Guide to Missouri’s 78 Points of interest
es 317 road mil Travel historic Route 66 from St. Louis to Joplin. Missouri Life • 1
Romancing the Road When Martin Milner and George Maharis (who was later replaced by Glenn Corbett) drove their Corvette in search of adventure way back in 1960, their only plan was to explore a 2,448-mile, two-lane ribbon of Americana that connected Chicago to Santa Monica. Ironically, though the television series Route 66 was filmed almost entirely on location, very few of those locations were anywhere near Route 66. Still, the show’s title, as well as a catchy song recorded by Nat King Cole, got an entire generation searching for kicks on the Main Street of America. For more than fifty years, Route 66 was the epitome of the All-American vacation. It offered sightseers the beautiful, the bountiful, and the just plain bizarre. Fast food was invented on its shoulders. And when the long day’s journey stretched into night, the silent siren call of neon split the darkness. Abundant motor courts and motels meant you never had to stray far from the Mother Road. Come the daylight, a new adventure awaited just beyond the horizon. This Guide to Missouri’s Route 66 is a tribute to those days past when a road trip was more exploration and less destination—the subtle difference between getting there and getting there. It might be more efficient to take the interstate, but it certainly isn’t more desirable. While much of the original Route 66 has changed over time—some of it was cannibalized by the interstate system—what remains is more than enough to retrace the steps of America’s vacation pioneers. The kicks are still there if you know where to look. Let us show you. GREG WOOD, PUBLISHER
[ 4 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
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Publisher Greg Wood Editor in Chief Danita Allen Wood Creative Director Sarah Hackman Copy Editor Kathy Casteel Graphic Designer & Staff Photographer Harry Katz Graphic Designer Kath Teoli Advertising and Marketing Director Scott Eivins, 660-882-9898, ext. 102
Produced in cooperation with Missouri Division of Tourism and published by Missouri Life Media. Keep the Route alive at Missouri66.org. Special thanks to: Route 66 Association of Missouri Great River Engineering Tommy and Glenda Pike Custom Publishing: For your special publications, contact Missouri Life Media at 800-492-2593, ext. 106 or email Greg@MissouriLife.com.
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MissouriLife.com • 800-492-2593 [ 6 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Missouri Division of Tourism
Guide to Missouri’s Route 66 “Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.” —Jack Kerouac, On the Road ALTHOUGH WE CALL THIS A GUIDE, think of it more as a suggestion. In the following pages, you’ll find maps and route directions to help you plan your tour starting on the east side of the state in St. Louis and traveling west to the MissouriKansas state line. Original vacationers on Route 66 enjoyed the ride more than the destination. To honor them, you’ll find lots of fascinating points of interest for the whole family. This Guide to Missouri’s Route 66 is planned as an annual publication, and we really want to know where the Mother Road has taken you. Send your anecdotes, photos, and suggestions for possible inclusion in future editions to info@MissouriLife.com.
It all started here Springfield gets the credit as the birthplace of Route 66 (see page 11). Missouri was also the first state to award contracts for the interstate system that would ultimately replace Route 66. Those contracts led to the construction of Interstate 44 through Laclede County and Interstate 70 through St. Charles County. Interstate 70, which runs from Maryland to Utah, is considered the premier interstate highway in the United States. Missouri Life [ 7 ]
Iowa
Kansas
Route 66 Across Missouri
St. Ja
SpringFIeld
Carthage
Oklahoma
Webb City
Joplin
Arkansas [ 8 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Lebanon
St. James
anon
Sunset Hills Sullivan Cuba
St. Clair
Illinois
St. LLouis ouis
Rolla KENTUCKY TENNEsSEE Missouri Life [ 9 ]
Fred and Sarah Elizabeth Fife at The Spur Tavern, Leasburg Missouri State Historical Society
Route 66 Kicks For more than sixty years, visitors traveling south on Route 66 in Springfield had a closeup view of the world’s largest paper cup. Lily-Tulip and, later, Solo Cup maintained the Brobdingnagian cup until it was demolished in 2015.
[ 10 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
TO MANY, ROUTE 66 RECALLS carefree summer days spent with memories behind and adventure ahead. Yet for all the happiness the familiar highway sign inspires today, the story of US Route 66 begins with angry state officials battling for two simple numbers that would forever change the face of America. In 1926, the Missouri Highway Department printed 600,000 state roadmaps with Route 60 connecting St. Louis on the east with Joplin on the west. This drew complaints from Virginia and Kentucky representatives, who wanted Route 60 to run from Virginia Beach to Los Angeles and Route 62 to run from Chicago to Springfield, Missouri. Tulsa businessman Cyrus Avery and John Page, the highway engineer on the project, suggested the final double-digit designation. Route 66 was approved on April
Missouri State Historical Society
30, 1926, in the Colonial Hotel, located just east of Springfield’s Park Central Square. Route 66 would ultimately cover 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica in a diagonal path across the central states and into the southwest. The path avoided a more traditional linear course in order to link rural communities in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma to Chicago. Route 66 quickly became a boon to the early trucking industry. Because Route 66 was so accessible to small towns, it was the first avenue when the Dust Bowl consumed much of Oklahoma. It has been reported that as many as 210,000 people took Route 66, searching for opportunity in California. John Steinbeck’s classic 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath (and the 1940 film) brought national attention to what the author called “the Mother Road.”
