Section Of Old Route 66 In Springfield May Get Historic Designation

Dorothy McMullen, John & Lenore Weiss 
Bill & Barb Gwodz, Joe Gniadek, Patty Ambrose and Holly Shaffer also attended the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council meeting in Springfield to lend their support to this momentous occasion that took place on March 14.

Illinois Route 66 Starts Here Sign 

We are excited to announce the acquisition of the only known Chicago 66 sign still in existence. We plan to loan this to the Route 66 Museum & Hall of Fame in Pontiac, IL. This sign can also be viewed on page 7 of our "New, Historic Route 66 of Illinois" book, where there is a picture of  it when it was on the corner of Jackson and Columbus streets in downtown Chicago. And for those of you who have attended any of our slide show presentations, you may recall that the first slide introduced to the audience is this sign. The sign was found in the Chicago sign warehouse and now it's ours and the Museun's!!!

"Explore the Route 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum!"  

Click here for the new brochure in PDF format (1.1MByte)

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 Traveling the. . . NEW, HISTORIC ROUTE 66 OF ILLINOIS 

Traveling the. . . HISTORIC THREE    A Triangular Tour of the Lincoln & Dixie Hwys & Route 66

 As the Story Goes. . .    A booklet of Trivia, Folklore, and Ghosts

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Joliet Kicks on Route 66 Television Debut

As the first segment in ABC 7’s “One Tank Trip” feature stories, Joliet’s Route 66 attractions were featured in a live remote this morning, Friday June 6, 2008. 

ABC 7 traffic and transportation reporter Roz Varon visited Joliet on Monday June 2 and returned this Friday morning to do a live broadcast at Joliet’s Route 66 Experience within the Joliet Area Historical Museum, downtown Joliet. The segment aired live between 5am and 7am on the ABC 7 Morning News. “ABC 7 Morning News is the highest rated television news program in its time slot, and Joliet is so pleased to have such positive coverage on the station,” stated Rebecca Lantka Marketing Manager for the City of Joliet. 

With spectators from the Joliet City Center Partnership, City of Joliet, University of St. Francis, and cars on display featuring the Model A Restorers Club and many who exhibit at the upcoming Joliet Route 66 Car Show on father’s day weekend, Varon was welcomed to Joliet by a huge crowd! 

These projects are part of an over $165,000 Illinois Bureau of Tourism Attraction Development Grant received by the Joliet City Center Partnership LLC. For more information on the gas pump locations and how to get your kicks in Joliet on Route 66 visit www.jolietkicks.com or call 1-877-4-JOLIET. 

To view the Live ABC Broadcast visit

 http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources/traffic&id=6187804 

The Joliet Visitors Bureau works to promote the city of Joliet and the tourist attractions of the city. For more information on Joliet tourism call 1-877-4-JOLIET or visit www.visitjoliet.org 

Rebecca Lantka
815/724-4462

John, Lenore, and Paul Peterson, "Jeff" of the 1950's Donna Reed TV show

Justine Shapiro (center) with crew and Lenore and John during filming of "The Midwest", one of PBS's Globe Trekker series.

Justine  in Odell, IL

Paul Lemat ("Milner") and Cindy Williams ("Laurie")  from the 1970's  movie classic "American Graffiti" with Lenore and John

Lenore, CBS News reporter Sharon Alfonsi, and John during filming of a segment on Route 66 

Film crew and Route 66'ers during filming of "A Blast From The Past", one of PBS's Bar-B-Que with Bobby Flay series

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn with John and Lenore

John with Chicago TV anchor Joel Daley

Internet Links

Route 66 Association of Illinois

Click Here for more on our NEW book "Traveling the ...HISTORIC THREE"

Traveling the. . . NEW, HISTORIC ROUTE 66 OF ILLINOIS

NEW UPDATED 6th EDITION   

45 MORE ATTRACTIONS THAN THE 5th EDITION. OVER 100 MORE ATTRACTIONS THAN THE 1st EDITION

THE ONLY GUIDE BOOK EXCLUSIVELY ON ILLINOIS. With this book you will easily visit all towns located on Historic 66. Included are numerous side trips to back road adventures and wholesome family fun! FROM CHICAGO TO ST. LOUIS, YOU WILL GET YOUR KICKS EXPLORING OVER 400 MILES OF ROUTE 66. 

