investigating the effects of i-55 on the culture of route 66 communities in illinois

7/30/2019 Investigating the Effects of I-55 on the Culture of Route 66 Communities in Illinois

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Investigating the Effects of I-55 On the Culture of Route 66 Communities In Illinois

Monica DavilaPSM191DCProfessor Desveaux

TA: Beth GreeneMay 15, 2011


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Abstract

In the mid 1920s, the United States government authorized the creation of a new,paved highway system to meet the needs of the growing numbers of travelers on thenations roads. As one of the most heavily traveled highways linking urban metropolises

and rural communities, Route 66 became an icon and symbol of small-town America.When it was bypassed by the new interstate system in the 1970s, however, many of thelocal communities that had once thrived on the road lost their customer base and weresubsequently abandoned or left in disrepair. This paper explores the impact of I-55 oncommunities along Route 66 in Illinois, and investigates whether the new interstate hadan overall adverse effect on these businesses and towns. Through the use of case studiesand census information, this paper examines whether I-55 destroyed the local culture bydriving out what made these places unique, or helped them thrive by bringing in newcustomers and preserving the legacy of Route 66. The findings suggest that while theinterstate did have a negative impact on some areas due to the bypass, I-55 was not apurely detrimental force, and actually benefitted a few areas along Route 66.


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Table of Contents

I. Abstract.2II. Introduction...4III. Hypothesis.....6IV. Methods.6 V. Case Studies... 7

a. Funks Pure Maple Sirup..7b. Dixie Truckers Home..8c.

Rialto Square Theatre..10

d. Palm Grill Caf11e. Soulsby Service Station...12

VI. Census Data...14VII. Analysis.15

a. Drop in the Number of Customers and Closure of Business...16b. Ownership By Corporate Entities18c. Increase in Population..19d. Possible Reason for Survival20e. Highway Beautification Act.21f. Interstate 55 and Preservation..22

VIII. Possible Issues With Research...22IX. Conclusion.23X. Bibliography..25


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Introduction

The first few decades of the 1900s were a pivotal turning point for transportation

in the United States. In 1910, there were approximately 180,000 registered vehicles in the

country, and by 1920 the number had grown to over 17 million (Before 1926: The

Origins of Route 66). However, while Americans were finding it more affordable to

travel by car, only 36,000 of the nations 2.5 million miles of road were paved and

capable of withstanding automobile traffic (Before 1926: The Origins of Route 66).

Noticing the vital need for all-weather roads, the federal government passed the Federal

Highway Act of 1921, which provided states with the funds needed to create a national

highway system (Wallis 5).

As a result, Route 66 was paved in 1926 and stretched over 2,400 miles from

Chicago to Los Angeles (1). Since many smaller, rural communities at the time lacked

access to major road systems, planners designed the route so that it would connect urban

and rural towns across the country (Before 1926: The Origins of Route 66). Thus, as

the popularity of the road grew in the next several decades, these small towns became

dependent on the stream of people traveling across state lines. According to the Illinois

Motor Vehicles Division, the number of trucks that traveled on the highway between

Chicago and St. Louis increased from 1,500 per day in 1931 to nearly 7,500 per day in

1941 (Route 66: 1926-1945). Local businesses such as the Pig Hip, the Dixie Truckers

Home, and Ariston Caf developed loyal customers, and gas stations such as Soulsby

Service Station relied on the increased traffic that consistently flowed on Route 66.

While the increased popularity of the road benefitted many towns and businesses,

it also had an unexpected consequence. Inspired by the autobahn he had seen in Germany


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during World War II, President Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956

that authorized the creation of a new, larger interstate highway system (Wallis 25). The

system, composed of five interstates stretching over 42,500 miles, was designed to

accommodate the increasing number of people traveling across the country, and relieve

the burden on the old highways (25). The first interstate to bypass part of Route 66 was I-

55 in Illinois, which was constructed throughout the 1960s and 70s (Demise and

Resurgence of Interest in Route 66). The rest of the road was completely replaced by the

interstate highway system in 1984. (Wallis 26). In 1985, the American Association of

State Highways and Transportation Officials officially decommissioned Route 66 as a

national highway (Demise and Resurgence of Interest in Route 66).

