The Mother Road in McLean County

What we know as Route 66 was originally a trail used by Indigenous Peoples. It connected travelers to the Kankakee, Des Plaines, and Fox rivers, as well as Chicago and Lake Michigan. Over time, it evolved. It was a route for livestock droves, travelers riding in horse-and-buggy carriages, and later, the Chicago & Alton Railroad. Lincoln traversed this path by carriage and by train while working the 8th Judicial Circuit from 1839 to 1860. Route 66 was laid parallel to the train tracks.

Route 66 connects Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California. Federal legislation commissioned the route on November 11, 1926. This united sporadic stretches of road under one smooth coat of asphalt, making cross-country travel faster and easier than ever.

The route spans approximately 2,400 miles through eight states. Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California all lay claim to a part of the iconic highway.

Approximately 40 miles of 66 passes right through the heart of McLean County. The communities of Chenoa, Lexington, Towanda, Normal, Bloomington, Shirley, Funks Grove, and McLean benefited from the increased traffic. Several businesses and landmarks grew around the route. Some of McLean County's iconic 66 spots include Sprague’s Super Service, Steak ‘n Shake, Casey’s Garden Shop, and the Dixie Truck Stop.

Beyond its economic importance, the "Mother Road" became a powerful symbol of freedom, mobility, and the promise of adventure. John Steinbeck coined the term "Mother Road" in The Grapes of Wrath (1939). Steinbeck's novel follows a family of tenant farmers during the Great Depression as they head west in search of a better life. Although the novel is fictional, the story it shares was a reality for many people during this time.

Route 66 carried Dust Bowl migrants westward during the 1930s. It later served as an important transportation corridor during World War II. After the war, Route 66 became synonymous with the American family road trip, which shaped a new culture of automobile travel.

Beyond literary fame, Route 66 also inspired a myriad of other media. Songs, like “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66,” and movies like Cars (2006) enshrined the Mother Road's place in American pop culture.

Despite its iconic status, the federal government decommissioned Route 66 in 1985. By the mid-1970s, the new Interstate System had drawn traffic away from highways like 66 and onto larger, faster interstate roads.

Many people today have traveled Interstate 55 through Central Illinois, but have you traveled on Route 66? If you live in McLean County, there's a high likelihood that you have! Throughout its tenure, Route 66 took many forms. Parts of Main Street and Veterans Parkway in Bloomington-Normal were, at one time or another, a part of Route 66.