The Mother Road in Illinois

 The Gemini Giant is a landmark statue on U.S. Route 66 in Wilmington, IL. Now installed at the entrance to the South Island Park, the statue previously stood outside the Launching Pad Restaurant from 1965 to 2024 

The Gemini Giant was re-dedicated at its new home in Wilmington, IL on the afternoon of November 30th, 2024. Fans of the Gemini Giant and Route 66 history gathered to celebrate the statue’s return. Local vendors, live entertainment, and Route 66 memorabilia  slated to make the event a family-friendly celebration of Route 66 nostalgia.

After the November 2024 re-unveiling, you can see the new and improved Gemini Giant anytime on a Route 66 road trip through Wilmington, IL

 The Great American Road Trip is immortalized in Pontiac! The Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame & Museum is the repository for thousands of pieces of memorabilia from the glory days of the Mother Road. Learn the incredible history of Route 66 in Illinois, see images and photos throughout the lifetime of the famed highway, and hear a few great stories about life in America when Route 66 was the most important highway in the nation.

Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum
110 W. Howard St.
Pontiac, IL 61764

 Situated just south of downtown Collinsville, the world's largest Catsup bottle stands tall and proud. Completed in October 1949 as the water tower for a now-shuttered Brooks Foods plant at a cost exceeding $23,000, the 170-foot-tall water tower still advertises Brooks' original rich and tangy catsup. 

 If filled with catsup, the 70-foot monument, which sits on top of a 100-foot stand, would hold up to 640,000 standard-size bottles. Instead, it holds 100,000 gallons of water. "Since we were going to have to build the tank, we thought we might as well have it look like something," said Gerhart Suppinger Jr. of the Brooks Tomato Products Co. when the company decided to erect the bottle. 

 "Opened in 1858 and shuttered in 2002, the Illinois State Penitentiary, now known as the Old Joliet Prison Historic Site was reopened to the public in 2018, managed by the Joliet Area Historical Museum. The Prison is probably best known today for its most popular, albeit fictional inmate – “Joliet Jake” Blues from the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers.” Since then, the Prison has made a number of appearances in films in television, including the fictional “Fox River State Penitentiary” in the critically acclaimed Fox series “Prison Break,” and in smaller scenes in, Let’s Go to Prison, Derailed and recently, Empire." 

 Located in the former Livingston High School building, the Pink Elephant Antique Mall showcases the wares of more than 50 antique dealers. From floor to ceiling, browse the shelves for a unique find. If you happen to work up an appetite, they have you covered with a quaint diner offering burgers, nachos, sandwiches and refreshments. Save room for ice cream and don't forget to visit the candy and fudge shop!

The Pink Elephant Antique Mall is a must-see stop for travelers exploring Route 66. Pose for pictures with the oversized outdoor statues including the pink elephant, original 1960s Futuro house, authentic "muffler man" and more!

 The station sold gasoline until the 1960s and then became an auto body shop until the late 1970s, when it closed its doors for good. It fell into disrepair and would have been destroyed had it not been for the town of Odell and the people who loved their gas station. In 1997, the station was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Then, thanks to a collaborative effort, the Illinois Route 66 Association, the Village of Odell, Illinois State Historic Preservation Office, the National Park Service Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, and Hampton Inn Landmarks restored the station to its former glory.

The Standard Oil Gas Station is located at 400 S. West St. in Odell, IL 

 The only house Abraham Lincoln ever owned is the centerpiece of this four-block historic neighborhood. Lincoln and his family lived in the two-story house from 1844 until 1861, when their address changed to the White House. 

 Lincoln Home National Historic Site preserves the Springfield, Illinois home and related historic district where Abraham Lincoln lived from 1844 to 1861, prior to becoming the 16th president of the United States. The presidential memorial includes the four blocks surrounding the home and a visitor center.

Address: 413 S 8th St, Springfield, IL 62701, United States

OK, not quite on Route 66 but well worth the visit.  Al Capone is buried at the Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery located at 1400 South Wolf Road in Hillside. If you enter the cemetery from Roosevelt Road, you'll make a right and it's about six gravestones down on the right side. 

 Sprague's Super Service was completed in the early 1930s by local contractor William W. Sprague, with a restaurant, gas station, and garage to meet the needs of travelers along Route 66. The upstairs owner’s quarters and a small apartment for the gas station attendant helped Sprague's serve travelers and locals while keeping costs down.  Terri Ryburn purchased the building in 2006 and worked on the restoration.  The Town of Normal purchased it in 2016 and plans to finish the restoration.  Terri Ryburn has opened a gift shop in the building which features Route 66, vintage, collectibles, and local artists. 

Whether you need a car towed or want to see some vintage cars, this Route 66 roadside attraction is for you. Dick’s on 66 in Joliet, Illinois (AKA Dick’s Towing) features old cars on their roof and a slice of the Mother Road at a real Joliet business.

The big white and orange building on Route 66 is decorated with a Route 66 shield, aging oil canisters, hubcaps and tools, a cutout of a man in the window and four vintage cars. Two old cars are positioned on the roof: an old tow truck that says “Dick’s Towing” and a black 1950s Pontiac Silver Streak with “California or Bust” written across the side. In front of the building are two more, including a vintage police car marked with “Car 54” and “support your local police.”

You won’t spot any lions, tigers, or bears at the Braidwood Zoo in Braidwood, Illinois. Instead, this quirky roadside attraction offers a charming little art display behind a wire fence, showcasing sculptures of animals like a towering giraffe, a pink elephant, a pig, and a steer.

These whimsical creatures are the creations of Jack Barker, a talented metal folk artist who crafted them from scrap metal and shredded plastic. His workshop and Metal Art Sculpture Garden, once located in nearby Essex, was home to an impressive collection of his unique sculptures.

 A stop at the Railsplitter Covered Wagon on your Route 66 journey is a must. Abraham Lincoln is a big part of the history in Logan County. He often traveled to Lincoln as a circuit riding lawyer on the 8th Judicial Circuit. So it is only fitting that Abe is featured atop of the the Wagon. 

The wagon was created by David Bentley and donated by Larry J. Van Bibber in January of 2007.

The Wagon measures 25 ft tall and 40 ft long, the Guinness Book of World Records recognizes this Lincon landmark as the World's Largest Covered Wagon. In the Winter, the cover is removed to protect it from the elements but it is put back on every Spring. 

 The Polk-a-Dot Drive In was founded over 50 years ago has become one of the most memorable attractions along Illinois Route 66. Stop in and see the collection of memorabilia and enjoy a great meal. 

 Standing 19 feet tall and clutching a giant hot dog, this Paul Bunyon statue, not “bunyan” purposely spelled with an “o”, is one of Route 66’s mythic Muffler Man Statues. A few of these giants still proudly grace the roadsides of historic Route 66. This one is located in Atlanta, just across the street from the Palms Grill Café, which features fine fare from The Mother Road’s golden age. 

 The historic Two-Cell Jail was built in 1906. It was closed in the late 1950’s. It remains a popular photo opportunity for visitors