Get Your Kicks on Route 66: Day 6 Route 66 Pontiac to Springfield IL

Our time in Pontiac, IL was wonderful, but like the folks who traveled Route 66 in its heyday, we were ready to get on the road. Our Sunday drive took us about 120 miles south and west toward the Illinois capital of Springfield. Most of us stopped at the Sprague Station in Normal, IL and in the charming little town of Atlanta to walk through the downtown shops, visit the museum, and maybe even have a piece of pie. One thing is certain: nearly everyone we met was welcoming and happy that we had chosen to take a little time in their hometown. The pictures that follow may show you some of their treasures, but our memories will hold onto the conversations with the veteran who works in the museum and shares his wood sculptures in an artisan stop across the street, and with the lady who is making restoration of the Sprague Station a huge priority. It is these conversations that give us a glimpse of small town values and life on Route 66.

In Normal, Illinois, this two-story Tudor-Revival style building was built in 1931 to serve traveler needs on Route 66. The building housed a cafe, gas station, and garage on the first floor, while the upstairs served as housing for the owner and station attendant. Several different cafes‚ and auto-related businesses utilized the building until 1976, when it ceased auto-related service. The building has been approved by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and nominated by the agency to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. We spoke with Terri Ryburn, current owner, whose rehabilitation plans include an information center, diner/soda fountain, bed and breakfast and event space. With her tenacity and passion, it's all likely to happen!

After our stop in Normal, we traveled on…and Atlanta, Illinois reminded us, and our mascot Mo, that the journey offers us more than a destination. In Atlanta, IL we found an active grain elevator, numerous shops, a small museum, and an octagonal public library. We parked along the street or in small parking lots, and got out to walk and to explore.

During the heyday of Route 66, travelers passed by hundreds of signs, murals and other forms of roadside advertising, each hoping to grab its share of attention. Originally designed to hold an axe, these Paul Bunyan- like fiberglass figures were made by International Fiberglass of Venice, CA. Some held mufflers or tires, and were known as "Muffler Men", but Atlanta's "Bunyon Man" is holding a hotdog. In 1965, the spelling of "Bunyan" was changed to "Bunyon" to avoid trademark conflict with the Paul Bunyan Cafe on Route 66 in Flagstaff, AZ.

Murals seem to be part of every town's celebration of Route 66.

Cool cars can still be found parked on Route 66 in "downtown" Atlanta, IL.

But this Rolls Royce was safely in a small museum in the center of town!

The octagonal shaped Atlanta Public Library was constructed in 1908. Today, its holdings include a museum celebrating the town's past, as well as today's technology. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Continuing toward Springfield, IL, we came across the Dixie Truckers Home. Ah, but times have changed, and this Route 66 icon is now owned by Pilot. The original Dixie Truckers Home at the intersection of Route 66 and Route 136 in McLean, Il was established in 1928 and is the oldest truck stop in America. In the old days, there were cabins for truckers and live entertainment and outdoor movies for truckers and locals. Today, Pilot continues to use the original signage, and honors the past within its modern-day structure.