WHEELING — Blue Whales, Will Rogers, advertising giants, antique filling stations and vintage automobiles are all part of the Route 66 history. This year, Route 66 will be celebrating its 100th anniversary and Uniglobe Ohio Valley Travel is joining in on the celebration offering a trip along the Mother Road in June.

Route 66 was the answer to a faster and shorter route between Chicago and Los Angeles at a time when the population was growing and the automobile industry was gaining in popularity. The new route breathed life into small towns and inspired hit songs like “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” and great American Novels such as “The Great Gatsby.”

Uniglobe Ohio Valley Travel is offering a motor coach trip along the first half of the route from Chicago to Oklahoma City departing on June 4. This 12-day trip will visit the start sign in Chicago and follow the route to Springfield, Ill., with a visit to the Lincoln Museum. Other attractions include the Arch in St. Louis, Will Rogers Museum in Claremore, Okla., and the Oklahoma City Memorial in Oklahoma City.

“There are a lot of iconic sights along the route as well,” said Bill Bryson of Uniglobe Travel. “Cars on the Route, in Galena, Kan., features some of the vehicles that were the inspiration for the Disney movie Cars. The Blue Whale of Catoosa, one of the most recognizable attractions on the route, is another favorite.”

Bryson will be the Uniglobe guide on the trip.

Other favorites are the advertising giants that were used back in the Route 66 era. These are 25-to-30-foot-high fiberglass statues built to promote businesses. The Gemini giant, built in the 1960s to bring customers to the Launching Pad Restaurant; the Lauterbach Tire man; and the Golden Driller are examples. The trip will include a visit the Giants Museum in Atlanta, Ill. A half dozen of these giant figures dot the landscape along Route 66.

Some of the old motel signs have been maintained and a few of the motels are still in operation. There are still restaurants operating that were part of the Route 66 heyday such as the Cozy Dog Drive-in, Waylan’s KuKu burgers and Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.

Uniglobe is sponsoring a Route 66 night at 6 p.m. Wednesday at its new location of 2258 Main St. Wheeling. The presentation will review the highlights of the June trip. The event is free to the public.