BLOOMINGTON — It's been nearly 100 years since Route 66 was built as the main thoroughfare between Chicago and California. While the original roadway is no longer in service, traveling along the historic route makes for the quintessential American road trip. Here are some things you might not know about the road's path through Central Illinois:
19
Height, in feet, of the Paul “Bunyon” Hotdog Statue in Atlanta.
1926
Year Route 66 finished construction. By 1985, most of it had been replaced by newer interstates, and Route 66 was removed from the United States Highway System.
24
Height, in feet, of the Railsplitter Covered Wagon in Lincoln. It’s been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest covered wagon in the world. The site is also home to a large statue of Abraham Lincoln.
Miles of Route 66 in Illinois. In total, the road spans 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.
1966
The year of Bob Waldmire’s renovated school bus — the “Road Yacht” — on display at the Route 66 Museum in Pontiac. Waldmire was known as a Route 66 artist and preservationist, and visitors can tour his bus from May through October. The museum complex also houses some of Waldmire’s artwork, and his iconic VW van.
2026
In honor of the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026, a “parklet” will be installed at Main and Jefferson streets in downtown Bloomington. Scheduled for completion in 2022, the site will feature benches sculpted from recycled truck parts, as well as a bike rack and planters featuring the Route 66 symbol.
3600
Bill H.R. 3600 advanced to the U.S. House in November. If passed, it would create the Route 66 National Historic Trail and give the National Park Service authority to help communities preserve the roadway.
18
Width, in feet, of Dead Man’s Curve in Towanda. The sharp turn and narrow roadway here led to many traffic crashes for Route 66 travelers. Also in Towanda is the Geographical Journey Parkway, a walking tour with educational kiosks for each state along Route 66. There’s a collection of Burma Shave signs here, too.
2005
Year Illinois Historic Route 66 was designated as a National Scenic Byway by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
1939
Year John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath” dubbed Route 66 as “The Mother Road.” Springfield now hosts a Route 66 Mother Road Festival each September.
1824
Year that Isaac Funk chose the location for a well, setting in motion what would eventually become Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup.
1980
Year that Carl Garbe created Carl's Ice Cream, which has grown to include locations in Bloomington and Normal.
100
Interior height, in feet, of rotunda in the center of the McLean County Museum of History in downtown Bloomington. The former courthouse now houses the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center.
In this September 2016 file photo, volunteers from the Illinois Route 66 Preservation Committee helped repaint the 19-foot-tall fiberglass Paul Bunyon giant in Atlanta. The sculpture is a tourist stop along Old US Route 66.
The Railsplitter Covered Wagon, pictured here in July 2015, is the largest covered wagon in the world. A tribute to Abraham Lincoln, the wagon has been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Karen Stailey-Lander, center, past president of the Mid-Illinois Realtors Association, address fellow Realtors and Bloomington city officials as they dedicate a future parklet on Main Street in downtown Bloomington on Nov. 18. The parklet will honor the 100th anniversary of Historic Route 66 and will feature a unique park bench shaped of steel and styled after a pickup truck. A new sidewalk extension will allow the parklet to be located just north of the Route 66 marker at Jefferson and Main streets. The project is funded by a $4,000 Placemaking Grant Program from the National Association of Realtors.