Route 66, which ran from Los Angeles to Chicago, was built in 1926 as one of the first major Interstate highways.   Known as the “Mother Road”, Route 66 was an essential economic corridor for moving goods and people, with hotels, restaurants, gas stations, souvenir stands and other amenities for travelers. Nat King Cole’s 1946 hit rhythm and blues song, “Get your kicks on Route 66,” captured the American love affair with the automobile and emphasized travel from east to west. Although decommissioned in 1982, drivers still seek out remains of the old highway landscape.

Among the travelers using Route 66 in the 1950s-1982 were Fawn Sam and Wai Sue Chung Louie.  The couple ran an American Chinese restaurant supply business, FS Louie and Co out of Berkeley, California starting in 1953 and closing shortly after Fawn’s death in 1993.  The Louies met customers face-to-face, driving to Chinatowns across the country.  Ceramics sold by the FS Louie Company could be personalized to include the restaurant’s name, address and logo.  With this information from surviving ceramics, we can map Louies’ customer base, and see the extended American Chinese community their business created. Route 66 importantly connected the large urban Chinatowns in Los Angeles and Chicago while also providing the Louies’ access to businesses catering to Route 66 traffic. 

As the 100th anniversary of the opening of Route 66 approaches, we should celebrate the many Americans who were part of the highway’s history.  American Chinese businesses offered comfort food and accommodations to travelers.  Their architecture and signage contributed to the aesthetic of the highway. Thanks to the research of students and faculty in the Anthropology Department, we are able to share stories about American Chinese families on the Mother Road.