Route 66 to Gardner, Dwight and Odell

Next stop was Gardner where we looked for an old restaurant that had been shut down by the fire department. The Riviera, at 5650 S. Route 53, was built in 1928 and the new owner had put a former streetcar diner in the back for additional venues. Unfortunately, the fire department wanted $60,000 to update to fire code so the owner had to shut down. We snuck across the yellow caution tape and took a quick photo of the place. As we tried to sneak back to our car, another car stopped and asked if we owned the place (actually, it was our second ownership question of the trip...I guess that's what happens when you have New York plates on your rental car).

As you wind through Gardner, you will run into spots where the road has the painted Route 66 emblem.

On the way through Dwight, we saw the Java Stop at 416 West Waupansie Street. It is so cute, built of two railroad freight cars stacked on each other. Also in Dwight is Ambler's Texaco, a 1933 station at Old Route 66 and Illinois 17. I love the banjo style Texaco sign in front.

We also made a quick stop in Odell to take a picture of a beautifully restored 1932 Standard Station on Old Route 66. They had a gift shop with t-shirts showing a detailed map of stops on the Mother Road (which we got). Odell is one of those little side stops that is easily bypassed, and is actually on what is sometimes called a "spur" of Route 66. You need to drive all the "spurs" to get the true feeling of the Mother Road.

At West and Hamilton in Odell is a little sign showing what once was a "subway" for school children to safely cross dangerous Route 66. Now that the town is so deserted, it is hard to imagine that road having been so heavily traveled. Definitely worth a quick stop to check out.

On the way out of Odell to Pontiac there is a restored Meramec Caverns barn sigh with a Route 66 Roadside Attractions sign in front. You just have to follow the little side road and it dead ends where you get a good view of the barn. It is sad as it also has a "road ends" sign where beyond you see the remains of Old Route 66.