After the bypassing of Route 66, various towns saw their means of survival dry

up, and communities reported a significant drop in the number of travelers visiting the

area. Glenrio, Texas, was once home to a motel, service station, caf, and a fireworks

stand, but saw its population drop and several businesses leave the area soon after the

interstate was constructed (Wallis 138). The town of Amboy, home of the famous Rays

diner, used to be a popular stop along the Mother Road in California, but is now a ghost

town (Anton 2007). The popular Long Horn Ranch hotel and restaurant in Moriarty, New

Mexico, was once a popular destination for travelers, but is currently empty and in ruins

(Wallis 160). Various buildings and old structures now lie abandoned on the side of the

road, and while some of these towns still exist, many others along the Mother Road have

been left desolate and in disrepair after the construction of the interstate highway system.


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Hypothesis

While investigating the effects of the interstate highway system on all of Route 66

would be interesting, there is simply not enough time in which to conduct a thorough

investigation of the issue. Since Illinois was the first state through which Route 66 was

fully paved, and the first state to see the road completely bypassed by the interstate

highway system, I have narrowed the scope of my investigation to this particular area.

The question I pose is this: what effects did I-55 have on the culture of the communities

located along Route 66 in Illinois?

Given the findings of my initial research regarding other Route 66 towns

mentioned above, my hypothesis is as follows: the bypassing of Route 66 by I-55 led

many towns to lose tourists and travelers, thus causing many businesses to close and

town populations to drastically drop as the communities were slowly abandoned.

Methods

In order to adequately investigate the effects that I-55 had on the culture of Route

66 communities in Illinois, I define culture as that which is unique to the towns, such as

certain attractions and businesses. In order to have a well-rounded understanding and

analysis of the situation, I sample five random businesses to use as case studies. In these

case studies, I look at whether or not the business saw a drop in the number of customers

shortly after the construction of the interstate, as well as if the business itself was forced

to close due to the lack of customers. I also look to see if the business became part of a

corporate entity or chain due to the construction of I-55, or if it continued to be family or

resident-owned. I also use census data to see whether any of the towns located on Route

66 suffered a drop in population after the construction of I-55, and whether the town was


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deserted. In addition to using books and newspaper articles to gather data, I also conduct

interviews of people who know about Route 66, such as an expert at the Route 66 Hall of

Fame in Pontiac, Illinois, and the owners of businesses that are still in operation along the

road. If I find that these businesses lost customers and closed because of I-55, or became

part of a corporate entity or chain due to the construction, then it will suggest that the

interstate had an overall detrimental effect on the communities because it destroyed an

aspect of the town that was unique. Similarly, if I find that the populations of towns

significantly dropped, then it would also suggest that I-55 had a negative impact on the

culture of the town because it led to the abandonment of the area.

Case Studies

Case Study #1: Funks Pure Maple Sirup

In 1824, Issac Funk settled down in a local grove and began extracting maple

sirup1 from the trees with his sons. In 1891, Issacs grandson, Arthur Funk, set up a

commercially operating sirup farm in the area and began selling the product for $1 per

gallon. By the time Route 66 was constructed nearby, Funks Grove was producing 240

gallons each season and selling the product for $3.50 (Funks Grove History).

In 1947, Stephen Funk and his wife, Glaida, assumed control of the family

business (Teague 9). The business continued to be highly profitable, but was threatened

when the Funks were informed in the 1970s that I-55 was slated to cut through the grove

(Funks Grove History). The family managed to convince planners to reroute the road,

but the new path meant that the grove now lay a mile away from the interstate. According

to Stephen, officials refused to allow the Funks to set up an exit sign on I-55 because they

1 This is not a misspellingthe word sirup means that there is no sugar added, and the Funks familywanted to distinguish between their product and the more artificial syrup produced by other businesses.