Carrying the message by car Meramec Caverns, near Stanton, is a 4.5-mile cavern system. In 1935, when Lester B. Dill purchased the cave for a tourist attraction, the intrepid businessman created two new promotional mediums. Dill approached farmers who had weather-beaten barns and offered to paint them for free with his advertising message. Dill also has been credited with pioneering the use of bumper signs, the forerunner of stickers. He had boys tie Meramec Caverns bumper signs on cars while visitors toured the cave, giving him rolling advertising. Missouri Life [ 11 ]
Colony Inn, Joplin
Missouri State Archives
By 1931, Route 66 had been completely paved in Missouri, though the rest of the highway wouldn’t be complete until 1938. During the war years, most of the traffic along Route 66 was either military or military families going to visit loved ones. Traffic near Fort Leonard Wood became so heavy that a stretch was expanded into a divided highway. Happier days for Route 66 would come shortly after the end of World War II. The post-war economic boom, more leisure time, and the increasing popularity of the automobile drove more and more families to the road. From the 1940s to the early ’50s, the destination seemed less
Missouri State Archives
important than the journey. Hotels, motels, restaurants, gas stations, and roadside attractions grew along the road that by this time had been dubbed, “America’s Main Street.” In 1946, Nat King Cole released Bobby Troup’s song “(Get Your Kicks) On Route 66.” Then in 1955, a new attraction in Anaheim, California, changed everything. Disneyland made the destination important. For a few more years, Route 66 would benefit from middle-class families taking their children west to see the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest, the Painted Desert, and other attractions along the road to the Magic Kingdom. Joplin Museum Complex, Joplin
Movie night on 66 The 66 Drive-In at Carthage originally opened in 1949 and reopened in 1998. If you’re driving the Mother Road on weekend evenings in the spring through the fall, check out the drive-in’s selection of first-run movies. It’s a perfect family-night destination. [ 12 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Notley Hawkins
Macks, Joplin
Macks, Greene County
Missouri State Archives
The television program, Route 66, premiered on CBS on October 7, 1960, telling the story of two friends searching for America in a Chevrolet Corvette. To this day, Route 66 and the Corvette have become locked together in the American consciousness. The program continued until March 20, 1964. But by then, Route 66’s days were already numbered. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower had created the interstate highway system, based on his war experience with the German autobahn network. With higher speeds, fewer stops, and more convenience, the interstates would soon bypass the in-
Route 66 Kicks If you’re looking for the old Route 66 diner experience, start your day at the Pancake Hut in Carthage. It’s a trip back to simpler times on America’s Main Street.
Route 66 road, Cuba
Crestwood Bowl, Crestwood
Photo Name, Photo Place
Missouri Division of Tourism
Thomas Hawk
Missouri Life [ 13 ]
Colonial Hotel, Springfield Springfield CVB
Route 66 Kicks In 1962, Hodak’s Restaurant opened in St. Louis. It has been attracting fried-chicken lovers ever since. For more information and to see the menu, go to Hodaks.com.
nocent charm of Route 66. In 1985, the last stretch of highway bearing the Route 66 designation, in Arizona, was decommissioned. The Mother Road had run out. Fortunately, nostalgia for Route 66 was just beginning. Missouri had led the way for the creation of Route 66 in the early part of the twentieth century. As the century drew to a close, Missouri once again championed the cause of Route 66, refusing to let the road die. In 1990, the Route 66 Association of Missouri formed to preserve, promote, and develop old Route 66 in the state. Governor John Ashcroft signed a bill that same year that
Elbow Inn, Devils Elbow
Best Western Route 66, Springfield
Missouri Division of Tourism
Missouri Division of Tourism
[ 14 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Route 66 Construction 1933
Missouri History Museum
led to the posting of more than 350 Historic Route 66 markers along the old highway. In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the National Route 66 Preservation Bill, providing $10 million in matching fund grants to preserve and restore historic features along the route. Today, one of the longest preserved stretches of the original Route 66 still runs from Springfield to Tulsa. In Missouri, state roads designated with a 66 in the name (Routes 366, 266, and 66) are all part of the original sections of Route 66. You’ll encounter several of them in the pages that follow.
Early Route 66, Springfield Springfield CVB
To the towns and businesses along the original Route 66, the boom years were nothing short of magical. To anyone who experienced Route 66 in those halcyon days—days of wigwam courts and Stuckey’s pecan rolls, of cars that didn’t have air conditioning but restaurants that did, of roadside attractions that offered the lure of exotic experiences along with the promise of clean restrooms— it’s a memory of an America that begs to be rediscovered and shared. History tells us how we got to where we are. How to get where you’re going is up to you. Happy trails.
The War Road Buckhorn Meat and Grocery, Waynesville
Before there was a Route 66, even before there was a Route 14, the dirt road that would become the most famous highway in America carried Union troops to the Civil War Battle of Wilson’s Creek. That battle was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield.
Missouri Division of Tourism
Missouri Life [ 15 ]
Route 66 Kicks According to local legend, travelers who find themselves on Calvary Avenue in St. Louis at sunset will sometimes encounter an attractive brown-haired girl wearing a white dress, who asks for a ride because her car has broken down. Motorists who have offered Hitchhiker Annie a ride report that she mysteriously disappears as the car approaches Bellefontaine Cemetery.
The Chain of Rocks Bridge, Notley Hawkins
St. Louis
The Chain of Rocks Bridge, a mile-long span across the Mississippi River, was designated an official part of Route 66 in 1936, when the highway was rerouted over the bridge. A new Chain of Rocks Bridge opened in 1967 just two thousand feet upstream and rendered the old bridge obsolete. Too expensive to tear down and too narrow for modern vehicles, the Chain of Rocks Bridge continued to deteriorate. The bridge was reopened as a pedestrian crossing in 1999, linking more than 300 miles of trails on both sides of the Mississippi that today make up the Route 66 Bikeway.
Th St Ex
Other Attractions Route 66 State Park Visitor Center
[ 16 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Je
Ted Drewes, St. Louis Explore St. Louis/Jim Trotter
Ted Drewes has offered delicious frozen custard treats on Route 66 since 1941. The Gateway Arch is the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere. The width and height of the Arch are 630 feet, and a unique tram system takes visitors to the top for a bird’s-eye view. Jesse James Wax Museum has historical displays about and artifacts from the legendary outlaw and the Younger Gang.
The Gateway Arch, St. Louis Explore St. Louis/Dan Donovan Jesse James Wax Museum, Stanton
The Coral Court Motel was once a stunning example of the art deco and streamlined modern architectural style that helped define a mood on old Route 66. Now the suburban Oak Knoll Manor subdivision, several stone entrance gates are almost all that remain of Coral Court Motel. A carefully dismantled wall from the motel is on display at the Museum of Transportation (see a related story on the next page). The former Coral Court Motel, St. Louis
s
Creative Common
Missouri Life [ 17 ] Jesse James Wax Museum
Donut Drive-In’s iconic neon sign was restored in 2008, thanks to a grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. The landmark Route 66 business in St. Louis is still going strong and attracting new fans with the same recipes used in the 1950s. Be forewarned, Donut Drive-In is cash only, and there is no indoor seating.
Notley Hawkins
At the Museum of Transportation in Kirkwood, you’ll see an indoor re-creation of the glazed brick and glass block facade of a Coral Court Motel unit and one of the largest collections of vehicles in the world.
POINTS OF INTEREST 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Chain of Rocks Bridge Calvary Cemetery The Gateway Arch Donut Drive-In Ted Drewes Coral Court Motel Museum of Transportation Route 66 State Park
[ 18 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Museum of Transportation, Kirkwood
Missouri Division
of Tourism
Route 66 State Park, Eureka
Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis Lynn deLearie
Missouri State Parks
Route 66 State Park, at Exit 266 in Eureka, contains a portion of the original Route 66, including remnants of a historic but impassable bridge across the Meramec River.
