Illinois Route 66

Drove through Mitchell, Edwardsville, Livingston, Staunton, Mt. Olvie, Litchfield, Gillespie, Carlinville, Nilwood, Girard, Virden, Thayer, Auburn, Chatham, Springfield, Sherman, Williamsville, Elkhart, Broadwell, Lincoln, Atlanta, McLean, Bloomington, Normal, Towanda, Lexington, Chenoa, Pontiac, O'Dell, Dwight, Gardner, Braceville, Godley, Braidwood, Wilmington, Elwood, Joliet, Romeoville, Indian Head Park, Countryside, McCook, Lyons, Berwyn, Cicero, and Chicago.

Boom

Livingston, IL

Livingston, IL

Livingston, IL

Henry's Rabbit Ranch and Route 66  Emporium is a pretty cool stop, there are eight bunnies on the residence and I spoke with Rich, who like everyone on Route 66 was really friendly and informative.  He gave me some advice on what to see and where to to go, we also chatted about the different people who come through the store.  You can pet the bunnies too.

Henry

Staunton, IL

The Polk-a-Dot Drive In

On the road in Nilwood is a neat little stop, there are turkey tracks in the road where a turkey crossed the road, not a chicken (see what I did there).  They have a little sign with a turkey and the tracks boxed with white paint, so you know exactly where to stop.  Another neat little thing is at one point for a couple miles I drove along a red brick road, something a little different then what you normally see.

Turkey Tracks

Springfield, IL

Joliet, IL

While in Springfield I made a detour to Lincoln's tomb, which is massive.  There are a lot of giant Lincolns in Illinois.  While there I stopped at the spot where Abraham Lincoln christened the town with watermelon juice.

Springfield, IL

Lincoln, IL

Lincoln, IL

In the city of Towanda they have 1.5 miles of Route 66 that they've made into a walking trail.  I walked about a mile of it, along the trail they have little brochures telling you about each state Route 66 goes through.

Atlanta, IL

Wilmington, IL

O'Dell, IL

In Joliet, I stopped at the Route 6 Hall of Fame museum, which has famous Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire's van and bus.  Joliet also has an Auto Museum, War Museum, and the Walldog Museum. 

Bob Waldmire's Van

2-Cell Prison

The Rialto

Joliet Prison

Finally found the Beginning sign for Route 66, I got really lost in Chicago and decided to go back the next day.  It only cost me $15, I had to park in a garage because there was no place to park on the street and I did not want to get lost again.  Under 20 minutes cost $6 and 21-40 minutes cost $15; I was parked 23 minutes.

I did it!

Where you're suppose to start

While in Chicago I decided to take the Untouchable Tour since my mom and I didn't get to do it in March; it was much easier getting around when I didn't have to drive.  The tour told us all about the Prohibiton Era, Gangsters, areas of town where crime took place, where these men died or were arrested, St. Valentine's Day Massacre and Public Enemy #1 John Dillinger.  I also drove to the cemetery where Al Capone, Earl "Hymie" Weiss, Dion O'Banion, and "Machine Gun" Jack McGurn are buried. 

Where Dillinger was supposedly shot

We learned about the North Side Gang: Dion O'Banion, Earl "Hymie" Weiss, and George "Bugs: Moran.  The South Side Gang: "Diamond Jim" Colosimo, Johnny Torrio, "Machine Gun" Jack McGurn and Al Capone.  The West Side Gang: The Genna Clan, John Scalise, and Alberto Anselmi.  John Dellinger, Anna Sage, Melvin Purvis, and Eliot Ness.  The tour was really informative and entertaining I just wished we could of stopped and got out to see some of these places.

Thugs