Learning to use our calendar puts the fun and adventure of Route 66 at your fingertips. It's easy to discover the when, what and where of events along the road.
Watch Route 66 evolve into The Mother Road with maps and highway guides from 1917-1992 courtesty of the official 
2010 Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
The Route 66 Association of Illinois proudly announces our 2010 Hall of Fame Inductees.
Our Hall of Fame recognizes and honors those who have make significant contributions to Route 66 in Illinois.
The official Hall of Fame award banquet and ceremony will be held Saturday, June 12, 2010 at the Best Western Carlinville Inn (I-55 and Route 108, Exit 60) Carlinville, Illinois 62626.
Our Hall of Fame banquet is held on the Saturday of our annual three-day Motor Tour. Tickets to the Hall of Fame banquet and the Motor Tour can be purchased separately.
Click for complete information about our 2010 Hall of Fame banquet and Motor Tour.
We hope you'll join us for the 2010 Hall of Fame Dinner. To purchase tickets, contact one of these fine gentlemen:
Jerry Law
Email: thelaw1@sbcglobal.net
(618)251-4892
Marty Blitstein
Email: blitz66@earthlink.net
(708)444-1312
Here is the list of those people and places we honor this year for their contributions to the Mother Road:
2010 Hall of Fame Inductees
817 Hillsboro (known as Halley's) in Edwardsville
The building at 817 Hillsboro in Edwardsville was built in 1914 and started as a cash & carry Mom and Pop Market called Barns Cash Market. In 1927 it was sold to Thomas and Mayme Halley who owned and operated the market as Halley's Cash and Carry Market for 43 years. It was Halley's for so many years that most people still know it as Halley's. The current owners Sam Makler and Colette Andre now operate it as the Springers Creek Winery. They use Route 66 on the labels of all their wine, but only the blush has the shield on it. Next time you’re in town, why not stop in and check out this historic place and have a glass of wine?
Lewis (Zoo) Barrick of Lincoln, Illinois (posthumous)
On February 15, 1935, Lewis A. Barrick founded Barrick Transfer & Beverage Co. in Lincoln, IL which operated on Route 66 for 75 years. The transfer company hauled meat, soda pop, and other freight up and down Route 66. Mr. Barrick expanded his company to include beer to this soda and freight business. He cared about the Route 66 community. He added benches to his truck to provide transportation to the coal miners so they may attend the “Mother Jones Monument” dedication in 1936. Later he purchased a moving van and became a North American Van Lines agent. Mr. Barrick was described as a workaholic but his work was always on Route 66 and always included his kindnesses and helpful ways with his Route 66 friends.
The Deck Family of Girard
The Deck Family has operated a business in the Route 66 community of Girard well before there was a Route 66. They had a family business for 117 years from 1884 to 2001. In 1884 Mr. Lewis Deck opened Deck’s Drug Store. Various descendents of the Deck family have carried on the family tradition. In 1929 the Deck family added a marble top soda fountain to the drug store. With the soda fountain they became the “hang out” for the community. In 2001 the Deck brothers, Bob and Bill closed the doors of this quaint little drug store. It took six years but in 2007 Bob and Bill reopened the original pharmacy as a great drug store/museum, free for everyone to enjoy.
Snuffy’s Grill in McCook
Snuffy's Grill has been serving Route 66 for 80 years. The original owner ran Snuffy’s from 1930 until the mid 50’s when the Nikitopoulos family took it over. Tony and Nancy Nikitopoulos still run Snuffy's today! Snuffy’s, has always been a haven to truckers, regular local customers and Route 66 travelers. Open 24 hours a day Monday through Saturday, on Sundays they close from 1pm to 2am. Inside 17 stools face an open grill with the menu hanging above. There are only three booths along the wall of windows facing the parking lot. Total seating capacity is only 35. Al Marsiglio customer since 1948 said, "The food at Snuffy's is great, it's real comfort food. It's one of the last old grills still operating today. If you walk away hungry, it's your own fault!"
2010 Tom Teague Ambassador Award
Bob Waldmire (posthumous)
Bob Waldmire was an artist, ecologist, vegetarian, a true Route 66 ambassador and was also known as the Mother Road's resident hippie. Bob lived his life on his own terms and that was to live his life on the road he loved. There is not a man to compare to Bob. Each person he met was given his friendship for life. His artwork, writings, and conversations with those he met, revealed his lifelong love affair with Route 66.
Congratulations and sincere thanks to our 2010 Hall of Fame Inductees! You make our Association proud!
Learn more about our Hall of Fame!
Click for the complete list of Hall of Fame Inductees from 1990 -2009.
We welcome your Route 66 news, stories, photos and events for publication in our newsletter or on our web site!
