Route 66

Chicago Illinois

Start on Adams Street just west of Michigan Avenue, at the “Beginning of Route 66” sign

Head west on Adams.

After crossing Ashland Ave, turn south/west (left) onto Ogden Avenue.

Cicero

Tunnels under the streets for gangsters and bootleggers. The Untouchables

Berwyn

Lyons

In Lyons, turn south (left) onto Harlem Ave (SR 43) after about .5 mile, turn southwest (right) onto Joliet Road.  After passing the 1294 (Tri State Toll way) Joliet road disappears under the I55, continue on the I55 southwest.

Exit I55 onto Joliet Road at exit 269.  At exit 267 (locally known as Welco’s Corners) after about 2.5 miles join the SR 53 and continue southwest.

Bollingbrook and Romeoville

Follow SR53

Joliet

Continue on SR53, which becomes a 4 lane at the exit of the town. Just north of Elwood, pass the bridge, 1.5 miles later, turn left and right to change from the 4 land alignment to the older 2 land alignment. 

Follow Manhattan Road, Mississippi Road and Elwood Road. A lot of the bad guys in Cicero eventually forwarded their mail to Joliet, actually Stateville – the state prison.

Chicago to Joliet

Joliet approved riverboat casinos some years ago.  The Empress, south of the city, is one of the most elaborate and boasts a “dock side” hotel roughly 5 times bigger than the casino.

Elwood

Follow Douglas until it rejoins SR 53 on the southern end of the town.

Continue on SR53 though…

Braidwood

Godley

Braceville

You should now see some landmarks of old Rte 66.

Gardner
Continue on SR53.  Right at Main Street, left at second stop sign.  At the intersection of SR129 and SR53 (both are Route 66 alignments), use the Frontage Road Southeast of I55.

Route 66 is stuck between the I55 and the railroad.

Dwight
The marathon Oil Station is a well-maintained Route 66 relic, constructed in 1932, and still intact.  The city has also preserved a historic windmill in the city center.

Dwight Rd to SR47 South

When SR 47 turns left, go straight to Waupansie St

Cross SR17 to old 66

At stop sign south of Dwight, turn Left

Odell

Turn left on Odell Rd into town

Cayuga

Before Pontiac:  Meramec Caverns Bar 44/66 on the right hand side of the 4 lane road.Look for Barn side ad and the Old Log Cabin Inn. This building was rotated by the HWY Dep’t. to place the front on the new rd.

Pontiac

Left on Pontiac Rd, to Lincoln, to Ladd and then make a right turn onto Reynolds St.  Rejoin the 4 lane at Reynolds and the 4 lane 66 (turn left (south)

Chenoa

Left on 3150 north, which turns into Morehead St.  Turn right onto US25, then turn left onto 4 lane 66.

Lexington

Towanda

Follow 66, at stop sign:  South: the 4 lane 66, or right: I55 to Bloomington.

Normal

Named for the early college.

Bloomington

Right on Pine

Left to Linden,

Right to Willow,

Left onto Main Street

Right on Business 55 pass Morris Rd. 

First Street past Parkway Inn, Right on Springfield Rd. 

Left on Beich Rd, then Cross I-55.  First Left (still Beich)

Like Beer nuts?  They are all produced here.  Shipped all over the world.

Shirley

Funk’s Grove

McLean
Curve right onto E Carlyle, left onto Main.  Go to US136

J.P. Waters and J.W. Geske founded the first truck stop here in 1928.  It is always open, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.  It was closed only one day due to a fire.  The Dixie Truckers Home features also the Hall of Fame of the Route 66 Association of Illinois.  It is truly a “hall”.  The hall being between the restaurant and the souvenir shop.  Neat stuff about Route 66 but not very extensive.

Head west on US136 to the railroad tracks. 

Turn left before the tracks and head for Atlanta (IL).

Atlanta
Use Atlanta Rd.

Lawndale

Lincoln
Lincoln is the only town named for Abraham Lincoln while he was still alive.
The Tropics (eat) The Mill (east: famous for its schnitzel)
Look for a huge neon palm tree on the west side of Lincoln PKWY

South of town, left on the Frontage Road

Broadwell
North of Broadwell, left at another Frontage Road sign
The Pig Hip used to be here

Elkhart
F.L. Bear Truck Stop
House by the Side of the Road Restaurant

Williamsville

Turn right at the stop sign, cross I 55. 

Turn left onto Frontage Road. 

Sherman

For about 6 miles, the first 4 lane portion of Route 66 straight through the town.2 of the 4 lanes are closed now, but the effect is still visible.

Williamsville to Virden

Springfield 
Abraham Lincoln lived here until he departed in 1861 for the White House. You can visit his home in the downtown area and New Salem is where he lived and worked before practicing law in Springfield proper.  The Lincoln Tomb & Memorial is in the Oakwood Cemetery. 