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did not have enough traffic to warrant one (Teague 9). As a result, sales dipped, and the

family found it harder to sell their sirup each year.

According to the Funks Pure Maple Sirup website, the financial situation of the

business improved once the family was able to convince officials to allow them to install

a sign along the interstate, thus allowing them to reach a wide range of new customers.

The website also reports that the business saw an increase in sales in the U.S. and

overseas in the late 1980s when the nostalgia for Route 66 began. Today, Stephens son

produces approximately 1,800 gallons of sirup during the season, and each gallon is sold

for $35. There is also a mail order system that allows the family to sell their sirup and

other merchandise such as cookbooks, maple cream, and Route 66 memorabilia, to

customers around the world (Funks Grove History).

Case Study #2: Dixie Truckers Home

The Dixie Truckers Home was founded in 1928 in the town of McLean, Illinois,

when John Geske and J.P. Walters began selling sandwiches out of a rented mechanics

garage. They soon set up an actual restaurant, and for years the Dixie served as a local

cultural center, screening free shows for the locals and travelers on the weekends and

serving as a meeting place for town residents (Freeling 2003).

People would come from Minier, Stanford, from all overpeople would come

from 30 miles away, said Charlotte C.J. Beeler, John Geskes daughter(qtd. in

Freehling 2003).

According to Tom Teague, who studied the history of the road for over 19 years,

the Dixie did well because in those days there werent many filling stationsthere was

a growing retail demand for gasoline, and the Dixie came at a perfect time to meet that


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need (qtd. in Freehling 2003). The Illinois section of Route 66 was the busiest, and as

more trucks drove from Chicago to Los Angeles, the Dixie thrived.

Lots of times thered be a long line of customers when I came in, and a long line

of customers when I went home, said Fern Gresham, an employee who worked at the

Dixie for over twenty years. And itd be like that all day (qtd. in Freehling 2003).

In addition to serving as a restaurant and filling station, the Dixie soon expanded

to the point where it had its own cabins and gift shop. Over the next few decades, the

Dixie was an unqualified success, and started outposts in Tuscola and Effingham, never

closing except for one day in 1965 when there was a fire (Freehling 2003). The day after,

the Dixie was back in business.

The truck companies really depended on us in the earlier days, said Chuck(qtd.

in Freeling 2003). Technology and deregulation led to less stops and longer times on the

road for both truckers and the general public. The Dixie is also no longer one of the only

truck stops on the road, but Teague pointed out that the others dont have the Dixies 74

years of service to stand oninstead of personal loyalty, [the others] encourage brand

loyalty (Teague, Still Trucking). Regardless of the changes, the Dixie continued to see

over 200 trucks park each night on its lot in the early 2000s, and is consistently listed as

one of the top ten truck stops in the nation (Teague, Still Trucking).

In 2003, however, C.J. and her husband, Chuck, were forced to retire from

running the Dixie and sell the business to a corporate chain. According to an article in the

Pantagraph Bloomington, the Dixie entered Chapter 7 bankruptcy in May 2001, and had

been operating on a month-to-month basis since October of that year. While a

representative from the Dixie Truckers Home was not able to confirm why exactly the


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business entered bankruptcy, they explained that the Dixie is absolutely thriving today

and is still a popular truck stop (Dixie Interview 2011).

Case Study #3: The Rialto Square Theatre

Built in 1926, the Rialto Square Theatre was called one of the finest theaters in

the United States by theJoliet Sunday Herald News, which claimed that it stood on

even terms with the modern motion picture palaces of Chicago and New York(Vision

Takes Form). The theatre, originally constructed to showcase vaudeville performances,

had an inner lobby modeled after the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, and an

outer arc that was inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in France (A Palace for the People).

