Leaving the Land of Lincoln via Mitchell, Illinois

ILLINOIS LEGENDS

Leaving the Land of Lincoln at Mitchell

As you near the town of Mitchell you will begin to notice that you have left the quiet farms of southern Illinois and are entering the suburbs of St. Louis. However, here on the outskirts of the sprawling metropolitan city, you will still find numerous peeks of the old Mother Road.

As you near Mitchell, begin to watch for the old Bel-Air Drive-In sign on the right side highway just after crossing Route 111. Opened in the 1950's, this old theater played to travelers along Route 66 up until 1987. Over the years, its old screen has long fallen down and its parking lot reclaimed by the prairie, but its sign continues to stand as testimony of better times.

Except for its magestic sign, the Bel-Air Drive-in has

been reclaimed by the prairie.

Beyond the Bel-Air you will pass a number of old motels on the left before coming to a Route 66 classic – the Luna Café. Built in 1924, the café also hosted a gambling operation and provided “ladies of ill-repute” during its early days. Furthermore, like many other places along Illinois’ ribbon of the Mother Road, the café was once said to have been visited often by Al Capone, as well as a host of other mobsters. At one time, the café was a “fine dining establishment” and so expensive that most law-abiding citizens couldn’t afford to eat there. Today, it is more of a working persons' establishment, catering to the locals and a new generation of Route 66 travelers.

The Luna Cafe has been serving up great eats for

more than 60 years!

At one time, an enormous neon moon graced the top of Luna’s building; however, it was taken down and destroyed when the building was re-roofed. With help from Friends of the Mother Road. the neon moon will rise over the Luna again and its Neon sign restored to its former luster.

Beyond the Luna Café, old Route 66 split, with one alignment headed into the central city of St. Louis via Granite City, Madison, and Venice. This alignment, most often referred to as City 66, then passes through some “seedy” and confusing neighborhoods in East St. Louis, which today is a rough part of town that you might want to avoid.

The other alignment, referred to as the Beltline Route, used to cross the Mississippi River via the old Chain of Rocks Bridge. The bridge, constructed in 1929, was financed by tolls. In 1967, a new bridge along I-270 was constructed over the river and the old bridge was closed. After sitting abandoned for more than three decades, it was restored and is now the longest strolling and biking bridge in the world. This alignment passed through the north edge of the city, then turned south through Kirkwood, rejoining City 66 at a point 26 miles from the Chain of Rocks Bridge. Today, Route 66 dead ends at the Chain of Rocks Bridge, where you will have to backtrack to the new overpass on I-270 to continue your journey along the Mother Road.

Chain of Rocks Bridge vintage postcard

Though many recommend avoiding East St. Louis, you can also reconnect to City 66 by exiting in downtown St. Louis and traveling along Tucker Boulevard. This way you won’t miss some of the city’s fascinating sites such as the Gateway Arch, historic Union Station, and the famous Route 66 icon – Ted Drewes, as you begin to move on into the suburbs.

Welcome to Missouri! Enjoy the sites and flavors of the Show Me State!

Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, © July, 2005

Chain of Rocks Bridge near St. Louis, Missouri.

September, 2004, Kathy Weiser.

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To Missouri 66

Return to Route 66

To Edwardsville

From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Four 66 Tin Signs - Set of four Old Route 66 weathered style signs. Measuring 10"x16", made of heavy gauge metal, signs have rolled edges for safe handling. Includes: Main Street USA - Chicago to L.A., Eat here and get gas - Alice's Eatery & Service Station, America's Highway, and U.S. Route 66.