Historic Route 66

Thursday, September 23, 2021 we began a Chicago to St. Louis road trip on 'Historic Route 66'.

We began our "Get Your Kicks on Route 66" trip at the Historic "BEGIN" sign in downtown Chicago. On our 1st day we traveled south to Pontiac, Illinois, enjoying all the historic sites with many stops.

 

 

While in downtown Chicago, we celebrated the start of our adventure by stopping at Lou Mitchell's Restaurant and Bakery, which began service in 1923. Bill picked up some fresh donuts, although he could only eat part of one because of gut issues. Soon we'd find our way along Old Route 66 south.

 

The "Blues Bros" dance atop Rich and Creamy overlooking the ancient Joilet Prison.

 

The Kelly's and Blues Bros at the Joilet Museum

  The Majestic Rialto Square Theatre - still in use today.

Car 54, where are you? We found it!

Thankfully, Bill purchased a Route 66 (EZ66) guide book before our trek which made it easy to find the road and enjoy the sites from yesteryear. With Karen serving as an outstanding navigator, we were able to avoid the interstate as much as possible as we passed through several townships.

 

The Gemini Giant at the Launching Pad Drive-In, Wilmington.

 

Polk-A-Dot Drive-In, Braidwood. Planned to eat here, but we changed our mind.

Historic Texaco Service Station in Dwight Township - opened in 1933. 

 

Lunch at the Old Route 66 Family Restaurant, Dwight Township. 

Note: Texaco station across the street in background. 

 

Beautifully decorated interior with a Route 66 mural all around.

 

Original Historic Route 66 roadway adjacent to the interstate.

Standard Oil Co., Odell, Illinois

We continued along Historic Route 66 to our final stop today, Friday Sept 24th. We walked around downtown Pontiac, enjoyed beautiful weather, local murals and the Pontiac museum.

 

 

That's Bill's kind of car. Look closely and you'll see the golf club storage door open.

 

From Pontiac we drove north via the interstate to Princeton, Illinois (approx.100-miles due west of Wilmington) where we'd stay 3-nights to attend our nephew's wedding on Saturday, Sept 25th.  A long but productive, adventurous day trip enjoying the sites along Route 66.

 

On Friday morning, we drove south on Route 66, re-connecting at Pontiac continuing to Towanda Township, famous for 'Dead Man's Curve'. It took drivers by surprise, a narrow highway which was only 18 ft wide and a high speed car led to several accidents in the day.

Historic independent gas station on Route 66 in Normal, Illinois

Karen's sister Denise's friend Nancy, waving. The factory was closed - we could not get any Beer Nuts.

 

Lucca Grill for lunch in Bloomington.

Lucca Grill was founded in 1936 by the Baldini Bros from Lucca, Italy.

 

After lunch, we drove north again to Princeton then to Condit's Ranch in Putnam, Illinois where the rehearsal was taking place.  

 

On Saturday morning, we drove around the Princeton area to see a couple covered bridges before heading to the wedding in the afternoon.

 

'Red Covered Bridge'

 

'Captain Swift' covered bridge.

 

 

The Wedding

 

Brea, nephew Matt's wife to be, grew up spending summers here at the ranch which is owned by her family. The wedding ceremony was outdoors on one of their lakes and the reception was in the barn.

 

Matt, his son Jude and his bride to be Brea doing a blended family ceremony.

 

Beautifully decorated barn reception.

Mr. & Mrs. Matt and Brea Landon

On Sunday we left Princeton and hooked up with Historic Route 66 in Shirley, Illinois. From there, we'd continue our adventure on Route 66 to the Mississippi River to conclude our Illinois Route 66 trek.

The Midpoint between Chicago and the Mississippi.
 

 

Unfortunately for us, Funk's Grove Maple Sirup in Shirley, on old 66, was closed. 

 

No longer in operation!

Atlanta, Illinois - GIANT ALERT.

Giant muffler man holding a hot dog.

 

We even drove on 1.4 miles of restored hand-laid brick that was laid in 1931.

World's Largest Covered Wagon & Big Abe Lincoln in Lincoln, Illinois.

 

Our plan was to visit the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield. When we arrived, the entire downtown was blocked off for a car show. We drove around and around, but no way were we able to get close enough to get a place to park, and it was closed.

 

We also planned to eat lunch in Springfield at the Route 66, Skyview Drive-in, but it was closed.

 

 

  As we did a little google research, we stumbled across this place and thought, let's check it out. 

Would you stop and eat here?

 

 

           

Never judge a book by it's cover.  

   The atmosphere, service and friendliness was fantastic - and so was our lunch. Just what we needed! 

 

We pulled into the oldest serving gas station in Mt Olive dating back to 1926 (restored)

             

Oldest gas station on Route 66, Staunton, Illinois.

'Church of the Neon Cross', Hamel Township.

World's Largest Catsup Bottle in Collinsville is 70-ft tall perched on a 100-ft-tall tower.

Last Historic Place in Illinois: 'Chain of Rocks' bridge connecting Illinois with Missouri spanning the Mississippi. Note the 22-degree bend in the middle. It opened in 1894. The small castle structure is actually two water intake towers for a local power plant. Route 66 no longer in existence, the bridge is closed to traffic and is open to pedestrians.

This concludes our Illinois, Historic Route 66 adventure. We have done some of Arizona and when complete, we will post a new blog. Ultimately, Bill wants to do all Historic Route 66 from Chicago to California. 

 

Let the Route 66 adventures continue!