Follow Business Loop 55 though Springfield.
Marathon Station owned by Bill Shea

Cozy Drive Inn on 6^th St
One alignment of original Route 66 is now beneath the water of Lake Springfield.

From Springfield to Mitchell Use SR4.
After entering Springfield on BL55 (9^th Street), turn east onto South Grand then turn south onto Mac Arthur Blvd.  Turn west on Wabash Avenue (actually Mac Arthur Blvd. Blends into Wabash Av) Turn south (left) on Chatam Road (SR4).  Go west on Spaulding Orchard Rd.  Then go south onto SR4. 

Option1: Take  270 to and through St. Louis
Look for very large cloverleaf of sorts

Glenarm

Divernon

Thomasville

Farmersville
Art’s Motel and Restaurant
Our Lady of the Highways

Litchfield
Niehaus Cycle Co., a large motorcycle dealership with a booming, world wide mail order business is located directly on Old Route 66 in Litchfield.  The second generation of Niehaus’s operates the business.

Springfield to St. Louis

Sky view Drive Inn
Ariston Café for an excellent meal
Route 66 Café
Route 66 Motel

Continue on SR4 through the following towns

Chatman

Auburn

Thayer

Virden

Girard

*This looks like a jog to the left

Nilwood

Carlinvill

Gillespie

*looks like a jog to the right and then left

Benld

Sawyerville

Staunton

Mt. Olive

Mitchell

Turn south onto SR 203, Nameoki Rd.
 

To the Chain of rocks bridge
There is a move afoot to “restore” the bridge to a park for foot traffic.  Periodically the bridge is opened to pedestrians.  Call Trailnet, Inc. 314-416-9928 for specific information. Foot bridge only

Mustang Corral:  At the crossing of SR111 and Chain of Rocks road is a large lot with about 200 Mustangs waiting for a second life Chain of Rocks Bridge:  Constructed in 1927 it is a remarkable bridge with a 135 degrees turn in the middle, closed to traffic, accessible on foot only.

Granite City

Turn West onto Madison Ave

Venice

Follow onto Broadway

Option 2: Mitchell and Venice

McKinley Bridge

Coming from Venice (IL) one crosses the McKinley Bridge, the only bridge still in use that once carried Route 66 into St. Louis. 

After crossing the bridge…

Turn left onto Salisbury,

then left onto Florisant

and continue Florisant onto 13^th St. Follow onto Tucker Blvd.

Turn Right On Chouteau

Follow onto Manchester Ave

Follow onto S100 through the following towns to I44

Maplewood

Brentwood

Rock Hill

Warson Woods

Kirkwood

Des Peres

Manchester

Winchester

Ballwin

Ellisville

Continue on Manchester Rd. (SR100)

When Manchester Road splits from SR100, stay on Manchester Rd. into Grover

Grover

Continue on Manchester Rd. (SR100)

Pond

Continue on Manchester Rd. 2 miles after Pond, follow Manchester Rd., continue straight on,  crossing SR100, when they intersect again (less than 1 mile later), reconnect for about 2.3 miles with SR100 westbound.  Turn right onto a loop that reconnects with SR100 after 2 miles.

Mitchell and Venice:

St  Louis

Hollow

Continue on Manchester Rd. (SR100)

Pacific

Dinner At Red Cedar Inn 

Gray Summit

Pick-up I44 West /South 

St. Clair

Stanton

Take the south access road to Sullivan.  The Meremac Caverns are here.

Sullivan

Waynesville

Bourbon
A picture of that water tower proclaiming “bourbon”
is in many Route 66 scrapbooks.  In actual fact, this is wine country.
Main St is Route 66

Hofflins

Cuba

Follow I44 Through

Fanning

St. James

Rolla
Route 66 Motors for a Drink
US63 into town
The college in Rolla has constructed a small version of Stonehenge.

Doolittle

Arlington

Clementine

After Clementine get off at Z Road, Left on Tear Drop Rd.

S100

through Devils Elbow back to Z road 

follow SR17 to County AB

to County F to County W

Waynesville

At the junction with SR17 continue straight (west) for 5.5 miles
5.5 miles after Waynesville,
cross to the south side on I-44 (at exit 153)

then right onto SR17 to junction with road “P” and road ”NN” (1.5 miles)  Turn right onto road “P” then left at the fork onto road “AA” through Laquey.  Turn right at the T-intersection with road “AB” and continue west to Hazelgreen.

Hazelgreen

Continue west to the junction with road “F” and exit 135.  Cross I-44 and take north access road into Lebanon 

Lebanon

At the T-intersection with Mill creek Rd turn right. 

