Illinois held the first completely paved section of Route 66. Likewise, it will also be the first state to decommission Route 66 to be replaced by the Interstate highway. Chicago, Illinois, is both the beginning and the end of Route 66. We traditionally set its starting point here, on the shores of Lake Michigan and its oceanic airs.
Illinois is the state of the “Muffler Men“, these gentle giants bordering the road ahead of tourist shops, service stations, garages or restaurants. Today, although very common in the heyday of Route 66, only a few of them survive, including three in Illinois (the fourth one is in Arizona). The most iconic one, “Tall Paul”, holding a huge giant hotdog, is located in Atlanta, Illinois. It was moved (it originally stood in Cicero, Illinois) and beautifully restored by the Route 66 Association in Illinois.
Chicago is a city of skyscrapers. The “Willis Tower” (formerly “Sears Tower”) has long been the tallest building in the world, while its “Magnificent Mile”, a shopping paradise, is considered the cradle of contemporary architecture.
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