The Salem High School Art III students have been sharing the beauty and history of our local landmarks and life in the Ozarks through selected drawings in our annual calendar for the past twenty-three years. This project showcases the work of these talented students while encouraging artists of all ages to pursue their love for drawing the beautiful landscapes and people that make up our heritage.
The student's work will be displayed at Arts Rolla, Route 66 Centennial Exhibition, which will be held in February 2026 at The Centre in Rolla. Calendars are available at the Salem High School Art Room and the Salem Public Library. Proceeds from the calendars cover printing costs and help create new learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom, including state and local shows, competition fees, matting, and framing student entries.
This year’s calendar celebrates the 100th anniversary of Route 66, often called the “Mother Road,” one of America’s most famous highways and a symbol of westward travel and economic growth. Officially established in 1926 as part of the nation’s first federal highway system, Route 66 was named in Springfield, Missouri, by local leader John T. Woodruff, who later became the first president of the National Route 66 Association in 1927. Stretching roughly 2,400 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles, Route 66 connected the Great Lakes to the Pacific Coast and passed through a wide range of landscapes, from Midwestern farmlands and rolling hills to open plains and Southwestern deserts. Promoted as the shortest and most scenic route west, it became the first completely paved U.S. numbered highway and a major driver of tourism.
Route 66 passes through eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Towns along the route prospered as gas stations, motels, and restaurants sprang up to serve travelers. At the same time, cities like Springfield grew into important transportation hubs, boosting population and economic development under the popular slogan, “Get your Kicks on Route 66.”