Directions •
Our journey west on Missouri’s Historic Route 66 begins at the Chain of Rocks Bridge.
•
From the Chain of Rocks Bridge, take Route H (Riverview Drive) south along the west bank of the Mississippi River to North Broadway Street. Continue south on North Broadway. You’ll come to a slight westward jog on Calvary Avenue, which will take you through Calvary Cemetery.
•
At Calvary Cemetery, catch Route 66 south through O’Fallon and into downtown St. Louis, past the Gateway Arch. South of the Arch, catch Route 30 to Route 366 and proceed west on Route 366.
•
At Possum Woods Conservation Area, Route 366 joins Interstate 44 and continues west through St. Louis County.
•
At Eureka, Route 66 leaves Interstate 44. You’ll know you’re there when you see the roller coasters and rides at Six Flags St. Louis. Take Exit 266 to visit Route 66 State Park. Get back on Interstate 44 to cross the Meramec River.
•
Then follow Route 66 south and west into Pacific.
Calvary Cemetery is the second-oldest cemetery of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
Route 66 Kicks The Chain of Rocks Bridge was used as a setting in John Carpenter’s 1981 cult-classic movie, Escape From New York.
Missouri Life [ 19 ]
Meramec Caverns, just three miles south of Route 66 at Stanton, is the largest commercial cave in the state and features many unique formations created over thousands of years. Guided tours showcase the beauty of nature along illuminated walkways.
Missouri Division of Tourism
Directions •
At Pacific, Route 66 runs alongside, across, and along Interstate 44.
•
West of Gray Summit, Route 66 joins State Route 100 briefly before proceeding southwest on Route AT, which hugs and dances around Interstate 44 before joining it briefly just outside of Union. Old US Highway 66 acts as a frontage road to Interstate 44 through St. Clair.
•
In St. Clair, take Commercial Avenue to Route 47. The highway crosses Interstate 44 and joins up with Route WW. This road becomes the North Service Road. Follow that to Route JJ, then cross Interstate 44 to the South Service Road at Stanton.
•
Continue on the South Service Road to Sullivan in Crawford County.
[ 20 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
POINTS OF INTEREST 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
Jensen’s Point Shaw Nature Reserve The Diamonds Restaurant (closed) The Gardenway Motel (closed) Jesse James Wax Museum Meramec Caverns
t e t e y d s. e g s.
Shaw Nature Reserve, established in 1925, is dedicated to the region’s native flora and fauna. The 2,400-acre nature reserve has several historic homes and more than fourteen miles of hiking trails.
rve, Shaw Nature Rese Gray Summit
ion of Tourism
Missouri Divis
t, Jensen’s Poin Pacific
Jensen’s Point opened in 1939 as part of the Henry Shaw Gardenway. The limestone overlook offers stunning views of the Meramec River and surrounding valley.
mons
Creative Com
kins Notley Haw
The Gardenway Motel, named for the Henry Shaw Gardenway, was built in 1945 and operated for seventy years before closing in 2014. The sign remains and is an excellent example of Route 66 nostalgia.
Route 66 Kicks As part of the Historic Route 66 Hydrant Mural Project, Sullivan’s public works department has City of Sullivan painted twenty-seven fire hydrants to depict a separate area, city, or site along Route 66. The colorfully painted hydrants can be seen from one end of the Sullivan city limits to the other. Missouri Life [ 21 ]
Ko Ro
ine,
Restored Frisco steam eng Rolla
Route 66 Kicks The Chevrolet Corvette convertible may be the symbol of the open road, but there are plenty of other old car finds along the route. Automotive archaeologist Tom Cotter and photographer Michael Alan Ross have documented where to find treasures such as Joe Hauck’s 1939 Willys at Rolla Auto Salvage and Sales in their 2016 book, Route 66 Barn Find Road Trip: Lost Collector Cars Along the Mother Road.
[ 22 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Notley Hawkins
Before Rolla was a Route 66 stopover, it was a train town. This restored Frisco steam engine, coal car, and passenger car reflect a time when the rail, not the blacktop, was the main source of passenger travel. The train can be seen at Schuman Park, just a few blocks south of Route 66 in Rolla. Other Attractions The Circle Inn Malt Shop, Bourbon • Skippy’s Route 66, Leasburg Maramec Spring Park, St. James • St. James Winery and Public House Brewery, St. James • Meramec Vineyards and Winery, St. James
Vac St. Cou
Wagon Wheel Motel, Cuba
Missouri Division of Tourism Kokomo Joe’s Family Fun Center, Rolla
Wagon Wheel Motel lights up the sky after dark with its original neon sign. You can still stay at this stone tourist court that has operated for more than eighty years, making it the oldest operating motel on Route 66. It has been restored but also updated. Relax in shady sitting areas, around the fire pit, or on the decks or patios. Kokomo Joe’s Family Fun Center has go-karts, mini golf, batting cages, and more. You’ll find it just north of Route 66 on Route V. Vacuum Cleaner Museum and Factory Outlet in St. James will draw you in. It offers exhibits and displays that trace the history of vacuum cleaners throughout the decades.
wkins Notley Hawkins
Missouri Hick Bar-B-Q is a favorite with Cuba residents. The restaurant offers dry-rubbed meats that are smoked for twelve full hours. Leave room for cobbler!
r-B-Q,
Missouri Hick Ba Cuba
Vacuum Cleaner Museum and Factory Outlet, St. James Courtesy Vacuum Museum
Missouri Division
of Tourism
Missouri Life [ 23 ]
The Wagon Wheel Motel at Cuba started as a series of stone-and-mortar cabins built along the Mother Road in the time of Steinbeck. The iconic neon sign would come in the late 1940s and was designed by then-owner John Mathis at his dining room table. Missouri Division of Tourism
POINTS OF INTEREST 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21.
The Circle Inn Malt Shop Skippy’s Route 66 Onondaga Cave State Park Missouri Hick Bar-B-Q Wagon Wheel Motel Cuba’s Route 66 murals Giant Route 66 Red Rocker
The Circle Inn
Malt Shop, Bourbon
Route 66 Kicks
[ 24 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66 Notley Hawkins
The business district of Cuba was originally located closer to the railroad tracks that run through town. In the early 1930s, Cuba merchants moved to be closer to Route 66.
