Route 66 in the News
New Generation of Roadies
2005-07-17 11:06:20
John and Lenore Weiss have been Route 66 junkies for more than a decade.
Now, the preservationists for the Route 66 Association and authors of Traveling the NEW, HISTORIC, ROUTE 66 OF ILLINOIS are finding out that there is a new, younger group of future fans seeking a fix along Route 66.
"We were contacted by a Boy Scout Troop wanting information on the Illinois portion of Route 66 to be used at the national Boy Scout jamboree," said John Weiss. "There are 40,000 scouts attending the jamboree from all over the country. That is a lot of exposure."
Other recent contacts include a group of 12 college students from Connecticut planning a trip to Chicago.
Last year, a group of high school students in Elkhorn, Neb., built a replica of the historic gas station located in Odell, Ill., to be used at a post-prom party.
It seems that the Illinois portion of the old Route 66 has attracted fans of all ages from around the globe.
Often known as "The Mother Road," Route 66 was built in 1926 when the federal highway system was created. The road passed through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985 after it was replaced by the interstate highway system.
The original road is not on any modern-day maps. While some of the original parts of the road were swallowed up by the interstates, most of the 2,448 miles of pavement still exist.
On March 5, 1989, a group of 15 people met in Pontiac to form the Illinois Route 66 Association.
"It is a living piece of history that must be preserved," said John Weiss. "More than 10 years ago, no one knew it still existed."
The old road has gained fans of all ages from all over the globe.
"Globe Trekker," once known as a travel documentary series entitled "Lonely Planet," included the Illinois portion of Route 66 for a program on the Midwest. The show broadcasts in more than 40 countries.
Watching visitors tour Route 66 has given Lenore Weiss a new sense of appreciation for the local scenery.
"I watched a lady from Germany look out her window and comment how far she could see," Lenore Weiss said. "This gave me a new appreciation of the flatness of Illinois."
Summer celebrations are abundant along the famous road. Every year, the Illinois Route 66 Association sponsors a weekend motor tour the second weekend in June. The group travels from Chicago to St. Louis in odd years and reverses the route on even years.
This year, "Rock 'N Rods on Route 66" featuring the "Route 66 Expo Pavilion" will celebrate the famous highway with a two-day festival on Aug. 6 and Aug. 7 at the 4H Park in Pontiac. Car shows, motorcycle shows, classic rock concerts and rare exhibits including an original 1948 Tucker Torpedo and seven of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's custom vehicles will be on hand.
Route 66 businesses are invited to showcase their information for free in the expo pavilion, Lenore Weiss said.
With the recent opening of the new Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, there seem to be more travelers wanting to experience Route 66 as they travel from Chicago to Springfield.
"We don't want visitors to pass us by while speeding along the interstates," John Weiss said. "We want people to get off of I-80 and I-55 to experience the back roads."
Foreign travelers like driving Route 66 because they want to leave the big city behind so they can experience what life really is like in America.
The couple has put together a sample tour of the 20-mile section of Route 66 heading south on Illinois 53 starting at the Chicago NASCAR Speedway in Joliet and the Route 66 Raceway.
After passing by all the construction in Elwood, motorists enter the site of the former Joliet Arsenal, where 23 acres are being transformed into new uses. The first is the 982-acre Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, the second largest national cemetery in the country.
Next, there are the 19,000 acres that will someday be restored to the natural grasses that originally existed on the prairie prior to transforming the land into farmland sometime in the 1800s. The Midewin Natural Tallgrass Prairie is the largest natural prairie land east of the Mississippi River. A stop at the visitor's center is a must for history buffs wanting to learn more on the history behind this property.
Following the southwest curve into the City of Wilmington leads visitors smack dab into the sight line of the Gemini Giant. This 28-foot high statue of an astronaut carrying a rocket started out as a gimmick to lure in customers and has now become an icon. The Gemini Giant has been featured in hundreds of travel guides and television shows through the years.
The Gemini Giant is in front of the Launching Pad Restaurant, a family-owned business.
A few more blocks to the south is the Andrew's Manor Bed and Breakfast featuring the Just Lovely Tea Room on Kankakee Street. This unique business is housed inside a beautifully restored mansion.
Travel one more block to Main Street to find the historic Mar Theatre built in 1937. There are two screens inside the Mar, one seating 300 on the main floor and a smaller 65-seat theatre upstairs. The theatre plays host to many community events as well as showing only family orientated movies.
Another block south leads motorists to Wilmington's historic downtown. Storefronts have not changed much from when they were built sometime during the 1800s and 1900s. There are antique shops, restaurants, and numerous shops for visitors to explore.
The Eagle hotel, with roots dating back to 1836, is in the process of being restored into a restaurant with overnight accommodations.
Another block to south takes visitors to an island in the Kankakee River. Both sides of the island off Route 66 are public parks. There is a dam and a one-lane bridge over a hand operated lock located in the South Island Park.
Many Mom and Pop businesses are along the route. Dreamland offers a variety of sandwiches and ice creams. The Ben Franklin Store offers a unique blend of gift items, crafts and hardware.
Follow Route 66 as it curves back to the south and visitors will pass by old strip mining areas that have been converted into a golf course and family recreational clubs.
Braidwood's Route 66 claim to fame is the Polk-A-Dot Drive In featuring life size statues of Elvis, Marilyn, James Dean, the Blues Brothers and Betty Boop.
Burma Shave signs greet motorists passing through Godley.
Continuing south along Route 66 is the Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife area, another old strip mine than as been converted for fishing, boating and hiking.
A mile farther south, watch for the Riviera Roadhouse and Supper Club. The former speakeasy was in its heyday during prohibition and boasts having Al Capone as a regular visitor.
On the same property are the original Route 66 Streetcar and Diner. This horse drawn relic has had many uses and has been restored by the Route 66 Preservation Committee volunteers.
The last stop on the sample tour is in Gardner where a two cell jail built in 1906 welcomes visitors.
"Simple pleasures and simple treasures," wrote the Weisses on the Web site. "That is what Route 66 is all about. Come and visit this 20-mile slice of Americana soon. Then experience all the rest that the Mother Road in Illinois has to offer."
To find these and other nearby places to visit along old Route 66, visit the Web site at www.il66authority.com.
~Kim Smith, Suburban Chicago News
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