Just across the street from the Ariston Cafe, you see a vintage sign for the Vic Suhling “Gas For Less Sign.” Now, instead of getting gas for less, you just get "less gas," as the sign is all that is left of this old gas station. An interesting note is that the gas station once stood on the very site of the first Litchfield Ariston Café.

Just down the road is the Route 66 Café, which like the Ariston Café, is still in business. An old gas station next to it, behind which, on the newer alignment through Litchfield, is the Belevidere Motel. This old motel operates more like apartments today, offering weekly and monthly rates.

No More Gas at Vic Suhling's Gas For Less,

September, 2004, Kathy Weiser

Litchfield, like many other small towns along the Mother Road, has a lot of community pride and celebrates Route 66 from both a historical aspect, as well as what it means to the city today. This is evident in the care they spend in promoting the Mother Road and their preservation of vintage icons. In June of every year, Litchfield hosts the Route 66 Classic Car Festival.

Enjoy your stay in Litchfield and if you’re traveling the Mother Road, keep on heading south towards another old mining town – Mt. Olive. And, as always, kick up some asphalt and enjoy the ride!

© Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, updated July, 2008.

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