The trip down Route 66, whatever the destination - Grandma's house, Disneyland, college, Adler Planetarium - is a long one, and eight states in one day is folly. Luckily the traveler has no need to worry: along the Mother Road there's always a motor court whenever and wherever you need one.

Like restaurants, lodging was a somewhat easy business for roadside entrepreneurs to setup (granted you had the real estate). Soon competition, especially in urban areas, would cause businesses to go to extreme lengths to attract weary customers. Tall, flashy signs attracted attention to sleek, modern, art deco structures with rows and rows of waiting beds and even perhaps a pool for the kiddies. (The Coral Court Motel in Saint Louis even offered individual indoor garage parking to each guest - but I don't think they were worried about sleep.)

Well-funded, better promoted chain hotels and motels quickly moved in to steal business from independent local owners, but a few small town operators still remain along Route 66 along with classic signage that helps tie them to the days that having the flashiest neon banner might make the difference between reaching capacity for the evening and having lots of empty rooms.

This diner and lodge in the northern panhandle region of Montgomery County has changed hands several times in recent years but continues to serve Central Illinois and the Mother Road with homecooked food and cheap overnight rates. The classic sign that dated back to the days when Route 66 still cruised past on the east side of the property was restored to perfect condition in mid-2007 and attracts northbound travelers to stop and take in this landmark business and Illinois Route 66 Hall of Famer.

Art's Motel/Restaurant Farmersville, Illinois 19?? - present For more information and photographs visit the Farmersville page.

Chain of Rocks Road between Edwardsville and the Mississippi River is not the nicest neighborhood along Route 66, particularly on the south side of Interstate 270. That said, as you approach the Chain of Rocks Bridge several motels leap out at you from the north side of the road. The Chain of Rocks Motel and the Land of Lincoln Motel are hidden here, shackled to a road that few from out of town will ever travel and unable to be seen from the interstate. It's worth a trip through here on the way to the COR Bridge to catch a glimpse of these two retro motor courts before they disappear.

COR, Land of Lincoln Mitchell, Illinois 19?? - present For more information and photographs visit the Chain of Rocks page.

This old roadside motel straddled the west side of Bypass 66 for decades, drawing good business from nearby Lambert International Airport just to the north. McDonnell-Douglas had its headquarters at Lambert, and many early astronauts had a good night's sleep at the Cour-Tel in the 1950s. The same proximity to the airport that supported the motel was ultimately its demise, as in 2002 the court closed up shop to make way for an expansion of the western Lambert runways. With all the property demolished and old Bypass 66 (now US 67) relocated as well, the neon blue sign that for decades welcomed travelers thankfully was saved and found its way to Staunton, IL and Henry's Rabbit Ranch.

Stanley Cour-Tel St. Louis County, MO 19?? - 2002 Demolished 2002/03 For more information and photographs visit the StL Bypass 66 page.