Rediscovering Route 66

Published on May 30, 2008

 

In its glory days Historic Route 66 was a symbol of freedom and opportunity to travelers across the nation as it stretched from Chicago, Illinois in the heartland of the United States all the way to the coast of California. More recently, history lovers have preserved many of the attractions so unique to the "Mother Road." Experience them for yourself and relive the glory days of one of America’s most historic byways by visiting these restored quirky restaurants, gas stations, motels and other sites along the Historic Route 66 in Illinois, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona. Without so many others who have rediscovered Route 66, these places may not have survived to enthrall travelers today.

Start your journey in Willowbrook, Illinois at Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket, where even today you can grab a meal and “Get your chicks on Route 66”. Both a restaurant and a Blue Bird Bus stop during the Mother Road’s most popular days, this Route 66 restaurant served great food to weary travelers. Hungry travelers watched take offs and landings at the nearby airport through the restaurant's large bay windows. During the winter the restaurant's flat roof was flooded and frozen over for ice skating exhibitions. During the early sixties the Chicken Basket was in danger of going out of business when Dell Rhea and his wife bought the restaurant. With their help, you will find that this restaurant has become of one Route 66’s best. In June of 1992 Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket was inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame, so don’t miss your opportunity for a great meal and a trip back in time.

Still hungry after dinner at Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket? Hard to imagine, but if so, then come to another of Route 66’s famous restaurants: the Polk-a-Dot Drive In in Braidwood, Illinois. This nostalgic, diner-style restaurant started as an old polka-dot decorated school bus. Hungry travelers were served lunch from the bus’s mini-kitchen. Today, visit the diner for a great meal and don’t forget to pose for a picture with one of their life-sized replicas of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe or James Dean!

One of the great preservation efforts on Route 66 is the Russell Soulsby Station in Mt. Olive, Illinois. Built by Henry Soulsby in 1926 and run by members of the Soulsby family for 65 years, it stands today beautifully preserved as one of the oldest filling stations on Route 66. In 1991 the EPA closed the station because it could not keep up with gas station regulations. But today you can stop and see this historic gem which is now on the National Register. This is a site worth seeing along the byway, thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of its current owner, Mike Dragovich.

It may not serve gas anymore either, but the Odell Station in Odell, Illinois is another Route 66 preservation success story. Built in 1932 and serving travelers until the mid 1960s, this lovely white-frame filling station was nearly lost to age and neglect after it closed its doors in 1975. Thanks to the work of the Illinois Route 66 Association and Hampton Inn's Save A Landmark® project you can stop on by, take a photo, and learn more about the station’s past as you travel along Historic Route 66 in Illinois.

Rediscover some of the Mother Road’s eclectic history in Oklahoma. In the byway town of Miami, see one of the gems of Route 66, the Coleman Theatre. Built in 1929 by millionaire George L. Coleman, the theater delighted audiences with entertainment ranging from movies to vaudeville. Audiences would come from near and far to marvel at the ornate Louis XV interior and escape the realities of the Great Depression while listening to entertainers like Sally Rand, Tom Mix and Blackstone the Magician. Over the years, the Coleman, like many theaters, fell into disrepair.  In 1989, the Coleman family donated the theater to the city of Miami. Beautifully restored, the building now shows movies, plays, and other community performances. Want to learn more about its history? Take your choice of a Route 66-themed or mystery-themed tour of the theatre and you can see backstage rooms, the famous “Mighty Wurlitzer" pipe organ, or the spectacular chandelier.

In Catoosa, you can stop by one of the most recognizable attractions on Route 66 -- the 80-foot long Blue Whale. The Whale was constructed in 1970 by Hugh Davis as an anniversary gift to his wife Zelta. Slides and diving boards dangle off the Whale into a spring-fed pond. Eventually, the Whale became a water park. Although the park was originally intended only for their family, the Davises opened it to the public in 1972, adding a picnic area. In its heyday, guests would flock here to cool off with a jump from the Whale into the water below. The Whale and the park succumbed to neglect over the years, but concerned citizens refurbished this Route 66 landmark. Today you can still enjoy the picnic area and take a snapshot of the iconic Whale, but the spring-fed pond is no longer open for diving or fishing.

Truck on down the road to Albuquerque, New Mexico where preservation efforts are well under way. In Albuquerque you can have your own Route 66 adventure at the El Vado Motel. The El Vado Motel was saved from demolition in March 2008, and will be restored through the efforts of the city and citizens of Albuquerque. So be sure to stop by and catch the spirit of preservation.

The spirit of preservation will not be the only thing glowing as you continue on to the streets of Gallup, New Mexico where the bright neon signs beckon you to stay and relive the glamour of Historic Route 66. Bask in the culture of the times as you stay at the El Rancho Motel. The elegant Southern Plantation style architecture and Old West charm of the motel will help to put you to sleep as you dream of famous movie stars like Katherine Hepburn, Kirk Douglas and Spencer Tracy who once graced the motel during the Mother Road’s heyday.

If you have “anything with wheels that runs” come to central Arizona each May and join your fellow drivers in autos, trucks, buses, RVs and more at the annual Route 66 Fun Run. Stop at historical sites and scenic views along its route from Seligman to Topock. Be sure to join in barbeques, dances and other festivities at memorable towns such as Kingman and Oatman. Drive your jalopy on to Flagstaff, Arizona to rediscover exciting times on present-day Historic Route 66. Check out the carefully preserved and lovingly restored cars, arts and crafts and endless entertainment at Route 66 Days each September on the "highest city on Route 66".

Whether you visit the Historic Route 66 in Illinois, Oklahoma, New Mexico or Arizona you will find the past preserved and restored into vibrant life today. From gas stations, restaurants and motels, to modern-day celebrations, rediscover what made Route 66 great in the history of the United States.

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