MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. -- As part of the course of America’s history, the War Department, now renamed the Department of the Defense, needed improved highways for rapid mobilization during wartime and to promote national defense during peacetime. At the start of American involvement in World War II, the War Department singled out the West as ideal for military training bases, in part because of its geographic isolation, and especially because it offered consistently dry weather for air and field maneuvers.
Completion of the improved highway, U.S. Highway 66 (U.S. Route 66) with all-weather capability, on the eve of World War II, was particularly significant to the nation’s war effort. In 1942, Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow started construction alongside U.S. Route 66. Critical troops, equipment and supplies were transported on U.S. Route 66 to military bases across the country thereby helping to facilitate the single greatest wartime troop mobilization in the history of the nation.
Not only did U.S. Route 66 support World War II, but it is one of the oldest and most popular roads in America known as “The Mother Road”.” Traveling this route reduced the travel distance between Chicago and Los Angeles by more than 200 miles compared to other routes. Because of the American history and significance of U.S. Route 66, it “has become a symbol of the American people’s heritage of travel and their legacy of seeking a better life” and registered under the National Register of Historic Places as a cultural resource.
A 1.71-mile long segment of the original U.S. Route 66, named on base as Joseph L. Boll Avenue, runs right through MCLB Barstow. This segment was open to public until 1964 when the I-40 was constructed. Base leadership, employees and residents take pride in the fact that MCLB Barstow is the only military installation with an original segment of U.S. Route 66 running directly through it and that this segment has been determined eligible to register under the NRHP.
To better exhibit and highlight this honor and to recognize the achievements of all who sacrificed for the freedom and prosperity of the United States of America, MCLB Barstow, driven by the Cultural Resources Program under the Environmental Division has initiated a Route 66 Project in order to bring awareness to the installation’s environmental history.
As the current Environmental Director, to be able to design a new Marine Corps Eagle, Globe, and Anchor logo integrated with the Route 66 shield is an honor. To modify the EGA, there is an approval process which the base had to go through, submitting the final edition to Headquarters Marine Corps. Once they approved the new logo, we were able to move forward with a new program.
Under the Cultural Resources (Environmental) program for the base, Route 66 is a National Historic Highway registered as a National Landmark managed by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. It is up to each state to determine how best to manage those historical segments of U. S. Route 66. Since we have 1.7 miles of the original Route 66 going through the Base, its falls under the Environmental Division, Cultural Resources program to manage and maintain registered historical landmarks and those eligible to be a historical landmarks on our installation.
For this new project, the base is officially dedicating Joseph L. Boll Avenue as a segment of U.S. Route 66. We have worked with HQMC in establishing a formal project that will pay homage to Route 66 and honor the base’s legacy for contributions during war efforts. For this project, MCLB Barstow has initiated the placing of “Historic Route 66” signs along Joseph L. Boll Avenue and has started placing Route 66 stencils on the road, similar to what you see in the town of Barstow and beyond.
The final build of the project is projected to be completed by the end of May, 2021. This will consists of a 3D Route 66/EGA monument placed at the corner of Joseph L. Boll Ave. and Wake Ave.
Additionally, two Marquees with information kiosks will be placed at the front and back gates for guests and visitors (some who will not be able to access the base) to read and view details of the history of how Route 66 supported the installations war efforts. The front gate will also house a bronze plaque denoting additional historically significant details.
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