Getting my Model "A" Ford Kicks on "Route 66"
by Larry Rust
Recently, my wife and I traveled in our 1930 Ford Town Sedan with our local Model A Ford club on a two day trip along old Route 66 to Pontiac, IL. The first weekend in May is an annual event called the Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival which begins in Joliet and ends downstate in Towanda, IL. The towns along the way have various festivities of their own to celebrate this weekend.
Originally Route 66 started in downtown Chicago and wound its way through many small towns and cities across eight states as it made its way to Santa Monica, California. Built in the 1920's, this route became a popular way to get from Chicago to the west coast when the automobile was becoming a more available means of transportation to the public. As the freeway system was developed in the 1940's and 1950's, it bypassed many of the small towns along Route 66. These small towns and cities along the route were greatly affected. Many "Mom and Pop" gas stations, motels, restaurants and souvenir shops closed. In 1985 the route was officially decommissioned as US 66. There are still sections of the original route intact and designated as Historic Route 66. Unfortunately, as with the road disappearing, so did many of the tourist attractions along the way.
There were eleven Model A's that made the trip. Our first stop after breakfast was the Joliet Museum which is located in downtown Joliet on Historic Route 66. The museum has an interesting Civil War exhibit as well as a history of the area in the early Twentieth Century.
From there we traveled to Wilmington, IL where they had a street festival of food, craft and antique vendors.
The next stop was Dwight where all the Model A's pulled into a Texaco Gas Station which served the early days of travel beginning in 1933. It has been noted as one of the longest continually operated gas stations on Route 66. It finally closed in 2002. We were greeted by a smiling elderly gentleman in a vintage Texaco uniform. Although they no longer pump gas, the station is used as a tourist center still having the original pumps and facade.
Further down the road in Odell, we stopped at a vintage Standard Oil Station originally opened in 1932. Today it is used a tourist center operated by the people of Odell. After taking many pictures of our cars in front of the antique gas pumps we left for our final stop in Pontiac.
Arriving late in the afternoon, we made our destination. That evening, we were welcomed by the mayor of Pontiac and enjoyed front row seats at a musical revue of the 50's and early 60's performed by local people in their park pavilion theater.
Sunday morning we headed into downtown Pontiac and found that the town had reserved parking in the Courthouse Square in front of the Pontiac - Overland Museum. The museum has a varied and interesting display of Pontiacs and Overlands. It also has an impressive collection of literature about these cars.
After a tour of the museum we had a trolley waiting for us that took us around the town. Our guide pointed out various murals that have been painted on buildings by famous artists depicting the famous Route 66. The tour also highlighted the history of Pontiac dating back to when Abraham Lincoln would frequent the town.
After visiting local street vendors and the Route 66 Museum we got back in our cars to head back home. Our final stop was in Willowbrook, where we had dinner at the famous Dell-Rhea Restaurant. Known for its Famous Chicken Baskets, it originally started business in 1946.
Overall it was a great trip. No problems with the cars. The weather was conducive to traveling in the Model A except for the last hour when it poured rain.
Although this was a small glimpse of the "Mother Road" , as it is sometimes called, it planted a seed to venture further out some day on Historic Route 66.
by Larry Rust
Recently, my wife and I traveled in our 1930 Ford Town Sedan with our local Model A Ford club on a two day trip along old Route 66 to Pontiac, IL. The first weekend in May is an annual event called the Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival which begins in Joliet and ends downstate in Towanda, IL. The towns along the way have various festivities of their own to celebrate this weekend.
Originally Route 66 started in downtown Chicago and wound its way through many small towns and cities across eight states as it made its way to Santa Monica, California. Built in the 1920's, this route became a popular way to get from Chicago to the west coast when the automobile was becoming a more available means of transportation to the public. As the freeway system was developed in the 1940's and 1950's, it bypassed many of the small towns along Route 66. These small towns and cities along the route were greatly affected. Many "Mom and Pop" gas stations, motels, restaurants and souvenir shops closed. In 1985 the route was officially decommissioned as US 66. There are still sections of the original route intact and designated as Historic Route 66. Unfortunately, as with the road disappearing, so did many of the tourist attractions along the way.
There were eleven Model A's that made the trip. Our first stop after breakfast was the Joliet Museum which is located in downtown Joliet on Historic Route 66. The museum has an interesting Civil War exhibit as well as a history of the area in the early Twentieth Century.
From there we traveled to Wilmington, IL where they had a street festival of food, craft and antique vendors.
The next stop was Dwight where all the Model A's pulled into a Texaco Gas Station which served the early days of travel beginning in 1933. It has been noted as one of the longest continually operated gas stations on Route 66. It finally closed in 2002. We were greeted by a smiling elderly gentleman in a vintage Texaco uniform. Although they no longer pump gas, the station is used as a tourist center still having the original pumps and facade.
Further down the road in Odell, we stopped at a vintage Standard Oil Station originally opened in 1932. Today it is used a tourist center operated by the people of Odell. After taking many pictures of our cars in front of the antique gas pumps we left for our final stop in Pontiac.
Arriving late in the afternoon, we made our destination. That evening, we were welcomed by the mayor of Pontiac and enjoyed front row seats at a musical revue of the 50's and early 60's performed by local people in their park pavilion theater.
Sunday morning we headed into downtown Pontiac and found that the town had reserved parking in the Courthouse Square in front of the Pontiac - Overland Museum. The museum has a varied and interesting display of Pontiacs and Overlands. It also has an impressive collection of literature about these cars.
After a tour of the museum we had a trolley waiting for us that took us around the town. Our guide pointed out various murals that have been painted on buildings by famous artists depicting the famous Route 66. The tour also highlighted the history of Pontiac dating back to when Abraham Lincoln would frequent the town.
After visiting local street vendors and the Route 66 Museum we got back in our cars to head back home. Our final stop was in Willowbrook, where we had dinner at the famous Dell-Rhea Restaurant. Known for its Famous Chicken Baskets, it originally started business in 1946.
Overall it was a great trip. No problems with the cars. The weather was conducive to traveling in the Model A except for the last hour when it poured rain.
Although this was a small glimpse of the "Mother Road" , as it is sometimes called, it planted a seed to venture further out some day on Historic Route 66.