A Save the Rialto campaign was established in the 1970s, but according to

Finance Manager Dale Evans, this had nothing to do with I-55. Over a phone interview,

Evans explained that the mid 1970s were an important time in American history because

1976 marked the 200th anniversary of the United States. The theater, approximately fifty

years old, was beginning to show its age, and as an important [piece] oflocal

activityit needed to be preserved (Evans Interview 2011). While the theatre did not

undergo restoration until 1980, the National Parks Service deemed it to be a unique

structure, and added it to the National Registrar of Historic Places in 1978 (Evans

Interview 2011). According to Evans, however, improving structural issues in order to

preserve the theater was not the only reason the Rialto underwent renovations.

Steel production had been a crucial part of Joliets economy until the 1970s, when

steel companies began moving to larger, more modern facilities to compete with the

influx of cheaper, foreign steel (Joliets History; Evans Interview 2011). Families had

also begun moving out of the downtown area and into the suburbs, further hurting


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business. According to Evans, the restoration of the Rialto was viewed as a catalyst that

could help revive the towns economy by attracting more visitors. Over a period of ten to

fifteen years, the Rialto Square Theatre (in addition to the establishment of other

businesses) helped alleviate the economic pressures on the town, and continues to

showcase various performances today (Evans Interview 2011).

Case Study #4: The Palm Grill Caf

In 1934, Robert Adams opened the Palm Grill Caf in downtown Atlanta, Illinois

(Holliday 2009). Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, the Palm Grill Caf was a popular

meeting area for residents, many of whom were high school students who worked at the

restaurant (Downey Building). Bingo games and dances were held in the back rooms,

and tourists and locals alike would stop by to enjoy home-cooked food such as mashed

potatoes and fried bologna (Parker 2009). In the late 1960s, however, Atlanta was in the

middle of an economic downturn, and the Caf closed (Holliday 2009; Thomas Interview

2011).

According to a new exhibit at the Atlanta Museum, the cause of this decline stems

back to the 1920s when Route 66 was first paved. The road cut through the middle of the

town, and new businesses such as gas stations and small cafes popped up in the area to

cater to the increased number of travelers passing through Atlanta. While this led to

economic prosperity for the downtown area, residents soon found that they too could use

the new road to leave town and spend the day in larger cities (Atlanta and Route 66: A

Mixed Blessing). As more people drove to the surrounding areas for entertainment and

shopping, local business owners found it more difficult to make ends meet. According to

the museum, between 1930 and 1960, this negative impact of Route 66 drastically


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reduced Atlantas business base compared to what it had once been. Atlanta resident Bill

Thomas also pointed out that the price of train tickets at the time dropped, and Route 66

was rerouted around the edge of the town. This caused businesses in the downtown area

to lose their crucial customer base while residents continued to commute elsewhere for

their shopping and entertainment needs. Thomas explained via phone interview that these

problems were only exacerbated by the construction of I-55, which allowed more

travelers to bypass the small town and its businesses. In the late 1960s, the Palm Grill

Caf closed due to the lack of customers (Holliday 2009).

Residents of the town, however, had a similar idea to those in Joliet who had seen

the restoration of the Rialto Square Theater as a means of improving their economic

situation. While the citys government searched for ways to regain their tourist base in

the 1990s, Thomas noticed that people were beginning to travel down Route 66 once

again. He proposed that the town reopen the Palm Grill Caf and restore it to its former

glory as a means to bring back visitors. As chairman of the Illinois Route 66 National

Scenic Byway program, Thomas helped spearhead the movement to reopen the

restaurant, and in May of 2009, the Palm Grill Caf was once again open for business

(Holliday 2009). As the new owner of the Caf, Thomas reports that the plan was

successful, and that the number of visitors to Atlanta has tripled in the past two years.

Case Study #5: Soulsby Service Station

The 1920s saw the automobile become the main form of transportation for many

families, and entrepreneurs such as Henry Soulsby quickly took advantage of the large

numbers of cars on the road. After hearing that Route 66 was slated to pass through his

town of Mt. Olive, Illinois, Henry used his life savings to open what became known as


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Soulsby Service Station. Aware that oil companies were trying to design stations that

blended in with the local towns in order to avoid opposition to the construction, Henry

designed the station to look like a simple house with a canopy The station opened in 1926

and Henry began selling Shell gasoline to the many travelers driving down Route 66

(Soulsby Service Station).