Cuba’s Route 66 murals are a total of twelve outdoor murals along the Route 66 corridor through Cuba, which has been nicknamed “The City of Murals.” The murals depict scenes from local and national history and include images of Harry S. Truman and Amelia Earhart. Cuba’s Route 66
Murals, Cuba
Missouri Division of
ve Onondaga Ca State Park, Leasburg
Tourism
Onondaga Cave State Park is home to the Onondaga Cave, which was discovered in 1886 and established as a state park in 1982. It is just five miles south of Route 66 on Route H near Leasburg.
Dave Thomas
Directions •
From Sullivan, stay on Frontage Road heading southwest through St. Cloud and into Bourbon. To follow the original Route 66 through Bourbon, take Alley Street to Elm Street.
•
On the south side of Bourbon, take Chestnut Street to Old 66 Road and then rejoin Frontage Road along Interstate 44.
•
Mirror Interstate 44 to Lea Road. Eventually, you’ll pull away from the interstate and into the town of Cuba.
•
Take Route ZZ out of Cuba. West of Fanning, Route 66 follows Interstate 44 as ZZ becomes the South Frontage Road to the highway.
Missouri Life [ 25 ]
fe
li an th er rg la is y or st hi re he w , Cuba
The steel sculpture by the Osage Trail Legacy Monument Project and local artist Glen Tutterrow celebrates the history and legacy of the Osage Nation.
CUBA, MISSOURI, has painted the town in a big way. The city’s thirteen murals have attracted attention far and wide, leading the Missouri Legislature to proclaim Cuba, Route 66 Mural City. Each mural portrays an intriguing scene that celebrates the history and mystery of Cuba’s heritage, including dramatic Civil War battles and a mysterious stopover by Amelia Earhart. A campaign appearance by Harry S. Truman and an unauthorized photo of Bette Davis add to the mystique. You’ll find three floors of history, featuring an Osage exhibit room, and a stunning war
[ 26 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
memorial to explore at the Crawford County Historical Society and Museum located at Recklein Commons. The Osage Trail Legacy Monument Project continues Cuba’s quest to make history larger than life. The steel sculpture, overseen by local artist Glen Tutterrow, is located on the Visitor Center grounds at the intersection of Route 19 and Interstate 44. The sculpture stands thirtyfive feet tall, twenty feet wide, and eighty feet long and depicts an Osage family traveling westward along the Osage Trail. Plan your own historic visit to Cuba, the Route 66 Mural City.
T R t
The giant Route 66 Red Rocker in Fanning is more than forty-two feet tall.
Amelia Earhart makes a mysterious stopover in Cuba in this mural.
Be sure to visit: • Wagon Wheel Motel • Missouri Hick Bar-B-Q • Dessert Island • Osage Monument Project • Route 66 Fudge & Flower Shop • Frisco's • The Cuba Bakery & Deli • Rock Fair Tavern • The Fourway
The Wagon Wheel Motel is a National Historic Landmark.
Missouri Missouri Life Life [[ 27 27 ]]
St. James Winery at St. James opened in 1970 and has grown to be Missouri’s largest and most-awarded winery. Next door is Public House Brewing Company, offering craft beers and locally sourced foods. The Gardens, located between the winery and brewery, is a beautifully landscaped outdoor seating area with a fire pit, lawn games, and wood-fired pizzas.
Notley Hawkins
POINTS OF INTEREST 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.
Vacuum Cleaner Museum St. James Winery and Public House Brewing Company Meramec Vineyards and Winery Mule Trading Post Kokomo Joe’s Family Fun Center Donut King Frisco steam engine, Schuman Park Rolla’s Stonehenge Totem Pole Trading Post
ca, Rolla
Stonehenge repli
Route 66 Kicks Students at the Rolla Rock Mechanics and Explosives Research Center at Missouri University of Science and Technology created their own version of Stonehenge right on Route 66. The half-sized replica of Stonehenge received the prestigious National Society of Professional Engineers Award in 1984. You’ll see it on your left as you head south on Bishop Avenue shortly after you enter the Rolla city limits. [ 28 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Notley Hawkins
s n d t g s e n , d h d .
g
Totem Pole Tradin Post, Rolla
Totem Pole Trading Post on Rolla’s west side has been in three different locations but never left Route 66. The snack/tourist stop offers a variety of items of interest to travelers. Established in 1933, the Totem Pole is the oldest Missouri business on Route 66.
Missouri Division
of Tourism
Notley Hawkins
Directions
Donut King, Rolla
•
At St. James, Route 66 joins Route KK for a tour through town. It then turns north onto Jefferson Street, crosses the interstate, and turns back west on Spring Street, which fronts the interstate on the north side. It will change names from Spring Street to Private Drive 2292 to County Road 2020 and to County Road 2000, but if you stay the course, you’ll do just fine.
•
At Rolla, Route 66 turns west on Bishop Avenue and veers south before turning back west on Kingshighway. That leads into the Martin Springs Outer Road, then County Road 7100, which becomes Eisenhower Street in Doolittle.
•
Just west of Doolittle, you’ll rejoin Interstate 44 for a brief time. Just outside the Mark Twain National Forest, Route 66 leaves the interstate to cross the Trail of Tears on the Powellville Outer Road.
•
At Route J, you’ll cross the interstate again and join Route Z west into Pulaski County.
s Notley Hawkins
Missouri Life [ 29 ]
Paving Route 66 Through Rolla The Phelps County Bank building at Eighth and Pine Streets in Rolla was originally the Hotel Edwin Long. The hotel opened on March 12, 1931. Three days later, it hosted the celebration of the opening of Missouri’s Route 66.
Notley Hawkins
From rail to road JOHN STEINBECK called it the Mother Road. You know it as Route 66. Like brightly painted bookends, two historic signs stand as sentinels on Route 66, guarding either edge of Rolla. Beneath those signs—one a giant totem pole, the other a towering mule with an accompanying hillbilly—two unique local trading posts transport visitors in time to a world that predates convenience stores. It was a time when Route 66 travelers could buy gas and groceries, moccasins and white-oak baskets, and postcards and picnic supplies; they could immerse themselves in the local hill culture. Building the Mother Road wasn’t easy. Because of the rough terrain, the stretch of road just west of Rolla was the last to be paved.
[ 30 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
With the completion of America’s Main Street, the curtain rose on Rolla. Maurice Ernest Gillioz opened the Hotel Edwin Long on March 12, 1931. Just three days after opening, the hotel hosted the celebration marking the paving of Route 66 across Missouri. The building housed the National Bank of Rolla, which would become Phelps County Bank in 1960. Great sections of the original pavement still wind through Rolla, so you can touch the Mother Road and see dozens of roadside icons along the route through town. For more information, write or stop by the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center at 1311 Kingshighway Street, Rolla, Missouri 65401; call 888-809-3817; go to VisitRolla.com; or like Visit Rolla on Facebook.
