And continuing our mission to mark the centenary of the Great Old Road, d’oh, it has to be Springfield on Route 66.
The most famous of the 41 Springfields across the USA on account of it being the spiritual home and final resting place of Abraham Lincoln.
It is, of course, in Illinois, so you don’t even have to venture too far, 180 miles or three hours, from the Route 66 starting point in Chicago either.
And The Great Liberator will be waiting for you there too.
All about Abe, honest
If you do nothing else in Springfrield, and you will, you must take in The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.
Where you can pick out any one of the 1,300 artifacts associated with the Bearded Behemoth.
While you’ll want to go back in time to the recreated 1830s log cabin village at Lincoln’s New Salem, where Lincoln lived from 1831 to 1837.
And the national park and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the only home the Lincolns ever actually owned.
The best way to get around is with your free Explorer Passport and let your Abe’s Hat Hunt & Route 66 Living Legends of Springfield Adventure begin.
Kicks on Route 66
Now Abe, of course, belongs to the ages and Oak Ridge Cemetery, where he is buried since 1965, and since with Mary and three of their four children.
Which means that he predated the Mother Road by 61 years, although as a great moderniser and lover of technology, we’d imagine he would have taken to the thoroughfare.
In prep for this big year twelve new Wayside Exhibits were installed in 2024.
With several boasting audio stories to allow travellers to hear from the legends of the road, or current proprietors and their story.
Mother Road in miniature
We’ve picked out The Illinois State Fairgrounds Route 66 Experience.
The Route 66 Experience takes visitors on a walkthrough of the highlights of all 421 miles and 92 communities on Illinois Route 66.
This condensed version of The Mother Road starts at the Route 66 Begins sign in Chicago and ends at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in Madison, with photos, neon signs, informative displays, and replica roadside attractions in between.
Route 66 stops in Springfield include Cozy Dog Drive In (home of the corn dog), the Route 66 Drive In Theater, Mahan’s Filling Station, Lauterbach Giant.
And the newly restored Sonrise Donuts Sign at Route 66 Motorheads & Ace Sign Co. Museum.
Of course, all the hard work traversing the Mother Road between Chicago and Santa Monica will be worth it with all these diversions en route.
And with Chicago and LA obviously major airline hubs we’ll leave you to do the homework to get the best air deals and accommodation along the way.
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