The Great Depression hit the area in the early 1930s, but Soulsby Service Station

continued to do business, thanks to the large numbers of families driving West in search

of work and a better life. The station stayed open throughout the years as Henrys

children, Russell and Ola, learned how to manage it, and they soon took over(Soulsby

Service Station).

In the late 1950s, however, construction began on I-55, and by the time it was

finished, Soulsby Service Station was nearly a mile away from the interstate (Soulsby

Service Station). Although bypassed by I-55, Russell was able to continue supporting

himself with a television repair business he had also started on the side and the station

continued to sell gas to customers for several more years until it stopped doing so in

1991. However, Russell and Ola kept the station open to check oil, sell soda pop, and

greet the ever-growing legion of Route 66 tourists (National Registrar of Historic

Places Registration Form). In 1993, the siblings finally closed the station, and in 1996

Ola died. In 1997, Russell sold the station to his neighbor, Mike Dragonvich, and died

soon afterwards (Soulsby Service Station).

The station still stands today as one of the oldest service stations on Route 66. In

2003, the Soulsby Preservation Society joined with Mr. Dragonvich in restoring the

station, and the National Park Service provided additional funding to continue the work.


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In 2004, the station was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and visitors are

now allowed inside for limited tours (Plaque Dedication for Soulsby Station; Soulsby

Service Station).

Census Data

The following table shows the population for a sample of towns located along

Route 66 during different time periods2. The year 1930 was chosen because it was

approximately four years after the paving of Route 66 in Illinois, allowing time for the

population to settle down and adjust. 1960 was chosen because the Federal Aid Highway

Act was passed in 1956 and construction on the interstate began in the late 1950s, and

1980 was chosen because I-55 was fully completed in the late 1970s, allowing for the

number of people in a town to settle down after a period of possible upheaval. 2000 was

chosen due to the fact that the 1980s saw a resurgence of interest in Route 66, and many

towns began embracing the road as a means to lure travelers and tourists.

Town 1930 1960 1980 2000

Romeoville 200 3574 15,000 21,153Joliet 40,000 65,000 79,000 106,221

Hamel 969 331 N/A 570

Towanda 453 586 N/A 493

Bloomington 30,930 36,271 44,189 64,808

Normal 6,768 13,357 35,672 45,386

While there are many more towns located along Route 66 in Illinois, several do

not have exact population statics available to publish. The town of Dwight, Illinois,

reported having 3,086 residents as of 1980, but the town has seen growth over its history,

according to the city hall. In 2000, its population was 4,363, according to the U.S. Census

2The sources for all the information in the table can be found in the bibliography, under each towns name.


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Bureau, thus providing support for the claim, although no exact figures are available for

years before 1980.

Similarly, the town of Edwardsville, Illinois, was not able to provide census

information for 1930 or 1960, but did report that the population was approximately

12,000 in 1980. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the towns population nearly

doubled in the span of twenty years, growing to about 21, 491. While there is no data for

the years before 1980, the town is said to have survived the interstate bypass, with

Michael Wallis reporting that its always been business as usual (Wallis 45). This

suggests that while there are no specific population figures for the town in the years 1930

and 1960, the town did not see a decrease in population.

Several other towns were unable to provide population statistics for all four years,

but were still able to provide some information. Broadwell had a population of

approximately 173 people in 1960, shortly before I-55 was completed, but the U.S.

Census Bureau lists their population as 169 people in 2000 (Population: 3 Towns Show

Loss). The town of Sherman saw a population explosion over the course of 40 years,

rising from 209 in 1960 to 1501 in 1980 to over 2,800 residents in 2000 (2030 Sherman

Comprehensive Plan). The town of Odell did not have population statistics for 1930 or

1980, but has seen their population rise from 936 in 1960 to approximately 1,014 in 2000

according to the U.S. Census Bureau (Population: 3 Towns Show Loss).

