SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Usually, when people picture traveling down Route 66, they imagine cruising down the historic highway in a classic car. But in Springfield, seeing one section of the Mother Road requires a very different mode of transportation.

Just off the dock at Lake Springfield, past the lighthouse and beneath several bridges, sits a hidden piece of Route 66 history — underwater.

"In 1935, this area was flooded, and we got Lake Springfield now, which is almost 4,000 acres," said Penny Black, a tour guide with the Route 66 Submerged Experience. "The road ends at Cotton Hill, and it was dynamited at the end to fill in the lake." 

Black is one of the tour guides who joins tourists on a 45-minute boat ride. During the ride, Black shares snippets of local and national Route 66 history. She's seen a lot of interest from die-hard fans, who are desperate to see every inch of the Mother Road. 

"Travelers are used to traveling the different alignments of Route 66 and stopping at the different attractions," said Scott Dahl, director of Visit Springfield. "But this is going to be a unique experience where you get on a boat, you take a 45-minute tour with a storyteller, telling you about what happened to this submerged portion of Route 66. It's really a unique story, and it's going to be a unique experience." 

The unique attraction gives Route 66 travelers a rare chance to experience a hidden chapter of the historic roadway — one that has been sitting beneath Lake Springfield for nearly a century.

The tour is free but must be booked in advance. For more details, visit its website.

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