52 The Next Taste
The Dixie Highway Trail by Amy Kamp
Chicago has long been known for its
booming craft beer scene, with powerhouse breweries such as Revolution, Lagunitas and Half Acre making their mark, but take a short trip to the southwest suburbs and you’ll find some captivating independent breweries situated along a historic highway.
The Dixie Highway was originally planned
in 1914 as a route to connect the Midwest with the Southern United States. Built as part of the National Auto Trail, construction lasted from 1915 to 1929.
The Dixie Highway was a system of paved
roads that connected towns rather than a single highway that we are used to seeing today. The western portion of the Dixie Highway started in Chicago and ended in Miami, Florida.
In Illinois, Dixie Highway is also known as
Route 1. Signs for the historic highway are posted along the route - some faded and worn, others bright and new. It was this simple sign that inspired the first completion prize for the Dixie Highway Brewery Trail.