Analysis

I used certain criteria to examine the impacts I-55 had on Route 66 communities

in Illinois: whether there was a drop in the number of customers and the business closed

as a result, whether the business is owned by a corporate entity, and whether the towns


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experienced a drop in population and were abandoned. The analysis for each is listed

below.

Drop In The Number of Customers and Closure of Businesses

According to the data collected in the case studies, it appears that only Funks Pure

Maple Sirup, the Palm Grill Caf, and Soulsby Service Station saw a significant decrease

in business after the construction of I-55, while the Dixie Truckers Home and Rialto

Square Theatre were not affected in any obvious manner. These results suggest an

interesting trend regarding the ability of a business to continue attracting customers after

the construction of I-55.

According to John Weiss, a Route 66 historian at the Illinois Route 66

Association Hall of Fame and Museum, the type of business was an important factor in

determining which businesses were able to survive the bypassing. Those that depended

heavily on traffic from outside the local area, such as gas stations and general stores,

were typically the hardest hit when people began traveling on I-55 instead of Route 66.

While I did not use a general store in my case studies, it appears as though Weisss theory

may be correct, as the only two businesses to close (the Palm Grill Caf and Soulsby

Service Station) relied on the steady stream of travelers through the area to make a profit.

Even though the Palm Grill Caf was not a gas station, Bill Thomas mentioned in an

interview that the Caf was located near a Greyhound station and depended heavily on

travelers.

It is possible, however, for one to argue that if Weisss theory was true, then the

Dixie Truckers Home should have closed when the interstate first opened. As a major

truck stop, it depends on a steady stream of traffic to stay in business. However, the Dixie


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was not bypassed by I-55 since the interstate was paved directly over the route in this

area.

Another possible issue with the theory is that Funks Pure Maple Sirup saw an

immediate decrease in customers, yet it is not a gas station or a type of business that

would normally rely on a steady stream of automobile traffic. However, Weisss

explanation includes businesses that relied on traffic from outside the local area, which

was true for Funks Pure Maple Sirup. Its survival, however, leads to another possible

explanation related to Weisss theory: businesses that were able to use the interstate as a

new source of customers survived over those who were not.

According to this explanation, a business that was successfully able to route

customers off of the interstate and back towards the town had a better chance of staying

in business than those who were not able to attract those customers. Once the owners of

Funks Pure Maple Sirup were able to advertise along I-55, they regained their lost

customer base and stayed in business. The Palm Grill Caf and Soulsby Service Station

were not able to do this, however, for reasons related to Weisss theorythe Palm Grill

Caf depended on customers from the Greyhound station that instead chose to commute

via train, and Soulsby was a gas station a mile away from I-55. While people may have

decided to leave the interstate to buy sirup, they may have decided to wait until they

came upon a gas station closer to I-55 to stop and fill up their tank.

The fact that Funks Pure Maple Sirup saw the number of customers drop shortly

after the interstate opened supports the initial hypothesis that I-55 led to a drop in

business. However, the increase they saw shortly after being allowed to advertise on the

interstate suggests that owners who knew how to use the interstate to their advantage saw


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their business grow due to the newer and bigger customer base that was now available via

the interstate. In this case, I-55 brought economic prosperity to these individuals and their

businesses, allowing them to stay in the communities, and the culture to stay intact. In

cases like the Rialto Square Theatre and the Dixie Truckers Home, the interstate did not

appear to have any impact, whether detrimental or positive, on the number of customers

and its survival.

Ownership By Corporate Entities

Since I defined culture as that which is unique to the towns, none of the

businesses examined was part of a corporate entity or chain when they were founded.

Instead, they were owned by families or private individuals. Out of the five businesses

sampled, the Dixie Truckers Home was the only business to eventually become part of a

corporate entity.

