Oh, it’s more than mere symbolization. THEY PUT UP SIGNS!
WGN news even pointed out that the route goes from Navy Pier to Santa Monica Pier, making it a “pier to pier network”.
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that’s a good name for a ska band.
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CA’s Paul Bunyan statues generally sell tires and tacos.
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I’ll always think of hot dogs, because of this particular statue that used to live in Cicero IL, now in Atlanta IL but always on R66.
{note the paint on the pavement}
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Wally’s in Pontiac IL is top notch! Maybe you get a bit more of the nostalgia further away from I55 where I presume actual stretches of the old route run North of Springfield, rather than what exists as an outer road. I too have a not insignificant % of the miles I have ever driven on these stretches. The landmarks are dotted around and there are certainly some unique bars and restaurants along the way. But it all feels more like a coincidence here than intention. The area is still fairly populated, with farms of course, so the businesses fit a dual purpose to serve both the local population as well as road trippers. Further west - your entire customer base becomes those that are traveling.
I remember seeing one in Flagstaff, AZ when I was there in the 90s. Apparently they are at the university now.
IFYP
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Egad, how did I miss that? What a stupid idea. It seems to me the road almost always gets referred to as “historic Route 66”. No, “Historic Route 66”. It doesn’t seem quite as historic when you change the location 60 years after it became defunct to somewhere it never had been. But whatever.
My band used to play very regularly at a place in a little now-secluded section of what was Route 66. The front door opened onto Route 66, but pretty much nobody used that door because Route 66 dead-ended just past there into an auto body shop and truck dealer. That section of Route 66 was basically a parking lot that was only used on busy days (St Patricks Day weekend). There is still one remnant of Route 66 days kind of kitty corner from there - Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket. It’s funny to think that a place so close to the city could have been considered a stop. At I-55 speed, you’re only about a half hour from the origin. At Rte 66 speed, it was already time to stop and eat?
We should to a ‘po tacular there. I could go for some toasted ravioli and pizza at Imo’s and some Ted Drewes for dessert!
I didn’t grow up there but went to college in Rolla so I went there regularly.
Oh, I miss toasted ravioli. We ate it often when we were at Mizzou. Have not had it since we left Missouri.
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My local grocer carries Imo’s things - pizzas, salad dressing, provel cheese, and they have toasted rav but that’s a different brand. About twice a year we do it up.
FT also ran a piece on route 66. Lots of nostalgia for sure.
https://giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/actions/redeem/28b683e2-e7d7-4ce7-81dc-1a4cb058c5e7
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When I worked at the store on the route, I did meet people from all over. Europe, Asia, South America, pretty much every state in the union.
Once, a group of Germans had their cars shipped to Chicago and drove it. That was the first time I got to see a Mercedes gullwing in the flesh.