Route 66 in the Land of Lincoln-- Part 2

BIG RED OFFICIALLY BECOMES QUEEN MONTANA'S SUCCESSOR

Montana the rabbit reigned at Henry's Ra66it Ranch in Staunton, Illinois for over seven years. Unfortunately, she died before running for president in the last election.

Big Red has succeeded her and enjoys lying on the counter, sitting up and yawning as well as being petted. Stop in and see him.

I liked the old Montana and pet her on several occasions.


AUBURN BRICK ROAD-- by John Weiss

It's a one and a half mile section of brick Route 66 south of Springfield. It was Route 66 from 1926 to 1930 when 66 was moved east to the current I-55.

In the 1930s, as part of the WPA project to get people working during the Great Depression, workers laid bricks over the original Portland cement section and widened. It wasn't really needed, but got people to work.

The section was placed on the NRHP in 1998. The state announced it was going to build a truck bypass around Springfield which would involve destroying half of the brick road. That was averted.

However, the bricks were getting into bad shape and new bricks were made to resemble the original and laid down this summer.

We had stopped to eat at a place south of the brick stretch returning from the Mo. Motor Tour and the waitress told us they were destroying the brick section as we sat. We hurried over only to see she was wrong and that they were repairing the road.

Thought We Had Lost Another Part of 66 Heritage for a Moment. --RoadDog