The historic Mule Trading Post is still in business on the east side of Rolla. Special signage marks the route.
Notley Hawkins
Route 66 Kicks
Kent Bagnall
Route 66 Mural Since the day that Kent Jewelry moved from its Eighth Street location to the corner of Tenth and Pine Streets in 2008, owner Kent Bagnall envisioned a mural on the north-facing masonry wall of his new location. The wheels turned for several years before he realized his ďŹ nal vision of a simple but elegant homage to the Mother Road.
Missouri Life [ 31 ]
She Miss
Elbow Inn Bar & BBQ, Devils Elbow
Route 66 Kicks Just west of the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, you can still see the remains of Wrink’s Food Market. The business opened in the 1940s, but it wasn’t until Glenn Wrinkle took over operation in 1950 that his nickname became the store’s operating name. Radio personality Paul Harvey once visited the store and did an on-air plug for Wrink’s ninety-nine-cent bologna sandwich. The market closed after Glenn’s death in 2005.
[ 32 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Missouri Division of Tourism
For a trip through history, turn left on Teardrop Road. Just before the road meets the Big Piney River at Devils Elbow, you’ll see the Elbow Inn Bar & BBQ. Although temporarily closed in 2017 after April floods on the Big Piney, the Elbow Inn has already reopened its patio on weekends. This was the original location of the Munger-Moss Sandwich Shop. When the highway changed, the owners relocated and expanded. You’ll come across the Munger Moss Motel later, when you cruise into Laclede County.
Mu Leb Not
Other Attractions W. H. Croaker, the Waynesville Frog Rock • The Lebanon I-44 Speedway
Dev Mis
Shelden’s Market, Devils Elbow Missouri Division of Tourism
Shelden’s Market has had a number of names since it opened in 1954. In the beginning, it was Miller’s Market, and later, Allman’s Market. Today, it serves only as the post office for Devils Elbow and a nostalgic step back in time. The post office served as the operations center for cleanup after the April 2017 flood.
Munger Moss Motel, Lebanon Notley Hawkins
Munger Moss Motel was born after the demise of the MungerMoss Sandwich Shop, which closed its doors in 1945, when a bypass near Fort Leonard Wood took traffic away from Devils Elbow. Munger Moss would reopen a year later in Lebanon as a fourteenroom cabin court. Munger Moss Motel added twenty-six more units in 1961 and remains in business today, offering Route 66 travelers convenience and comfort without having to stray far from the Mother Road. Look for the iconic neon sign. Devils Elbow Bridge over the Big Piney River got a facelift in 2014 and was reintroduced to the public with a parade of classic cars crossing the nostalgic structure. This bridge over the Big Piney may be as close as you can get to the classic allure of the original Mother Road.
Devils Elbow Bridge Missouri Division of Tourism
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Historic Wooden Railroad Trestle Bridge, St. Robert Jax Welborn
PULASKI COUNTY POINTS OF INTEREST 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36.
Hooker Cut Devils Elbow Bridge Elbow Inn Bar & BBQ Shelden’s Market W.H. Croaker Old Stagecoach Stop (open Saturdays April to September) 37. Waynesville Square 38. Pulaski County Museum 39. Trail of Tears Memorial
Route 66 Kicks The George M. Reed Roadside Park on Route 66 in St. Robert is one of only 32 remaining roadside parks of the 102 that were built in Missouri between 1920 and 1962, first as an effort to beautify Missouri and then continued as a New Deal program. It is located at the beginning of the divided highway on Route Z. The remnants of three motels—the Ramada Inn, the Ranch Motel, and the Deville Motor Inn and Motel—are all nearby. [ 34 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Pu in w Pu m ca th
The Old Stagecoach Stop in Waynesville was originally known as the Waynesville House, a hotel that was a stop on the St. Louis-toSpringfield stage route. The structure, built in the mid-1800s, has been restored and houses a ten-room museum. Missouri Division of
Memorial Trail of Tears Waynesville
Pulaski County
seum Pulaski County Mu Waynesville Notley Hawkins
Pulaski County Museum is located in the old Pulaski County Courthouse, which was built in 1903. A project of the Pulaski County Historical Society, the museum is open most Saturdays. Visitors can follow a guided tour or explore at their own leisure.
Tourism
Jensen’s Point was opened in 1939 as part of the Henry Shaw Gardenway. The limestone overlook offered stunning views of the Meramec River and surrounding valley.
Directions
•
Follow Route Z into Pulaski County.
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Old Route 66 pulls away from the interstate and is transformed into a somewhat bizarre four-lane stretch of highway. Driving it today, you might question why a four-lane road was needed, but when it opened in 1943, Hooker Cut helped facilitate traffic from nearby Fort Leonard Wood.
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You can follow Teardrop Road back to where it joins Route Z and take that into St. Robert.
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Just west of the I-44 Spur, Route Z briefly becomes a divided highway and assumes the mantle of Business Loop 44 as it proceeds into Waynesville.
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Just west of the Old Stagecoach Stop Museum, Route 66 joins Route 17 through the southwest corner of Waynesville. Route 66 crosses Interstate 44 and proceeds southwest to clip a part of the Mark Twain National Forest. Through the remainder of Pulaski County, Route 66 follows Route AB into the hamlet of Gascozark.
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unty Getting your kicks in pulaski co The Uranus Entertainment Complex offers shopping, dining, adult nightlife, and “world famous” fudge.
Let our directional app be your co-pilot PULASKI’S THIRTY-THREE intact miles of Route 66 will provide you with plenty of nostalgia and local culture. Start by obtaining a copy of the turnby-turn driving tour, available in print, phone application, and as an audio tour at PulaskiCountyUSA.com. The tour features detailed information of historic landmarks and turn-by-turn directions. Check out Hooker Cut, Devils Elbow, the future location of the Route 66 Neon Park, the Majestic Autobody and Museum’s Route 66 collection, the 1903 Route 66 Courthouse, the Old Stagecoach Stop Museum, and Trail of Tears Memorial. Great photo opportunities include breathtaking scenic overlooks,
[ 36 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
the uniqueness of the Uranus complex, and the giant Frog Rock boulder overlooking 66. While in the area, visit the Pulaski County Visitors Center for information on float trips, fantastic eateries, unique shopping, and other trails and tours that are available to enjoy at your leisure. Check out the PulaskiCountyUSA.com event calendar for upcoming Route 66 events and car shows. Plan to stay the night at one of our 40 properties offering up a comfortable night’s rest. Visit PulaskiCountyUSA.com to plan your trip. Be sure to #route66 with your photos; the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau will be watching for your exciting adventures along the Route!