However, there does not seem to be any evidence to support the fact that I-55 was

responsible for the buyout since the business did not enter bankruptcy until the early

2000s. Had I-55 been responsible, this would have occurred in the 1960s or 1980s. A

different explanation could be that the owners of the Dixie were quite elderly by the time

they were forced to declare bankruptcy, and could not run the business adequately

anymore. In any case, it does not appear as though I-55 was responsible for the selling of

the Dixie to a corporate entity.

Ultimately, none of the other owners appeared to have sold out when the

interstate was constructed, therefore, one could argue that I-55 did not lead to chain stores

and destroy the unique culture of the towns in this manner.


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Increase In Population

None of the census information collected appears to support my hypothesis that I-

55 led to a significant decrease in population for local communities. According to the

sample of towns, most saw a significant increase in the number of residents, with the

exception of Towanda, and Hamel. Towanda, however, had a slightly larger population in

2000 than they did in 1930, and while no population information is available for the years

shortly after the completion of I-55, it does not appear as though the interstate had a long-

term impact on the number of people residing in Towanda. It is entirely possible,

however, that there was a drop in population immediately after the opening of I-55, but

since the population dropped by less than 100 people during a forty year time-span, this

cannot be confirmed.

Hamels population also appears to have dropped significantly in the decades

following the completion of Route 66 in 1926. While their population right after the

completion of I-55 is unknown, their population shortly after the passing of the Federal

Aid Highway Act in the mid-1950s was over 600 residents less than their population after

Route 66 opened in 1926. While I-55 was not fully completed until 1977, construction

began in the late 1950s, suggesting that the interstate may have played a role in the

population decrease. However, their population in 2000 was significantly higher than that

of 1960, signaling a possible recovery. Whether that increase is related to I-55 is unclear.

It is possible that the increase in population for several of these towns could be

attributed to the baby boom shortly after World War II in the 1940s, or by the movement

of people during WWII. According to the National Parks Service Special Resource

Study, population growth along Route 66 during the postwar era ranged anywhere from


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40% in New Mexico to approximately 74% in the state of Arizona (Special Resource

Study). One could also make the argument that new businesses such as casinos brought

more people to the towns. The towns of Bloomington and Normal are also quite close to

each other, and are college towns that have attracted numerous residents to the area.

However, had I-55 been responsible for making living conditions in towns too difficult to

raise a family and make a living, then residents would have moved out of these

communities. Since these towns saw a sustained increase in population over a period of

several decades, it is possible to argue that although I-55 may not have been the reason

people moved to these communities, it did not siphon away residents either. Furthermore,

even if new businesses were responsible for an increase in population, it supports the idea

that I-55 did not have a detrimental effect on population due to the fact that these

businesses succeeded in attracting more visitors. If I-55 were responsible for the decrease

in business for the towns, then these businesses would have never been successful in the

first place since they would not have had the customer base they needed to survive.

Overall, while the increase in population for these towns could be attributed to any

number of factors, and does not necessarily mean that I-55 was responsible for bringing

in more people, the data suggests that I-55 did not lead to the abandonment of towns.

Possible Reason For Survival

The survival, resurgence, and preservation of these businesses, as well as the lack

of supportive census information, appears to counter my initial hypothesis that I-55 had

an overwhelmingly negative effect on the culture of local communities on Route 66. Why

is this so? According to John Weiss, the issue has to do with the distance between I-55

and Route 66.


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While both tend to be very far apart in states such as California, Oklahoma, and

New Mexico, both I-55 and Route 66 run very close to each other in Illinois, to the point

where they sometimes overlap. The reason that many towns that were bypassed became

desolate and empty in the other states, according to Weiss, is because they were simply

too far away from the interstate highway system to continue attracting customers and

travelers. In Illinois, however, businesses such as Funks Pure Maple Sirup and Soulsby

Service Station were only about a mile away from the interstate after the bypassing. In

these cases, they were not completely cut off from their supply of customers.

