2013_rt66guide_Layout 1 6/3/13 10:04 AM Page 1 2013_rt66guide_Layout 1 6/3/13 10:05 AM Page 2 2013_rt66guide_Layout 1 6/7/13 2:49 PM Page 3 DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau The communities in this visitors guide are listed as Welcome! 915 Harger Road, Suite 240 they are found along Route 66 traveling from north Oak Brook, IL 60523 to south. If you are looking for information on a toll free: 800-232-0502 particular community, please use the table of discoverdupage.com contents below. Darien, Willowbrook Buckle up folks - check your oil and the air in Atlanta ....................20 Hodgkins...................8 those tires, because you’re about to take off Dwight Tourism Auburn....................26 Indian Head Park .......8 on the ride of a lifetime! And here's your guide 209 South Prairie Benld ......................29 Joliet .........................9 as you head off on Route 66—Illinois’ only Dwight, IL 60420 Berwyn......................7 Lexington.................16 426-mile-long, living, breathing heritage museum. phone: 815-584-3077 Bloomington/Normal..17 Lincoln ....................20 The Mother Road in Illinois is the place to Heritage Corridor Convention and Bolingbrook ...............8 Litchfield..................30 search out the perfect piece of homemade pie, Visitors Bureau Braceville.................11 Livingston ................32 15701 Independence Boulevard neon signs the likes of which you just don’t see Braidwood...............11 Lyons.........................8 Romeoville, Illinois 60446 Broadwell................21 Madison..................34 anywhere else, an honest-to-goodness rabbit phone: 815-588-7940 ranch, and a whole slew of large and small HeritageCorridorCVB.com Carlinville ................27 McCook ....................8 towns that truly are the “real America”. Bolingbrook, Braceville, Braidwood, Elwood, Cayuga...................12 McLean ...................18 Gardner, Godley, Hodgkins, Indian Head Park, Chatham .................26 Mitchell ...................34 Come discover all the old and new treasures Joliet, Lyons, McCook, Romeoville, Wilmington Chenoa...................16 Mt. Olive.................30 Route 66 has to offer. All you have to do is open Chicago ....................6 Nilwood..................26 Land of Lincoln RTDO these pages and go—it’s time for your 700 East Adams Street Cicero.......................7 Odell ......................12 adventure. See you on the road! Springfield, IL 62701 Collinsville ...............33 Normal/Bloomington..17 phone: 217-525-7980 Darien.......................8 Pontiac....................15 For more information on Illinois Route 66 : visitlandoflincoln.com Dwight ....................11 Pontoon Beach .........34 Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway Auburn, Benld, Carlinville, Cayuga, Chatham, Edwardsville ............32 Raymond.................30 700 East Adams Street Dwight, Farmersville, Gillespie, Girard, Springfield, IL 62701 Elkhart.....................21 Romeoville .................9 Glenarm, Litchfield, Mt. Olive, Nilwood, Elwood....................10 Shirley/Funk’s Grove..18 phone: 217-525-9308 Odell, Pontiac, Raymond, Sherman, toll free: 866-378-7866 Fairmont City ...........34 Sherman..................22 Staunton, Thayer, Williamsville, Virden illinoisroute66.org Farmersville .............30 Springfield...............22 William Kelly Chicago & Beyond RTDO Funk’s Grove/Shirley ..18 Staunton..................29 Executive Director 200 South State Street Gardner ..................11 Thayer.....................26 Belvidere, IL 61008 Stacy Conn Gillispie...................28 Towanda .................16 Project Administrator phone: 815-547-3740 chicagoandbeyond.com Girard.....................26 Williamson ..............29 Glenarm..................29 Williamsville ............22 Oak Park Convention & Visitors Bureau Glen Carbon............32 Wilmington..............10 Route 66 Partners and 1118 Westgate communities they Oak Park, IL 60301 Godley....................11 Willowbrook..............8 represent phone: 708-524-7800 Granite City.............34 Virden.....................26 visitoakpark.com Hamel .....................32 Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Berwyn, Cicero Logan County 1555 5th Street Pontiac Tourism Notice to travelers: Lincoln, IL 62656 115 West Howard Street phone: 217-732-8687 Pontiac, IL 61764 The information contained in this publication was abe66.com phone: 815-844-5847 compiled by the contractors who produced the Atlanta, Broadwell, Elkhart, Lincoln pontiac.org guide for the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, based on materials submitted. The Illinois Route 66 Bloomington-Normal Area Convention Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau Scenic Byway, Trittenhaus Design and