Turn left at the Y-intersection onto Elm (BL-44)

West of town at the junction with road “W” (at exit 127) go right, then left to stay with north access road for 9 miles. 

Cross to the south side of I-44. 

Phillipsburg

Take road “CC” through

Conway

Niangua

Marshfield

Devils Elbow

Take road “CC” then left onto Road “OO” and through 

Northview

Holman

Strafford

Mulroy

Continue on road “OO”

Springfield

Road”OO” is Kearney St and SR 744 in

Springfield.
Turn right onto St. Louis St. College St and then Chestnut Expy.  Cross I-44 and continue on SR266.
Springfield is the “gateway” city from the Interstate to Branson MO – the country music capital to rival Nashville, TN.  Branson is said to be the number one tour motor coach destination in the United States. 

Haseltine

Elwood

Halltown

Continue on SR266.  West of town, at the end of SR266 and the SR96 go left,

continue straight on the old pavement until it intersects with SR96. 

Continue straight for 0.5 mile and then turn right to take the historic loop through Spencer.

Spencer

At the next stop sign turn left onto SR96 and head due west

through

Albatross

Phelps

Rescue

Log City

Stone City

Avilla

Carthage

Follow SR96 across Spring River and follow SR96 over the railroad tracks to Central AV. 

Then turn left onto Garrison and right onto Oak. 

Continue toward US71 and take US71 southbound 

Webb City

Follow US71 to Joplin

Joplin

Left on Madison and follow onto Rangeline. 

Turn right at 7^th St. and go west onto SR66. 

Turn right to the historic route to Galena (KS) 

From Joplin (MO) to Quapaw (OK)
Kansas has only 13 miles of route 66, but they are well preserved and worth the time.

Galena

While entering from Missouri, on e has the option of staying on SR66 (KS66 and MO66) or using following older alignment:

Coming from Joplin (MO), use SR66 at the sign “old route 66, next right” hook right onto the original road and follow this road into Kansas.  Continue west toward Galena.

Eagle Picher Plant at “Hell’s half acre”, named after land damage caused by the mining activity, site of piles of mining debris known locally as “chat”

Use Front St. and turn left onto Main till the junction with SR66

The Galena museum, located at the train depot of SR66

Follow SR66 to Riverton

Riverton

After the bridge over the Spring River, join US69 ALT westbound.  A half mile later, US 69 ALT turns south, continue straight on (actually jog right and left) and continue westbound.  Cross the Rainbow Bridge over Bush Creek.
The March Rainbow Bridge is the last remaining Rainbow Bridge on Route 66, built in 1923, and saved by the Kansas Route 66 Association.

Continue Southbound towards Baxter Springs.

Cross Willow Creek

Baxter Springs
The Kiwanis Park in Baxter Springs is a nice place to take a break.
Baxter Springs Historical Society Museum (at 8^th St.)

Swing left (east) onto 3^rd St.  Continue South on Military Ave (US69ALT)

At Roberts Rd, turn left then immediately right onto 30^th St. reconnect with US 69 ALT after the commercial building and continue south toward Oklahoma.

From Baxter Springs (KS) to Vinita

Enter Oklahoma on US 69 ALT. Follow US 69 ALT to Quapaw.

Quapaw

Follow US 69 ALT to Commerce

Commerce

Follow Mickey Mantle Blvd (US 69). 

Head south on US 69 to Miami

Miami

Enter Miami on Main St.

turn right onto Steve Owens Blvd. and cross Noesho River. 

Turn south following US59/69

Dotyville

Follow US 59/69

Narcissa

Follow US 59/69.  After crossing I-44, join US 60 (follow US69, leave US 59)

Afton

Follow US 59/69. 

Note the Route 66 Café on the west side of the road

Vinita

Follow US59/69.  Turn left at the light at Wilson then continue out toward White Oak.

From Vinita to Tulsa

Join SR66 just before White Oak.

White Oak

Continue on SR66 through

Catale

Chelsea

Foyil

At the flag poles on the east side of the highway you’ll see the memorial to Royil’s Andy Payne who won the “Bunion Derby” (a foot race from Los Angeles to New York – much of it along Route 66)  North of the city see a sign directing you to the “World’s Largest Totem Pole”  It is four miles east of the highway

Sequoyah

Claremore

Pass Claremore on Lynn Riggs Blvd

Verdigris

Catoosa

Right onto Antry,

left onto Cherokee. 

intersection,

left onto 193th Av.

And then pass under I-44. 

Right onto 11^th St. 

The Blue Whale decaying symbol of an early day water park, calls Catoosa home.

Tulsa to Oklahoma

Cuba MO to Edmond OK
400 miles or 650 Kilometers