Majestic Autobody Office and Muse
um, St. Robert
t ,
.
Float the Big Piney and Gasconade Riv ers, Pulaski County
Hooker Cut, Hooker
Photos courtesy Pulaski County Tourism Bureau
Missouri Life [ 37 ]
Notley Hawkins
LACLEDE COUNTY
The Route 66 Museum, located in the Lebanon-Laclede County Library at Lebanon, features a completely restored indoor gas station and Route 66 memorabilia.
POINTS OF INTEREST 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45.
I-44 Speedway Forest Manor Motel Munger Moss Motel Route 66 Museum Bennett Spring State Park Boat Town Brewing
ewing, Boat Town Br Phillipsburg
ewing
Boat Town Br
tel,
Forest Manor Mo Lebanon s
Creative Common
C
e n, s a.
The Lebanon I-44 Speedway is Missouri’s only asphalt track and has played host to such national drivers as Ken Essary, Larry Phillips, Billy Moyer, Bill Frye, Rex McCroskey, Rex Merritt, and Leslie Essary. dway, Lebanon I-44 Spee Lebanon
Tydence Davis
me Center, Conway
Conway Welco
The Conway Welcome Center offers a playground, restrooms, and vending. Many Route 66 inspired designs can be seen, including a shelter inspired by painted barns advertising Meramec Caverns.
Tydence Davis
Directions Bennett Spri ng State Park, Lebanon
Missouri Stat
•
At Laclede County, Route 66 becomes Heartwood Road (Route N) and tracks the south side of Interstate 44.
•
DRIVING NOTE: The Gasconade River Bridge on Route 66 is closed, necessitating a detour. At Exit 145, get on Interstate 44 for five miles. Then at Exit 140, cross back to Heartwood Road on the south side of the interstate.
•
At Route F, take the ramp to cross I-44 and resume a southwest course on Pecos Drive on the north side of the interstate.
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At Lebanon, you’ll veer west, away from the interstate.
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Stay on Elm Street through town and join up with Route W outside of the city limits. Then, take Route CC through Conway and into Webster County.
e Parks
Route 66 Kicks In the early 1920s, Lebanon officials sent the high school band to Jefferson City to perform for the State Highway Commission in a campaign to get Route 66 to come through town.
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Must do, Must see in Lebanon
Lebanon I-44 Speedway 24069 Historic Route 66 • 417-532-2060 • I44Speedway.net Midway Speedway 22304 Hwy. B • 417-588-4430 • LebanonMidwaySpeedway.com Boswell Aquatic Center 205 Kent Dr. • 417-588-2401 Prater Country Music Show 22831 S. Perimeter Ln. • 573-308-2162 • OzarkHillsTheater.com Route 66 Museum & Research Center 915 S. Jefferson Ave. • 417-532-2148 Fallen Warriors Memorial and the American Veterans Memorial Elm & Washington at Cowan Civic Center Heartland Antique Mall 2500 Evergreen Pkwy • 417-532-9350 Shepherd Hills Factory Outlet Store 1900 W Elm St • 417- 532-7000
Visit LebanonMissouri.org or call 1-866-LEBANON [ 40 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Get Your Kicks
On Route 66
ROUTE 66 PARADE
LEBANON is one of the best places to see the Mother Road, which was officially named right here in Missouri. You can drive a five-mile section of the original road guided by commemorative Route 66 signs. If you’re approaching Lebanon from the west, take Exit 127 on I-44 and follow the signs through town. From east of Lebanon, take Exit 135. Get an overview of the highway’s heritage, or explore more in-depth at the 3,500-square-foot Route 66 Museum and Research Center inside the Lebanon-Laclede County Library. The museum features authentic full-scale re-creations of a 1930s gas station, a 1940s tourist cabin, and a 1950s diner. It also has historic photos, memorabilia, maps, and reference materials including books, magazines, and videos. Admission is free. 915 S. Jefferson Ave., 417-532-2148 Next, get your kicks with Route 66 souvenirs and collectibles at Mr. C’s Route Post. 24200 E. Route 66 (Exit either 130 or 135 from I-44), 417-588-4466 For lunch or dinner, stop at one of the Route’s many diners, such as Faye’s Diner. 691 W. Elm St. Book an overnight stay in one of the original Route 66 motels; the Munger Moss Motel offers comfortable accommodations under the bright shine of its original neon sign. 1336 E. Route 66, 417-532-3111
ROUTE 66 MUSEUM & RESEARCH CENTER
MR. C’S ROUTE POST
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Ste Spr
Miss
Res Spr
Birthplace of Route 66, Springfield
Route 66 Kicks The US Highway 66 Association came about in 1927, the year after the route was approved, as the result of a meeting between Springfield attorney John T. Woodruff and Cyrus S. Avery, the chairman of the Oklahoma Highway Commission. The two called for a unique joint conference of representatives from chambers of commerce in every city along the proposed route and a resolution was passed to incorporate the US Highway 66 Association. Woodruff was elected as the association’s first president.
[ 42 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Notley Hawkins
Springfield is not only the birthplace of the original Route 66, it was also the first city in the country to display the Historic Byway sign that commemorates Route 66. Other Attractions College Street Cafe, Springfield • Hidden Waters Nature Park, Marshfield • One-Mile Winding Climb, between Marshfield and Northview
Wild Stra
Rich
Steak n Shake, Springfield
Missouri Division of Tourism
Rest Haven Court, Springfield
Steak n Shake at St. Louis Street and National Avenue takes you back to simpler times when Route 66 was America’s Main Street. Rest Haven Court opened in the 1940s, but the huge neon sign for which it is best known didn’t come along until the 1950s. The hotel is still operating near the intersection of Kearney and Glenstone Streets in Springfield. Wild Animal Safari is a drivethrough animal park with more than seventy different species and 750 exotic animals.
wkins
Notley Hawkins
Springfield’s Park Central Square has been witness to many historic events. It was from a hotel just a few blocks east of the square that the deal was agreed upon to create a Chicago-to-Los Angeles route to be numbered 66. Square Park Central rin Sp gfield
Notley Hawkins Wild Animal Safari, Strafford Richard Orr
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A Hubble Telescope Replica at onequarter scale sits on the Marshfield town square. The famous space telescope was named in honor of Marshfield native and astronomer Dr. Edwin Hubble.
Jimmy Emmerson
POINTS OF INTEREST 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51.
