bkijek Loc: Oak Lawn, Illinois

Google “Route 66.” There are several websites, including one sponsored by the National Park Service, that give many great examples of structures that still exist that were on Historic Route 66.

Some Route 66 sights in or near Chicago:

1. There are several “Begin Historic Route 66” signs on Adams St. just west of Michigan Ave. in downtown Chicago. There is also an “End Route 66” sign a block south on Jackson Blvd.
2. Definitely, have some great deep fried chicken at Dell Rhea Restaurant in Willowbrook (just off the current I-55 at Route 83). The restaurant is on Joliet Road, part of Historic Route 66. My recollection is that they have a plaque on the wall explaining Dell Rhea’s connection to “the mother road.”
3. Going south on Illinois Route 53 (formerly Route 66) starting in Joliet there are several Route 66 establishments including Route 66 Food and Fuel and Route 66 Speedway (auto race track, not the gas station with the same name).

Fox News recently reported that Route 66 is on a list of 100 endangered historical places.

In 1955, when I was nine years old, my older brother got married in Amarillo, Texas. We drove our first car, a 1948 Plymouth, from Chicago to Amarillo entirely on the Historic Route 66.

Have fun and report back to us with some great pictures.

drumme

Living only 100 feet from one of the several routes of the Route 66 through Springfield, Illinois, I would be remiss not to say about stopping for a day in the city. If you hit town on the annual Route ^^ Festival Day you could encounter over several thousand car enthusiast displaying their 40's, 50's, 60's, and other restoration that take over the entire downtown and other parts of the city. 66 is part of the tourist attractions besides the obvious Abraham Lincoln Museum, Library, Home, Tomb and other things surrounding the hometown boy.

russraman Loc: New York City

To enhance your Route 66 driving experience and inspire your photography, make sure to get recordings of the “Route 66” songs to play on the road, including the classic Nelson Riddle “Route 66 Theme” orchestral played on the old TV series as well as versions of the rock song “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66” by The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry and Nat King Cole. And hit the sites mentioned in the song: “Well it goes from St. Louis, Joplin Missouri, Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty, You’ll see Amarillo and Gallup New Mexico, Flagstaff Arizona, don’t forget Winona, Kingsman, Barstow, San Bernardino... Get your kicks on Route 66!” I drove cross-country from New York to Phoenix in 2002 and hit parts of Route 66 during my three and a half day drive. Of course, your trip would be especially memorable if you happen to have a 1966 Corvette!

RonBoyd

Well, maybe a couple more. This is a view of St. Louis from the top of the Cahokia Pyramid and Lou Mitchell's (claims to be the start point of Route 66).:

jsmangis Loc: Peoria, IL

This attraction has been added recently in the city of Lincoln, Illinois (located on old Rt-66 between Springfield and Bloomington/Normal), and is on the site of a famous local restaurant that operated until it closed due to the health of the owners and lack of business due to the I-55 bypass around the town. Some years later the original restaurant was torn down to be replaced with a MacDonalds. At that time, the sign was saved and stored until recently when it was restored and erected close to where it originally stood (it's original position was in the middle of what is now the MacDonald's drive thru lane), with the help of the Rt-66 Historical Society, the State of Illinois, the current owners of the MacDonalds, and numerous private donors. It now lights up every evening, thanks to the City of Lincoln who pay the electrical bill, and is a sight to behold, day or night.
To make your trip more enjoyable, I suggest that you follow the signs that the Illinois Highway Department has installed on the secondary roads throughout the Land on Lincoln that mark the original routes that Rt-66 used to follow, as they will take you past many other Rt-66 attractions in our state, from E. St Louis to Chicago. The Illinois Route 66 Historical Society "il66assoc.org" will help you locate other stops to help you plan your trip, as well as help you find historical places to stay and dine while on your trip.

John Mangis, Peoria, IL

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RonBoyd

I agree, The portion from Chicago to St. Louis is every bit as interesting as that in the Southwestern U.S. From historical significance (Lincoln's Tomb) to the unique (world's largest catsup bottle).

Lemon Drop Kid Loc: Greeley, CO

There is a marked segment of the original pavement in Chenoa, Ill. It's a half-mile or so south of Interstate 55.

jaycoffman Loc: San Diego

For me the most interesting parts of this route are the unexpected and quirky little places. For instance, almost unadvertised in Oklahoma is a small little motorcycle museum located in an old service staton. It's really disorganized but the guy who runs it is very pleasant and fun to talk to and there are a few old gems there. There are many more of these types of thing still holding out on Route 66 so just keep your eyes and mind open. It'a a great trip although I've only covered parts of it.

wds0410 Loc: Nunya

Wikipedia definition: "Tourist trap is an establishment, or group of establishments, that has been created or re-purposed with the aim of attracting tourists[1] and their money. Tourist traps will typically provide services, entertainment, food, souvenirs and other products for tourists to purchase."

I think that pretty much fits Dodge City as I remember, it especially the "re-purposed' part. Although I will admit one person's tourist trap is another person's destination.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Since "Tourist trap" is a pejorative term and I know that Dodge City is more than the small part you show, I took mild exception to the comment. The town is really quite nice with much more to it than the tourist attraction.

RonBoyd

I get your point... and agree. However, I was thinking of an article I read once (unfortunately, I cannot find it now) about the history of Route 66. The article stated that as the road became popular, many small businesses popped up along the route -- those same establishments that we are so fond of photographing today. (The same thing happened, BTW, with the Natchez Trace a hundred years earlier.) It didn't take long for those opportunists to start creating little tricks to get people to stop -- two-headed calves, ice water, etc. Barnum would have been envious.

Anyway, my recall of the article (in my mind) was that described the very definition of "Tourist Traps" and I went with that idea when I wrote the earlier post..

Dan Mc Loc: NM

Stop on the old road in Adrian, TX...a cafe at the exact midpoint between LA and Chicago! This is a MUST stop(and the cafe has home made pies!!!)

The meteor crater, Petrified Forest, Old town in Albuquerque, Oatman for the old street and burros and so, so much more!

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I can imagine. Hwy 66 (Route 66) from Barstow, CA, South and West, Route 66 gets really hard to follow. I grew up in Temple City, in the San Gabriel Valley area and know where many of the pieces of Route 66 are or were, but only some segments are labelled or make any sense through most of Los Angeles County. In some places the original streets are completely gone. Much of Foothill Blvd. is portions of old Route 66. Today Route 66 has been replaced for all practical purposes with-in California by I-40 and I-10 and I-15, from its Eastern borders to Santa Monica. Yet, 66 has a lode of interesting places along it even in my neighborhood!

wds0410 Loc: Nunya

I agree it is a pejorative and that was my experience at Boot Hill which I will admit was pretty much the only part I saw so I must have missed the "quite nice" part of the town.

wds0410 Loc: Nunya