, 1926 the U.S. Highway Commission met in Springfield, Missouri to officially name the transcontinental highway under construction from Chicago to Los Angeles as Route 66.

Springfield, Missouri hence became known as the "birthplace" of Route 66. 

By 1938, Route 66 was the first completely paved transcontinental highway in America - often referred as the "Mother Road".  It stretched 2,448 miles across 8 states and 3 time zones.

Route 66 played an important role in American history.  It was the route many folks traveled when migrating west in the 1930s, especially during the Dust Bowl.

With the migration west, businesses and communities popped up along Route 66.  The highway became very popular as the route to travel...Get Your Kicks on Route 66. 

It was even more popularized by the 1960s T.V. series Route 66. 

As economies and communities grew along Route 66, so came change.

By 1956 construction to expand and connect American freeways known as the Interstate Highway System,

a system championed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower was in-place.  As the interstate highways were connected, Route 66 was bypassed in many areas. 

Slowly Route 66 disappeared and on June 27, 1985 it was decommissioned. 

The National Button Society gathered August 11-16, 2014 in

Springfield, Missouri to hold its 76th annual convention.  Our show theme was 

"Get Your BUTTON Kicks on Route 66".  

 

The corridor leading from the hotel to the convention center was lined with Burma Shave-style signs,

our signs offered button jingles.

I did get my button fix!

And so did Venita

The Marketplace offered the world's largest Button Poke Box

 as well as many other button related items

Venita & Lois

  Brenda, Venita, Ellen, me & Barb

The showroom offered 55 button dealers from all over the world 

It was a joy to get reacquainted with long-distant friends and to make new friends!

 Friends Genny & Jamie with friend Franco, our Italian button dealer.

My wonderful friend Matthew and button dealer from France.

 Lee, me, Lisa R. and Tara-

 dear friends & members of our Evening Star Button Club.

 Lois disbursing our AMAZING handmade Route 66 bags made by Tara

for the dealers hospitality bags.

Selfie snap of Venita, Lois & me.

 Lee & Jamie take a break from shopping at Gary's poke box

 This was Lee's 1st NBS convention...surely not her last...so many buttons!

 

 Lisa's 1st NBS show too!  

Standing by button competition trays of various nature themes, one of her favorites.

Tara & Lee carefully selecting button poke treasures.

Friendship gatherings

 Jamie, Franco, Genny & me

Lee - Missouri State Button Society Bulletin Editor

Marsha - Oklahoma State Button Society Bulletin Editor

Lise's Traveling Button Museum!

A glimpse of some of the button educational programs that were offered:

A Look at Worlds Fairs Through Buttons by Bruce Beck

 Victorian Mourning Symbology on Tombstones & Buttons by Janice Quick

Yes, this is a real cemetery in Colorado, named after the Button family that donated the land.

Pilgrimage by Gary Brockman

(Gary, your program touched the heart...amazing!)

Table decorations of our breakfast banquet

Beside buttons, buckles & button hooks were also available.

Here are some educational & competition trays that caught my eye

Thank you Barb & Lou and all the volunteers that made this an AWESOME show!

I need to unpack the buttons that found their way home with me.  Hope to have them photographed and posted soon.  Please stop back by to see my button beauties!

I "Got my Button Kicks on Route 66!"