The Highway Beautification Act

Weiss also explained that the Highway Beautification Act played an important

role in the survival of the interstate. The Act, passed with the support of Lady Bird

Johnson in 1965, called for control of outdoor advertising, including removal of certain

types of signs, along the Nations growing Interstate System (How the Highway

Beautification Act Became a Law). By barring businesses on Route 66 from advertising

their product or services along the side of the interstate, the federal government

inadvertently made it so that these businesses could not regain their lost customer base

that had been diverted to I-55. With the help of later amendments such as 1976 bill which

permitted retention of certain nonconforming directional-message signs in specific areas

where sign removal would create a substantial economic hardship, businesses such as

Funks Pure Maple Sirup were able to attract customers (Highway Beautification Act

Primer: The 1976 Amendments). However, according to Weiss, the Highway

Beautification Acts enforcement ultimately caused more issues for businesses than the

actual construction of Route 66. More research would need to be done on the topic to see


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if he is correct. Either way, it is possible to argue that I-55 still created a problem since it

was linked to the Highway Beautification Act, and that businesses would not have had

this issue had the interstate been constructed. However, as the success of Funks Pure

Maple Sirup shows, I-55 was beneficial when businesses were given the opportunity to

use it to bring in a new and expanded customer base.

Interstate 55 and Preservation

While the information collected suggests that I-55 did not have an overall

detrimental impact on the communities, some businesses still saw a decline due to the

construction of the interstate. However, it is entirely possible to make the argument that I-

55 was a huge benefit to Route 66 in Illinois due to preservation. Had Route 66 never

been bypassed in the first place, perhaps none of the restoration efforts (such as those for

Soulsby Service Station) would have been undertaken by individuals concerned with the

history of the Mother Road. It is possible that Route 66 may have lost even more of its

culture without these preservation efforts, since there would not have been as pressing of

a need to protect these areas from urban development and the construction of chain

stores. While this is entirely speculative, it would be interesting to further research this

possibility regarding I-55 and its preservation of culture.

Possible Issues With Research

One of the first limitations involves the collection of census information. While

the United States Census Bureau provides population information for the year 2000 for

each town, the website does not readily display population demographics for any year

before 1990. According to the Bureau, more census information can be located at the

National Archives, however, these tend to be on rolls of microfilm. Given the limited


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time I had to conduct my research, gaining access to the National Archives and going

through the microfilm would have taken far too long. It was also difficult to gather

population information from the towns themselves, as many did not have the records

available. A longer period of time in which to conduct my research may have allowed for

a better sample of town census information, as it would have allowed me to use the

microfilm or track down more individuals who may have had town information.

I also experienced a few limitations regarding business information. While I was

able to contact several people regarding the financial history of each business described

in my research, some of the original founders were too old to contact, or had already

died. While this was not a major issue for my research, it prevented me from collecting

more data that could have been useful, or using businesses that were spaced further apart

along Route 66 for a better sample. I may have been able to gather more data by going to

the actual towns and talking to locals, however, this was too difficult to do within ten

weeks. Had the research period been longer, I may have been able to do this.

Conclusion

According to the information collected, it appears that I-55 did impact Route 66

communities to some extent, but that not all of these impacts were detrimental to the

culture of the towns. Out of five businesses studied, only three saw a decrease in business

due to I-55, and one was able to survive after being allowed to advertise to travelers on I-

55. Only two businesses were forced to close due to I-55, and one was able to reopen

later on while the other was preserved as a museum, which allowed the community to

retain a special part of their culture and history. Furthermore, only two of the towns

examined suffered a drop in population that could have been tied to the construction of I-


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Davila 24

55, but this is uncertain. Overall, I-55 appears to have been beneficial to some degree for

the communities along Route 66, as it provided a new, expanded customer base when

businesses were allowed to advertise along the road, and may have aided in the

preservation of Route 66 culture. Further research would need to be done to investigate

more of the impacts, but it appears that my initial hypothesis was not proven correct by

the information gathered.


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investigating the effects of i-55 on the culture of route 66 communities in illinois

Documents