(WAND) - US Route 66 is no longer recognized as an official numbered highway, but the iconic road and its history are alive and well in places like Joliet and Pontiac.
Route 66 was established in November 1926, running from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. Around 301 miles of the road ran through Illinois. The original design went through smaller cities, towns and communities.
As a result, the highway provided an economic boost as restaurants, motels, gas stations and quirky tourist traps attracted visitors. In the 1930's, during the Dust Bowl, migrant farmers traveled it to find work in California. By 1938, it was the first fully paved US highway.
Locally in Illinois, it ran through Bloomington, Lincoln and Springfield.
Route 66 allowed Illinois to ship agricultural products out west, while the military used the highway to send troops to West Coast ports during World War II. In Pontiac, the officially dead Route 66 is alive and well in the fascinating Route 66 Museum.
Rose Geralds is the first person you see when you come into the museum. She's worked here for 18 years, and chances are you will see her when you visit. So, what has kept her in the job for so long?
"The people. I've never gone on vacation since I started here. And I don't have to because everybody comes here," Geralds said.
The Pontiac museum has a large collection of Route 66 artifacts, all focused on Illinois.
People from across the country and around the world travel to Illinois to start their trip along the more than 2,400 miles of the historic roadway, from places like Seattle and the Netherlands.
Route 66 continues to provide a boost for local businesses.
In Pontiac, people can spend a lot of time looking into the highway's history.
"The main thing is how long it takes to go through here. And I tell people I can't tell you that. Because I've had people in here for five minutes and I've had people here for three hours. So, I can't say," Geralds said.
Gasoline brand Phillips 66 has its name partially connected to the highway when, in 1927, the company used a car to test a new high-octane gas on Route 66.
The very first Steak 'n Shake opened in Normal along Route 66. A booth from the original restaurant, which no longer exists, can be found at the Pontiac museum.
In the Joliet Area Historical Museum, a couch where former Beatles member Paul McCartney sat in 2008 when he drove Route 66. Yamaha even produced a Route 66 model motorcycle from 1988 to 1990.
The interstate highway system began in 1956. Interstate 55 slowly choked off much of the business that previously went into local towns. In 1985, Route 66 was officially decommissioned and signs were removed.
However, in recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in Route 66, and the neon lights are bright once again.
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