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What’s happened to Route 66, otherwise known as the “Mother Road”? It’s now described as a “Lonely Road” a “Ghost Road” really that you pick up starting in Chicago and then it disappears into a stretch of modern interstate. it was referred to as “The Mother Road” in John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath.” Many people took the “Mother Road”, out of the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma, headed towards California, the Land of Opportunity. This was also during the “Great Depression”, people were looking for somewhere to make a better life for themselves and their family. My mother’s family was one of those families. They left Oklahoma and headed to California.
You will know that you’ve found it again once you see a 20 ft. statue of Paul Bunyon holding a hot dog rising up from the side of the road, or a sign that says ” World’s Largest Covered Wagon,” being driven by a giant “Abe Lincoln.” This is just in Illinois, the first of states traveled through on Route 66. The Paul Bunyon statue, spelled “Bunyon” purposely is one of the mythic Michelin statues along Route 66. It is across the street from the Palm’s Grill Cafe, that is still home to great home-cooking. This is located in Atlanta, Illinois.
The first giant statue you will encounter though, is the Gemini Giant.
The Gemini Giant stands guard outside of the Launching Pad drive-in. The drive-in itself is shuttered closed, but you can’t miss this great photo op that rises from the corn fields just 60 miles south of Chicago.
10 miles from there you will come to Atlanta and the great Palm’s Grill Cafe, known especially for its homemade pie.
50 miles from there you will come to Springfield, Illinois, otherwise know as the “Land of Lincoln”. You can get your “Honest Abe” fix here by visiting the home of Lincoln, the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and Lincoln’ s Tomb.
The other thing Springfield, Ill. is known for is the home of the Corn Dog! The Cozy Dog Drive-in is still in operation by the original owner’s (Ed Waldmire) daughter-in-law and grand sons. They still serve Ed’s original recipe to travelers and locals alike.
It’s now time to leave Illinois and cross over to Missouri and come to the great Gateway city of St. Louis. St. Louis has launched west bound travelers for centuries.
This park is a great place to get out and stretch your legs and get an up close look at the arches. These arches are a graceful reminder of St. Louis’s role in the expansion west.
Continuing on our journey from St. Louis, I-44 closely tracks Route 66 and often covers some original parts of Route 66. Take the interstate southwest to Stanton, then follow the signs to Meramec Caverns. Okay, admit it, those billboards have been touting Meramec Caverns for miles and now you have to satisfy your curiosity! This family-mobbed attraction has lured tourists for years, clear back to 1933. From gold panning to riverboat rides, you’ll find a days worth of distractions, but don’t miss the best part! You don’t want to miss the geologically and historical cave tour. Just a Clue! The restaurant and gift shop are actually in the mouth of the cave!
Well, it’s time to go. Follow the interstate 44 to Lebanon. This makes a good pit stop. Then ditch the interstate west of Springfield to Hwy 96 to Civil War era—Carthage, MO. Check out the historic town square, and the 66 Drive-in theatre. From there go to Joplin where you will follow Hwy 66 to Old Route 66, then hold tight, Kansas is on the horizon!
Kansas holds a mere 13 miles of the “Mother Road”, but there’s still a lot to see. Kansas, the tornado prone state, is home to “Dorothy” in the Wizard of Oz”. Even though Kansas is home to less than 1% of Route 66 there is still a lot to see. You will first enter Galena, KS, where a rusty old tow truck inspired animators to create the character, Mater from Cars.
A few minutes later you must stop at Nelson’s Old Riverton Store. You can stock up on batteries, Route 66 memorabilia, turkey sandwiches. This property was built in 1925 and pretty much still looks the same. Notice the tin pressed ceiling and the outhouse—and it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. Cross Hwy 400 and continue to the 1923 Marsh Arch Bridge, from there it’s 3 miles south to Baxter Springs, site of a Civil War massacre and numerous bank robberies.
You will enter Oklahoma from Afton, and you will want to continue on to Clinton, OK where you will find Oklahoma Route 66 Museum! This fun place has tons of memorabilia, and also has music and videos to dramatize the Route 66 history.
So far this part of the journey has taken you 879 miles. You can drive it in one day with multiple drivers so you can switch off, but why? Take your time on this nostalgic journey. Allow yourself time to enjoy the sites a little bit.
You may want to stay in Springfield, MO. You can check out the Cozy Dog Drive-in for dinner, and there are several places to stay.
One place I would suggest checking out would be the Best-Western Route 66 Rail Haven. They have the true spirit of the Route 66. If interested I would be happy to help you book it. Free breakfast, pool, hot-tub, pets allowed. Let me know if I can help.
So watcha waiting for? Get packed and get going! Oh, I know, you want to wait till next week for Part II.
Thanks for sharing these interesting tidbits about Route 66 and unique places to stop along the way!
Thank you.
I am from Flagstaff, AZ, about 3 minutes from Route 66. We have a few giant statues, and I never knew that it was a “thing” on Route 66. We also have a popular bar and brewing company named “Mother Road” and now I know why! Thanks for sharing.
I am from Flagstaff, AZ, about 3 minutes from Route 66. We have a few giant statues, and I never knew that it was a “thing” on Route 66. We also have a popular bar and brewing company named “Mother Road” and now I know why! Thanks for sharing.
You make traveling on Rt. 66 sound like a lot of fun. Thank you for sharing the highlights and tips. Makes me want to hop in the car and go. I will put this on my bucket list for when the Pandemic is corralled.