No one with whom I have ever communicated has found a matchcover from Chicago that actually says “66” on it anywhere. It will be quite the milestone when that first one is found. Do you have one?
The first confusing issue in the Illinois state database appears in suburban Chicago. There are a number of businesses that issued matchbooks at different times and the “towns” that were printed on their matchbooks changed. The businesses did not change location but the town boundaries or postal names changed. So you can find matchcover images from the same business listed among two different town names. The website visitor will find this from, for example, La Grange and Countryside, and Joliet and Lockport. In addition this same situation exists with the 15 Acres complex where the matchcovers are listed under both Mitchell and Granite City.
We assume that the Island Drive-In and Park Drive Cafe “on the island” in Wilmington were on 66 as there is only one main road on the island (created within the Kankakee River) anyway.
A postcard places Rossi’s in Braidwood on Route 66.
Foster’s Truck Stop in Towanda later became Eddie’s Pure Truck Stop and the matchcover from the latter business says it was on Route 66.
The location of the Midway Standard gasoline station in McLean is not known. Does anyone know?
The location of Graham’s in Springfield is not known. A large part of 6th Street (but not all) was Route 66.
We assume any traveler-oriented business in Raymond would have to be on 66.
There were several streets through Mt. Olive that were not 66 but could have traveler-oriented business on them so we have to be careful. We only include those matchcovers from Mt. Olive that say 66.
An old archived on-line newspaper article reported about a robbery at Wehmeyer’s Shell Service Station in Hamel and mentioned that the station was on Route 66.
Vandalia Street was Route 66 in Edwardsville. Main Street was not Route 66 but matchcovers from the Edwardsville Café at 106 N. Main say it was on 66 (not precisely right) but it was located just one door away from Vandalia so it is included.
A postcard confirms that Legate’s Motel in Edwardsville was on 66. It was actually next to the Hill Top House Restaurant, the matchcover from which indicates that it was on 66.
The early alignment of Route 66 ran along Chain of Rocks Road in Mitchell prior to crossing the Mississippi River on the bridge of the same name. The Chain of Rocks Motel is also located along Chain of Rocks Road.
Nameoki Road in Granite City was an early alignment of Route 66.