Conway Welcome Center Garbage Can Cafe (only remnants remain) Hubble Telescope scale replica Hidden Waters Nature Park One-Mile Winding Climb Wild Animal Safari
Route 66 Kicks The original Route 66 covered 317 miles from St. Louis to the Kansas state line. Interestingly, there are only thirteen miles of Route 66 in of Kansas. Guidestate to Missouri’s Route 66 [ the 44 ]entire
Hidden Waters Nature Park is a five-acre park with four full-time springs, the 1853 Callaway Cabin, and nature trails that pass waterfalls and ponds, through gardens, and over bridges.
e n n s s f e r. e.
The Route 66 Mural in Marshfield was painted by Kansas City Art Institute student Elizabeth Long in 2006. The fortyfoot mural depicts landmarks along Route 66 through Missouri.
Route 66 Mural, Marshfield Jimmy Emmerson
ture Park, Hidden Waters Na Marshfield
Courtesy Hidden
rk
Waters Nature Pa
Directions
•
Driving down Route CC might feel like you’re coming in the back door, but this bit of rural Route 66 closely mirrors the original, with long stretches of Missouri countryside.
•
Route CC continues into and through the center of Marshfield. Take West Hubble Drive to Route OO. You’ll be riding between the interstate and the BNSF railroad tracks through the rest of Webster County.
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The Gillioz Theatre, Springfield
Jax Welborn
urg Red’s Giant Hamb eld gfi rin Sp n, sig replica Local Ozarkian
Route 66 Kicks Red’s Giant Hamburg has long been credited with having the first drive-through service window in the world. The local landmark was razed in 1997, but a replica of the sign is at the new Birthplace of Route 66 Roadside Park. [ 46 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Downtown, Springfield
ion of Tourism
Missouri Divis
The Gillioz Theatre, located on Park Central East in Springfield, hosted the premieres of two Ronald Reagan movies, The Winning Team and She’s Working Her Way Through College.
, The Shrine Mosque Springfield Notley Hawkins
Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque, known simply as “The Shrine Mosque” to locals, was built for about $600,000 in 1923. The National Historic Landmark has been the site of entertainment venues from circuses to a concert by Elvis Presley.
POINTS OF INTEREST 52. Rest Haven Court 53. Steak n Shake 54. Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven Motor Court 55. Gillioz Theatre 56. History Museum on the Square 57. The Shrine Mosque 58. Birthplace of Route 66 Roadside Park
Directions
ism
Downtown Springfield, through which Route 66 once traveled, was the site of a famous gun battle between Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt, who were fighting over a watch.
•
Follow Route OO through Strafford. At the eastern border of Springfield, Route OO gives way to Route 744, also known as Kearney Street.
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At the corner of Kearney and Glenstone, turn south on Glenstone, then west on St. Louis Street, and enjoy a parade of Route 66 memories.
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On the west side of the square, St. Louis Street becomes College Street.
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Take College to Chestnut Expressway, and take Route 266 on to Lawrence County.
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Side Trip!
Branson's limitless possibilities This fifteen-story-tall Ferris wheel was featured previously at Chicago’s Navy Pier before it was brought to Branson by Track Family Fun Parks.
Top
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET at the Welk Resort Theatre is based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical and inspired by the electrifying true story of the famed recording session sixty years ago when Sam Phillips, the Father of Rock ’n’ Roll, brought together icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins for one unforgettable night. The iconic fifteen-story-tall Ferris wheel purchased by Track Family Fun Parks has been restored, using the 280 light bars that are original to the ride and replacing the incandescent bulbs with 16,000 LED fixtures that have 144,000 multicolored LED lights. A computer program can control each light [ 48 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
individually, so it can display everything from a vintage look all the way to a modern, animated light show that can be synced to the new sound system at the Branson Ferris Wheel. The epic saga of Samson comes to life at Sight & Sound Theatre. He’s the original superhero. He can defeat entire armies and slay lions. But there’s a catch to his superpower: he must follow the rules. And that’s where the trouble begins. As Samson resists the Philistines—and his own personal calling—he soon falls prey to temptation, losing his strength and sight. But has he lost hope? Experience an unforgettable, uplifting thrill ride that literally brings down the house.
M f i o
is ly re by s.
Experience the story of Samson at the Sight & Sound Theatre.
Explore Branson • Attend star-studded performances at Branson’s many live shows. • Enjoy Silver Dollar City, one of the world’s top ten theme parks. Top of the Rock Golf Course
• Take in the beauty and adventure of the Ozark Mountains and three pristine lakes. • Play some of the best golf in the Midwest. • Visit museums highlighting the area’s rich history and culture. • Relax at spas and resorts. • Shop at Branson’s many boutiques, galleries, and outlet stores.
Million Dollar Quartet follows the story of music icons coming together for one unforgettable night.
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[ 50 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
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Route 66 Kicks Visitors looking for a paranormal experience in the Joplin area flock to a point south of the city near the Oklahoma border to view the famous “spook lights,” softball-sized glowing apparitions that are said to appear between the hours of 10 PM and dawn. Most locals will be able to direct you to the ideal location. After that, it’s a matter of finding the perfect summer night, a comfortable chair, and lots of patience.
[ 52 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Gary’s Gay Parita, Halltown Missouri Division of Tourism
To get the real feel of driving on Route 66, grab a cold bottle of Route 66 Root Beer at Gary’s Gay Parita, just outside of Halltown. Before his death in 2015, owner Gary Turner took painstaking care to re-create the Sinclair gas station as it might have appeared in the late 1940s or ’50s. You can’t get gas there, but you will still find plenty of nostalgia and Route 66 souvenirs. Other Attractions Well, there actually aren’t many. Route 66 in Lawrence County west of Springfield is often called the “ghost stretch” because of the number of abandoned towns left when traffic was rerouted to Interstate 44. The ruins are still there to explore.
SuperTam on 66, Carterville Christine Smith
SuperTam on 66 is the place to indulge your inner superhero with some ice cream and Superman memorabilia. It’s located on Main Street in Carterville. Praying Hands Monument is a quick detour east on Route 171. The thirty-two-foot-tall hands were sculpted by local artist Jack Dawson and dedicated in 1976. Red Oak II II, just east of the Carthage city limits, is where you can stop and visit artist Lowell Davis’s tribute to his hometown of Red Oak.
Praying Hands Monument, Webb City
Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage features murals and stained-glass windows of Bible stories done in Precious Moments art.
