Route 66 Experience

Route 66 became the most famous road in the world, and the Illinois portion of The Mother Road developed a legacy of historic attractions, restaurants, museums, niche roadside stops, and nostalgia that has shaped memories since the road was established in 1926. Its iconic status has been strengthened by a vast body of music, books, films, and other art that present it as the essence of America’s highway culture. At the Illinois State Fairgrounds, the Route 66 Experience is planned as a walking tour beginning in Chicago and continuing through more than 90 communities along The Mother Road to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in Madison, Illinois. Over the next 3-4 years, the space inside Gate 2 is to become a centrally located micro version of Illinois Route 66, with a paved brick road lined by neon signs, replicas of giants and roadside attractions, and experience hubs highlighting Illinois Route 66 communities and their history with the road. This project is intended to bring Illinois Route 66 to the only fairgrounds along The Mother Road and to celebrate the past while presenting the road and the communities that preserve it as part of a diverse American culture.

Illinois · United States