Older American cities were often first populated by immigrants, and in Edwardsville the Czech Hall was built in 1906 by Czechoslovakian settlers as a gym and meeting hall and was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. At 104 East Vandalia Street, places to get food or drink have long occupied the site, including the Stolze Block Tavern building, which dates to 1892 and was constructed by lumberman John Stolze, who also served as mayor of the city. The Bohm Building became Edwardsville's first office building in 1911 and housed a variety of businesses, including a drugstore lunch counter, while its third floor served as a ballroom where the owner's son, Clarence Bohm, taught dance lessons. During Route 66's peak years, the West End Service Station operated as a busy automobile service station, and in 2023 it was restored to welcome Route 66 travelers as a mini-museum and visitor center. Edwardsville is also represented among Illinois communities along the Mother Road by a Route 66 experience hub kiosk located near the Route 66 shield monument.