Please click here to see a sample section

BOOK PRICE $15.97 - USA - POSTAGE & HANDLING $5.00

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PLEASE MAIL ORDERS TO: HISTORIC 66, P. O. BOX 616, WILMINGTON, IL 60481

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And check out our "As the Story Goes ..." book

The Changing Face of Route 66
A Look Back

By John Weiss

   We have some information that is uplifting and fascinating. Lenore and I are in a unique position to see and analyze some aspects of Route 66 that is not available to any others.
   First a little background: In 1946 the first travel guide of Route 66 was written by Jack Rittenhouse. Then in the 1970s and early 1980s Route 66 was replaced and decertified. The impact to towns, especially out west, was devastating. To combat this effort, Arizona formed the first Route 66 Association. Soon all eight states had a Route 66 organization. In 1990, Michael Wallis wrote the book, Route 66 – The Mother Road. This was so well written that it was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. This helped boost the interest in the historical aspects about the old road. The Illinois association was formed in 1989. The original motto and purpose was to Preserve, Promote and Enjoy Route 66. Since then the word Educate has been added.
   It didn’t take long for the public to discover what has always been there. In reality, they discovered what is perceived as Americana, a culture of mom-pop and apple pie. The old television show and the song gave an adventurous and romantic image to Route 66. The road soon became known as Historic Route 66.
   Let us now jump ahead to 1995. In Illinois, the state recognized the fascination of Route 66 by funding and installing, through the Illinois Department of Transportation, the brown historic Route 66 signs. This created even more interest.
   This interest led to a trickle, then a flood of publicity and tourists. America had rekindled its love affair with Route 66. By this time, Lenore and I had become rather knowledgeable about the old road. However, two ugly situations kept surfacing. We heard it over and over. Folks would say, "There is little to see or do in Illinois; all the good stuff is out west." Another often heard, frustrating comment was from folks who just followed the brown signs. They would comment, "What’s the big deal? We drove this old bumpy road, now what?" We call that the cruise ship mentality. Folks needed to be guided and told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.
   I have always lived and operated our businesses by one steadfast rule, "Find a need and fill it!" We saw that the need was in educating the public on how to enjoy Route 66 and to show them what was available in Illinois. In 1997, we published the first and only tourist friendly guide to Route 66 in Illinois. We immediately sold out the first printing of 1500 copies. In the same year we had printed an updated, second edition. The title said it all – Traveling the. . . NEW HISTORIC ROUTE 66 IN ILLINOIS.
   Let us now jump ahead ten years to current 2007. We are still the only Route 66 guide book exclusively of Illinois. We have just released the newest sixth edition. Each new edition has always been updated, not merely reprinted.
   For the tenth anniversary we decided to compare a copy of the first edition with the new sixth edition. The facts even surprised us! Here are a few examples: There are 100 more attractions mentioned in the sixth edition that were not in the first edition. There are 45 more attractions mentioned in this sixth edition than in the fifth edition. However, in the past ten years at least 30 attractions no longer exist. This is the saddest part. They range from icons to others that were just tourist friendly. Some examples are Steve’s Café, the Crosley Museum and Bridgeview Park. Others include the 66 Motel Court, Decks Drug Store and the Beich Candy factory tours and outlet store. Unfortunately, the list is long. Now on the happy side, the list is very, very long of what is new and entertaining on our section of road. Several of the over 100 new attractions are some that simply were not discovered by us the first time. An example would be Castle Eden and what we now call the Snake Bridge. Others have always been there but have now been developed. Examples are the streetcar diner and the two cell jail both in Gardner, and the Chain of Rocks bridge. Other attractions are new. Examples are the outstanding Route 66 Museum and Hall of Fame in Pontiac, and the Route 66 Visitors Center and the Iron Works site, both in Joliet. Millions of tourism dollars have been generated, and more are sure to follow.
   The message here is that Route 66 in Illinois is thriving. It is still a road of opportunities. For those of you who believe you know Illinois Route 66 because you did it in the past, we challenge you to revisit this lovely lady known as the Mother Road. Remember, "Mother knows best!"

