By Thomas Best
Over the last two weeks, I began my series on crossing the country by of the famed Route 66. Last week, I took you from Chicago down to Central Illinois. Today, we will cover the highway heading for St. Louis.
Along the road, and just off I-55, you will come to places such as at Lexington. Would you like to drive one of the earliest sections of Route 66, an area known as “Memory Lane?” You can here. Old cracked concrete with grass shooting up through the cracks past tree lined meadows along this “Memory Lane” will really take you back in time. When you get to Bloomington, turn into Sprague’s Gas Station, a uniquely designed “Tudor” style structure, where you visit what was once a two-story gas station with a restaurant on the top. Just a farther south, turn into Atlanta. Now the home of several of the large Paul Bunyan statues which have been converted into a plethora of figures such as the 19-foot-high giant hot dog man.
We stopped for the night in Lincoln, and the next morning we went to one of our nation’s best Abraham Lincoln museums. Located on the campus of the former Lincoln College, this museum features a captivating interactive tour of rooms related to the stages in Lincoln’s life. In this city, actually named for Lincoln before he was even president, is the watermelon spitting dedication site and the Postville Courthouse where Lincoln practiced law. Of course, you must make your way out to the edge of town to visit the giant covered wagon with Abe appearing to drive the wagon. Unfortunately, we missed the ”Pig Hip” Restaurant south of town where port sandwiches were once 15 cents a piece.
Once to our state capitol in Springfield, and after braving the section of road once called the “killer” due to its many car crashes, you must visit the “Cosey Dog” Restaurant. Do savor their delicious corn dogs and fries. Furthermore, we were fortunate to run into Buzz Waldmire, the brother of the famed Bob. Buzz chatted with us for some time about his family and the days in which they once lived in Galesburg. On the south side of town there is the “Muffler Man” and the iconic “Motorheads” Bar, Grill, and Vehicle Museum. With great bar food and cool t-shirts and route artifacts, “Motorheads” is fun visit.
Once you have made it to Auburn, where Route 66 was once part of Highway 4, drive the brick-lined sections of this famed motorway. Litchfield is next with a great car museum and a great bakery we called “Jubelt’s.” At Mount Olive, there is not only another iconic nearly 100 year-old gas station called “Soulbys,” but also the dignified “Union Miners” cemetery where you will find the grave of one of the miner’s greatest defenders, Mother Jones. At Staunton, pull off the road to take in Henry’s Rabbit Ranch, where you will find some VW Rabbits partially buried in the ground. Livingston was next, where you will discover one of the best antique malls ever created. This is the “Pink Elephant” with its seemingly endless rows of antiques. I loved the baseball collectables. Here there is also a 50’s style diner with great food. Before leaving, don’t miss their fun statues. Pam was ok with me getting my picture by a flirtatious Marilyn Monroe. Finally, before you get ready to pass over the Mississippi River, be sure to have a cold treat at the Route 66 Creamery in Hamel. Pam says they have the best strawberry shakes she has ever tasted.
Next week, we’ll begin our journey across Missouri on Route 66. Thank you for listening.
photo by: https://illinoisroute66.org/