their & Visitors Bureau 109 North 7th Street contractors assume no liability for the accuracy of 3201 Cira Drive, Suite 201 Springfield, IL 62701 the information or representations contained Bloomington, IL 61704 toll free: 800-545-7300 herein. toll free: 800-433-8226 visit-springfieldillinois.com bloomingtonnormalcvb.org Springfield Please note that admission prices and/or rates in this guide are based on the 2013/14 season. Bloomington, Chenoa, Lexington, McLean, The Tourism Bureau Illinois South To assure accuracy, please call ahead to verify Normal, Shirley/Funks Grove, Towanda 4387 North Illinois St., Suite 200 all information. Swansea, Illinois 62226 Choose Chicago phone: 618-257-1488 Designed by: Trittenhaus Design 301 East Cermak Road thetourismbureau.org 111 West Elm Street, Sycamore, IL 60178 Chicago, Illinois 60616 phone: 312-567-8500 Collinsville, Edwardsville, Fairmont City, phone: 815-895-4026 trittenhaus.com Glen Carbon, Granite City, Hamel, Livingston, choosechicago.com Cover photo and photography on Chicago Madison, Mitchell, Pontoon Beach, Williamson pages 8, 12 and 15 courtesy: Stacy Conn City of Litchfield Office of Tourism Great Rivers Country RTDO 120 East Ryder Street 581 South Deere Road Special thanks to Marty and Geri Bilecki for the Litchfield, IL 62056 Macomb, Illinois 61455 Auto Milestones. phone: 217-324-5253 phone: 309-837-7460 cityoflitchfieldil.com visitwesternillinois.info Trails to Adventure RTDO 3000 West Deyoung Street Marion, IL 62959 phone: 618-444-6148 adventureillinois.com 1 Printed in the U.S.A. June 2013 80M 2013_rt66guide_Layout 1 6/3/13 10:05 AM Page 4 Route 66 symbolized the renewed spirit of History optimism that pervaded the country after the economic catastrophe and global Route 66 is the “Mother Road” and Illinois is war. Route 66 made things happen. where it all begins. From the majestic skyline It transformed people and places. It is of Chicago to the Mighty Mississippi, you’ll romantically believed that these experience the romance of the road and transformations were mostly improvements discover the legendary people and places – that Route 66 was a product of a Golden that have given millions of travelers their Age for America and its people. “Kicks on Route 66.” The individuals who lived during the Unlike traditional highways that ran Depression, World War II and the Cold War north-south or east-west, Route 66 followed may have disagreed with that glittering the trail blazed by American history itself. assessment of the era. Nonetheless, even A look at 66 on the map is a glimpse at the during the anxious periods in our nation’s direction of transportation and commerce of history, the power of Route 66 to transform the country from the 1830’s to the present. travelers into new people and the American “At its birth in 1926, this road was hailed as a From the beginning, this is a story that landscape into new opportunities was great agent of progress – concrete ribbon “begins” with Chicago as the gateway to an acknowledged. tying the west coast to the rest of America. “end” in the great American west…a And for a wondrous half-century, it embraced compelling story of modern American By the time Americans were heading west in and embodied this nation like few freedom and mobility. the 1960’s, Route 66 and its many points of institutions can. TV glorified it. Song-writers interest along the way were familiar romanticized about it. Okies drove it out of In 1926, America was on the move and landmarks. The television show, “Route 66” the Dust Bowl. And scarcely an American Route 66 became the way to “motor west.” starring Martin Milner and George Maharis alive did not dream at some time of setting The road gave birth to service stations, featured a convertible view of America, with wheel to pavement along its way.” motels, diners and of course, often kitschy stories of discovery, hope, fortune, rebellion, roadside attractions to entertain travelers on empowerment and change. The show “Route 66,” declared Congress in their journey. Today, Illinois 66 is a continuum captivated an entire post-WWII generation legislation passed in 1990, “has become of one-of-a-kind connections to the old and instilled the sense of adventure that a symbol of the American people’s heritage road…neon signs, filling stations, mom and Route 66 travelers still seek today. of travel and their legacy of seeking a pop diners and unique roadside attractions, better life.” This Congressional finding all set against the backdrop of America’s Route 66 is arguably one of the most concluded by stating that it “has been agricultural heartland. famous roadways in the world. It has come enshrined in American popular culture.” to represent the American Dream – the From 1926 to the period just after World freedom, passion and spirit of the people Historically,