Our Route 66 Daily Journal: September 17, 2026

Page 1

Today we did Route 66 between Girard and Granite City, IL.

We started the day with coffee at Iron Palm Coffee.

Next we visited the Shrine of Our Lady of the Highways.

We started our walk around Carlinville at the Historic Square.

From the square, we walked over to the Million Dollar Courthouse and Cannonball Jail.

On the way back to the square, we found the Lincoln Boulder, which marks where Lincoln gave a speech during his senatorial campaign.

Before leaving Carlinvulle, we got coffee on the square at Hawthorn Coffeehouse.

Page 2

On our way out of Carlinville, we discovered the Red Truck Garden.

As we headed to Girard, we found the Turkey Tracks in Route 66 pavement.

In Girard, we took pictures with the Illinois Route 66 Shield Monument and walked around the square.

We originally planned ice cream at Doc’s Just Off 66 Soda Fountain, but after looking at the menu we decided to have lunch.

After lunch, we headed to the Litchfield Museum & Route 66 Welcome Center.

Page 3

We the  got dessert at the Ariston Cafe, which is thought to be the oldest continuously operated cafe on Route 66.

Next stop was the Mother Jones Monument. It was pouring rain, so we just saw it and took some photos out the window.

It was still pouring when we got to Soulsby Service Station, but we waited it out for about 10 minutes and managed to still see it.

Dad very briefly managed photos of the Where the Three Roads Come Together Mural in Staunton, IL, before it started pouring again.

It was dry by the time we got to the Pink Elephant Antique Mall, so we could explore the variety of giants and things they have outside.

Page 4

In Hamel, we stopped at the Route 66 Monument and Wayside exhibit.

The West End Service Station in Edwardsville, IL was closed by the time we got there, but we still stopped for some photos.

Down the road a little, we stopped at the Edwardsville Route 66 Shiel Monument and also got a rubbing.

Next we visited the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle in Collinsville, IL.

In Collinsville, we also found their Illinois Route 66 Shield Monument.

On the way to our next stop in Granite City, we discovered a Giant Fireman and Dalmatian nearby.

We got to the It’s Electric - Neon Sign Park just as the lights were coming on.

Nearby we found the Granite City Route 66 Shield Monument.

On our way to our next giant, I spotted a Giant Abe Lincoln and made Dad go around the block so we could get a photo.

Next we visited Rusty the Sledgehammer Muffler Man.

Our final stop today, was at O’Brien Tire and Auto Care to see their Giant Tire and Earl the Muffler Man.

See full list of Our Route 66 Adventures here and Google map here.

Our Route 66 Daily Journal: September 16, 2026

Page 1

Today was mostly spent in Springfield, IL, but we also had to go to Girard to try their Whirl-a-Whip today as it is closed tomorrow when we plan to really do that part of Route 66.

We got our first cup of coffee at Brezie’s Roasted Beans.

We then went to the nearby Mel-O-Cream for some donuts.

Next we headed to downtown Springfield to see some of the sites on the trail for the Springfield 1908 Race Riot NM. We also got the Historic Route 66 NPS stamp for it at the Lincoln Home NHS (had got the stamps for here earlier this year, but this one is new and we also discovered a new version of the Lincoln Home NHS for Historic Route 66).

 

We then walked in circles to find the Springfield Visitors Center. Similar to our experience in Springfield, MO, earlier this year, the Springfield, IL Visitor Center just moved locations and it is currently like their soft opening back at their normal location near the Old State Capitol.

Next we visited the Lincoln Depot.

We had planned to get another coffee on our way driving to our next stop, but instead grabbed one at Arrowroot Coffee Co while walking back to the car.

We then drove to see the Lauterbach Giant.

Our next planned stop was mini golf, but it was too hot and humid, so instead we went and got lunch at Maid-Rite, which is supposedly the first drive thru in America, but I thought that is what they said about Red's Hamburg in Springfield, MO, so who knows...

We then headed to Ace Sign Co Museum ahead of schedule by over an hour, which ended up working out good because we had the wrong info about their tour times. They only typically do tours at 10am, but they had a scheduled bus group arriving soon that they said we could join.

We had planned to do the Auburn Brick Road on the way back to Springfield, but as we headed to towards getting a Whirl-a-Whip we ended up on it when we were following the Historic Route 66 signs.

Before we got to Girard, we also stopped at The Sly Fox Bookstore in Virden, IL.

Page 2

At Whirl-a-Whip in Girard, IL, we got Whirlwinds (their name for Whirl-a-Whips). They are and they are not the same as the Whirl-a-Whip we are used to in Stanley, ND.

On our way back to the KOA, we stopped at the Sugar Creek Covered Bridge.

At the KOA, Dad and I ended the day with a 9-hole round of mini golf.

See full list of Our Route 66 Adventures here and Google map here.

Our Route 66 Daily Journal: September 15, 2026

Today we did Route 66 from Bloomington to Springfield.

Page 1

We started our day with coffee in downtown Bloomington. When we parked for the coffeeshop, we ended up on the other side of the McLean Museum of History than yesterday and discovered there were Route 66 and Looking for Lincoln rubbings.

Page 2

While getting the Route 66 rubbings, I noticed another coffeeshop and looked at their seasonal menu and we ended up getting coffee at Lab Coffee instead of where we had originally planned when we parked.

On the way out of Bloomington, we found the Bloomington Route 66 Shield Monument.

In McLean, we stopped at the McLean Depot, which is now a model train shop (was not open, yet), and saw a roadside exhibit and the McLean Route 66 Community Monument.

Across the street, we went into the Dixie Truck Stop/Dixie Family Restaurant, which is the oldest truck stop in Illinois.

As we entered Atlanta, we found a Route 66/Illinois 4 road remnant.

Our first stop in Atlanta was at the J. H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum.

Next we visited the Land of Giants at the American Giants Museum.

Page 3

We then walked down the street to the Atlanta Route 66 Park.

Next we visited the Atlanta Public Museum, which had an Abraham Lincoln Heritage Area National Park stamp.

Page 4

Before leaving Atlanta, we had lunch at the Country Aire Restaurant (and saw more giants).

We started our visit to Lincoln, IL, where the town's start is commemorated with the Lincoln Town Christening Watermelon Statue.

We then walked over to the Museum of Route 66 in Lincoln.

Outside the museum is the World's Largest Penny.

The town has another giant with the World's Largest Covered Wagon.

Near the wagon is a giant donut at a Mel-O-Cream location.

Nearby we also got some popcorn at Abe’s Caramelcorn Shoppe.

As we headed to our next stop, we made a quick stop to take photos of the Route 66 Corner Garage.

At the Mill Museum on 66, we learned about some of the area's past restaurants on Route 66.

As we headed to our next stop in Springfield, we made several unplanned photo stops. The first was at the Pig-Hip Restaurant Sign.

Next we took some photos of murals in Elkhart.

By the time we got to Williamsville it was pouring, but I managed to only get a little wet with the window slightly down for some quick photos of Frank's 66 Station.

It was no longer pouring, but it was a wet walk in the rain on the Route 66 Alignment Trail in Carpenter Park.

By the time we got to the Illinois Route 66 Experience at Illinois State Fairground the rain had let up, so we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the exhibit.

As we headed through Springfield to dinner, we made some more quick stops. The first was at Mahan's Filling Station.

Next we visited Shea's Gas Station Museum.

We also quickly pulled into the Cozy Dog to get the rubbing.

At the Motorheads Bar & Grill & Museum, we walked around to see some of their collection and had dinner.

See full list of Our Route 66 Adventures here and Google map here.