Missouri Division of Tourism
Red Oak II, Carthage Missouri Division of Tourism
, Precious Moments Carthage of Tourism Missouri Division
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Gary’s Gay Parita, Halltown
Jax Welborn
POINTS OF INTEREST 59. 60. 61. 62.
Gary’s Gay Parita Three-span truss bridge Old Holsum Bread sign Shadyside Camp
Route 66 along truss bridge, an sp threeHalltown
Route 66 Kicks In Kansas, Prohibition didn’t end until 1948. Because of that, the State Line Bar at 7889 West Old 66 in Joplin was the first and last place for early Route 66 travelers to “wet their whistles.” Today, it’s called Hogs & Hotrods Saloon. [ 54 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66 Local Ozarkian
days, Sign from Route 66 Spencer Missouri Division
mp, Shadyside Ca Phelps
of Tourism
Shadyside Camp had four cabins and was built from native rock by L.F. Arthur in 1927.
yside
Courtesy Shad
Directions •
The last leg of Missouri’s Route 66 begins on Route 266 at Halltown. Continue west on Route 266, and cross the steel truss bridge over Turnback Creek.
•
At County Road 2061, turn right and pass over a second steel truss bridge at Johnson Creek. Just down the road, you’ll join Route 96, which runs about as straight as any road you’ll encounter on this trip. Set the cruise control, and look for the remnants of gas stations, motor courts, and tourist attractions from Route 66’s glory days.
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Boots Court Motel was built in 1939 by Arthur Boots, and the historic motel is still in operation on West Central Avenue in Carthage.
Koral Martin
Directions
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At the Jasper County line, stay true west on Route 96 through the town of Avilla and on toward Carthage.
•
At Carthage, take Old 66 Boulevard. It twists a bit on its way west.
•
Turn south on Pine Street and into Carterville. Go right on Main Street, which will take you into Webb City.
•
Take Madison Street south, and look for the Historic Route 66 signs. Navigating the original Route 66 through Joplin can be confusing. Turn right on Zora, left on Florida, right on Utica, veer left on Euclid Avenue to St. Louis Avenue, and then take a right on Broadway to Main Street and downtown Joplin.
[ 56 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Route 66, Joplin, Missouri mural by Anthony Benton Gude Joplin
A Thomas Hart Benton mural adorns the inside of Joplin’s art deco city hall, as does one (above) by his grandson, Anthony Benton Gude. 66 Drive-In at Carthage is one of the few historically intact drive-in movie theaters along Route 66. The theater opened in 1949 and was renovated in 1998. It still shows first-run movies on weekends from April through October. 66 Drive-In Carthage
Missouri Division of
Tourism
POINTS OF INTEREST
Woody’s Wood-F
ire Pizza, Joplin
Notley Hawkins
63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78.
Avilla Post Office Boots Court Motel Red Oak II Precious Moments Jasper County Courthouse Powers Museum CD’s Pancake Hut Best Budget Inn 66 Drive-In SuperTam on 66 Praying Hands Monument Joplin City Hall Joplin Museum Complex Route 66 Mural Park Woody’s Wood-Fire Pizza Hogs & Hotrods Saloon
Route 66 Kicks Joplin is one of two Missouri cities (the other is St. Louis) mentioned in the classic song, “Route 66,” written by Bobby Troup and Lifein[1946. 57 ] originally recorded by NatMissouri King Cole
[ 58 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
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[ 60 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
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Route 66 Events ROUTE 66 FEST Waynesville, annually in March, June, and October Route66Festots@yahoo.com Enjoy live music, contests, children’s activities, vendors, and special sales from downtown vendors. It’s a family-friendly celebration on the square in Waynesville. PACIFIC CRUISE NIGHT AND CAR SHOW Annually in June Facebook.com/PacificCruiseNight See thirty-three show classes plus four specialty awards for classic cars, plus vendors, music, and fireworks in downtown Pacific. ROUTE 66 SUMMERFEST Rolla, annually in June Route66Summerfest.com The celebration begins with a cruise down Route 66 from St. James to Rolla. Events include Miss Route 66 pageant, a drummers competition, a movie under the stars, a tennis tournament, and a car show on Pine Street in downtown Rolla. Arts and crafts booths will be open at 9 AM along with the food vendors, kids activities, and skateboard park. Don’t miss the “burnout contest.” BIRTHPLACE OF ROUTE 66 FESTIVAL Springfield, annually in August Route66FestivalSgf.com Long heralded as the place where it all began, Springfield celebrates the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival every summer. Scheduled events include a car and motorcycle show, live music, a parade, and a 6.6-mile run. 2017 MISSOURI STATE CASI CHILI CHAMPIONSHIP Joplin, annually in August Facebook.com/ Route66MotherRoadChiliCupOfMissouri Billed as the greatest chili cookoff on the [ 62 ] Guide to Missouri’s Route 66
Mother Road, this Chili Appreciation Society International sanctioned event at Hogs and Hotrods Saloon welcomes chili heads from around the world. ROUTE 66 ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI ANNUAL MOTOR TOUR Locations vary, annually, second weekend in September Missouri66.org The annual tour explores different Route 66 locations every year. The 2017 tour includes stops at Bennett Spring and Cuba and ends at Route 66 State Park on the Meramec River. ROUTE 66 CUBA FEST Third weekend of October Facebook.com/route66cubafest The two-day celebration of Route 66 includes live music, entertainment, apple buttermaking demonstrations, trolley tours, a wine tent, chili cook-off, kid crafts, and activities for all ages. MAPLE LEAF FESTIVAL Carthage, annually in October CarthageChamber.com/maple-leaf For more than half a century, this autumn celebration has been family friendly and includes a 5K/10K run, beauty pageants, baby and toddler contests, a dog show/skill competition, gospel singing, and a lip-syncing contest.
Questions? THE ROUTE 66 ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI PO BOX 8117 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 63156 417-865-1318 MISSOURI66.ORG
ENTER TO WIN A $25 HERMANN WURST HAUS GIFT CERTIFICATE! To register, text: "BESTWURST" TO 67076
The Best of the
Winner of 10 International Sausage Awards from the German Butcher’s Association in Frankfurt, Germany.
Wurst
Experience gourmet German dining at Hermann Wurst Haus in Hermann, Missouri. Our menu showcases 47 varieties of award-winning bratwurst as well as hickory-smoked pulled pork, deli meat sandwiches, and housemade side dishes. Sip craft beer and soda while dining in our deli or on our patio. Enjoy free samples and daily specials—seven days a week!
12 fl of b avor aco s n
In downtown historic Hermann
234 East First Street, Hermann 573-486-2266 www.hermannwursthaus.com
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