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Towanda, IL |
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 County: McLean, IL
Population: 493
Two-Lane: 1926-1946
Four-Lane: 1946-1977
Landmarks:
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Eddie's Pure Truck Stop/ Eddies Union 76 Truck Stop open from 1952 to 1976. |
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Geographic Journey, a several mile long walking trail along the former southbound lanes that features murals and plaques celebrating former Towanda landmarks.
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Towanda is but a small blip several miles north of Bloomington-Normal, but the village has carved out a niche for itself with their original use of the old southbound lanes.
While many communites have just allowed their retired lanes return to dirt and grass, this tiny McLean County community has turned them into a memorial for the old highway that brought millions of Americans through their village. Though brand new blacktop was not put down, as in Lexington, local students and residents helped spice up the couple mile-long walk by installing not only benches and greenery but also historical plaques detailing many of the businesses that lined Route 66 through the town until the onset of the interstate age. The plaques also talk about some of the geographic features of the road; if you ever wanted to learn about a borrow pit, Towanda is the place for you!
Another feature of the trip are eight large murals celebrating each of the states along Route 66 running from north to south. Towards the end of the murals begins a chain of Burma-Shave signs, all ending at the small park at the south end of the alignment. Appropriately enough, the park features a lake perfect for a little relaxation - a lake created by the construction of the I-55 overpass that replaced this stretch of highway. Painted on the pavement at the very head of the Journey at the intersection of Route 66 and Jeffrerson Street is a map of the United States showing the path of Route 66 through the nation. Whoever painted America onto the remnant of her Main Street was even kind enough to include a scale (one inch = ten miles) in case you need to plan the rest of your trip down the Mother Road.
Heading out of Towanda to the north, the four-lane remnants remain broken up as you reach a bridge crossing a small creek. The pavement over the old bridge remains intact, and travelers can pull off to the north and rest above the waters.
The original two-lane route followed Quincy Street from the south until a ninety degree turn onto Jackson, where the road went due east before curving back along the diagonal Union Pacific railroad line. The curved connector between the two streets became known as Dead Man's Curve due to the inevitable reaction of fast-moving cars hitting a sharp angle with a narrow pavement width. At one point a house near the curve had to be relocated after a tractor trailer lost control and knocked it off of its foundation.
Construction of the four-lane bypass took a very slight (and much saver) curve around the northwest corner of the city, and the route encountered both of the city streets used by the original two-lane, cutting off both segments of pavement.
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Towanda, IL |
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While many communites have just allowed their retired lanes return to dirt and grass, this tiny McLean County community has turned them into a memorial for the old highway that brought millions of Americans through their village. Though brand new blacktop was not put down, as in Lexington, local students and residents helped spice up the couple mile-long walk by installing not only benches and greenery but also historical plaques detailing many of the businesses that lined Route 66 through the town until the onset of the interstate age. The plaques also talk about some of the geographic features of the road; if you ever wanted to learn about a borrow pit, Towanda is the place for you!
Another feature of the trip are eight large murals celebrating each of the states along Route 66 running from north to south. Towards the end of the murals begins a chain of Burma-Shave signs, all ending at the small park at the south end of the alignment. Appropriately enough, the park features a lake perfect for a little relaxation - a lake created by the construction of the I-55 overpass that replaced this stretch of highway. Painted on the pavement at the very head of the Journey at the intersection of Route 66 and Jeffrerson Street is a map of the United States showing the path of Route 66 through the nation. Whoever painted America onto the remnant of her Main Street was even kind enough to include a scale (one inch = ten miles) in case you need to plan the rest of your trip down the Mother Road.