   We in Illinois like to describe our favorite road in this manner: "Route 66, a linear community of simple pleasures and simple treasures.

   We are going to look at a 20-mile section of Route 66 south of Joliet. This is where Route 66 begins to show its character. Foreign travelers comment that this is what they were looking for. They want to leave the big city feeling behind and experience the real America. We are going to visit some of the Mom & Pop establishments that are the heart and soul of the Mother Road. Along here, time has stood still. The simple pleasures and treasures are in abundance.

   We politely pass the Joliet/Chicagoland (NASCAR) Speedway and the Route 66 Raceway (drag racing). We now enter the time warp of the beautiful and serene sprawl of historic Route 66.

   After passing the quaint town of Elwood, we enter into the site of the old Joliet Arsenal. These 23 thousand acres of history is being transformed into new and exciting uses. The first we encounter is the new 982-acre Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. It is this country's second largest. The name is appropriate not only because Lincoln was from Illinois, but he also created the veteran cemetery system back in 1862. At the entrance is a statue dedicated to the 52 employees of the arsenal who gave their lives during an explosion on June 5, 1942, and two killed in a second explosion on March 24, 1945.

   As we travel, we are surrounded by rolling, wooded grassy terrain. Here we have another 19,000 acres of the old arsenal being completely transformed back to the way it was, even before it was inhabited and farmed in the 1800s. This area is known as the Midewin National Tall Grass Prairie. It is the largest natural prairie land east of the Mississippi. A stop at the new visitors center is a must. It is located on your left while traveling south. This expanse of land is a real history lesson.

   Our peaceful, grassy, four lane, divided highway now narrows down to two lanes. Follow the curve into Wilmington, and there he is, waiting to greet you, the Gemini Giant. He is located at the Launching Pad Drive In. This is a wonderful family run business, not a franchise cookie cutter fast food eatery. The gimmick of having the giant is typical of the ingenuity of these small town businesses to draw travelers off the road and into their great establishments.

   A few blocks down Route 66, at Kankakee Street is the Andrew's Manor Bed & Breakfast. A B & B is really a step back in time. In earlier days, it was a way to earn a few dollars from passing motorists. Signs would read, "Tourist rooms for rent" This one also boasts their home cooked food they serve in their Just Lovely Tea Room.

   The next street south is Main Street. Here we have the Mar Theater. This original has been serving the community since June 1937. It seats 300 in the main floor seating area, but it also has a 65-seat theater upstairs that shows a different movie. Only family oriented movies are shown seven days a week. Prices range between $3.00 and $5.00. They estimate 37,000 patrons a year enjoy the movies, popcorn and hospitality.

   Travel one block south to Water Street and you are at the historic district of Wilmington. The storefronts haven't changed much from the 1800s and early 1900s appearance. Many are now antique shops. Numerous others, pizza, ice cream, coffee and a local saloon, are all fun to visit. The Eagle Hotel built in 1836 and 1847 is being completely restored and will soon open with a restaurant and overnight accommodations. Just a walk down Water Street and window-shopping will take you back to a simpler way of life. Even the Old Mill Race can be heard forever gurgling its way down to the Kankakee River.

   One block further south takes you onto an island in the Kankakee River. Both sides of Route 66 are public parks. A drive through both is a pleasant experience. The South Park located on your left, contains a picturesque dam area and a quaint one-lane bridge over a hand operated lock with enough history to do a whole story on it. Be sure to drive across and explore the area.

   We leave the island and discover many more Mom & Pop businesses. A stop at Dreamland for some delicious deli treats or ice cream is also a pleasant experience. Whatever you need as a traveler can be found in these Mom and Pop shops along here. Hardware, grocery, gas, repairs, food, shopping and even a not to be missed Ben Franklin Store for a craft person looking for a good buy or a souvenir.

   We travel south along Route 66 as it curves to the left. Much of this old strip mining area has been converted into a golf course and family recreational facilities.

   As we enter Braidwood you will notice on your right the neon Route 66 shield of the Polk-A-Dot Drive In. A real 50s - 60s family stop. Here you encounter life size statues of Elvis, Marilyn, James Dean, the Blues Brothers and Betty Boop. A photo with them is a must. Try a Green River, and visit the bathrooms to discover their eye catching unique decorations.

   If you travel south to the stop sign, it is Route 113. Just for some fun, turn left, travel one half mile. On your left is a game farm. Here you can admire herds of a rare deer species along with other unusual critters. It is not an official tourist attraction, but they do not mind you viewing the animals from the fence area.

   If you want a-really unique experience, continue east on Route 113 for another 1/2 mile to turn right on Essex Road. Travel another 5.5 miles, and on your right you will find Metal Art by Jack. You won't believe what this man creates! His imagination is outstanding. His creations are outdoors so you can stop any time. If you are lucky Jack Barker will be there to show you his numerous displays inside a true "folk artists" paradise.

   Return back to Route 66 and continue south. Note the Burma Shave signs as you pass through Godley. If you turn left at the intersection, it takes you to K-Mine Park. It is worth the visit.

   Continue south on Route 66 to the Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife area. As you pass through the gates you will be simply amazed at the transformation from strip mining to nature's gift of beauty in abundant supply. Here land that was virtually destroyed by strip mining has been converted into a beautiful family destination. Fishing, boating and hiking are a relaxing experience.

   A mile further, along the Mazon River, we have the Riviera Roadhouse. Very little has changed since its heydays.Super great home made food is still delivered on a dumb waiter weighted down by a World War One artillery shell. Stalactites hang above the bar area remind you of the days before cars had airconditioning. It was a pleasure to enter the cool basement as if it were a cave. It is easy to envision Tom Mix, Gene Kelly, Al Capone and brother Ralph sitting at the original bar. This is an experience like no other. Outback, nestled in the tranquility of the mighty oaks, is the original Route 66 Streetcar/Diner. This horse drawn relic has had many uses and has a ton of history. It is being restored in a whimsical manor by volunteers of the Route 66 Preservation Committee.

   Our final destination will be in Gardner. A visit to the 1906 Two Cell Jail and the grounds surrounding it is a special small town. This town celebrated its 150-year birthday sesquicentennial this year. The festivities were held on August 7 and 8, 2004. Plenty of small town hospitality and history was available to all of you lucky enough to attend. You experienced sites and attractions rarely seen.

   Yes, simple pleasures and simple treasures. That is what Route 66 is all about. Come visit this 20-mile slice of Americana soon. Then experience all the rest that the Mother Road in Illinois has to offer.

Seldom Mentioned Places - Free Admission

   ROUTE 66 HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM, PONTIAC - This is the new home of the famous facility that at one time was located at the Dixie in McLean. This fantastic facility is run by the Route 66 Association of Illinois. Located on Route 116, Howard Street, at Mill St.

   ROUTE 66 WELCOME CENTER, JOLIET - Visit this $1.5 million building. See displays about Lincoln Highway and Route 66. Souvenirs available in the gift shop. Next door is the $5.5 million Joliet Area Historical Museum. Closed Mondays. Located on Route 66 north of Route 30 (Lincoln Hwy.)

   CASTLE EDEN - See a 1/10 scale model of the Washington D.C. White House as it appeared in 1903. Also visit the beautiful grounds, religious museum, Shrine of St. Theresa and gift and book shop. Located on original Route 66, the location is now known as AYLESFORD. NORTH OF 1-55, FRONTAGE RD. - EXIT 273B.