As part of a series on the influential, colorful, historic people, places and things along Illinois Route 66, we present…

Ernie Edwards, The Pig Hip Restaurant

Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Class of 1990

100-198 N Frontage Rd, Broadwell, IL 62634

Here’s the story behind this historic landmark:

Ernie Edwards bought what would become the Pig Hip Restaurant, the Harbor Inn, in Broadwell, Illinois 1937. Until 1991, he served up his famous Pig Hip Sandwiches along IL Route 66, featuring fresh, uncured ham which, as Ernie claimed, “came only the left hip of the pig, never the right.” What went into this special culinary creation? A Pig Hip sandwich consisted of that aforementioned fresh ham, tomato and lettuce on a toasted bun with Ernie’s proprietary special sauce. His motto for the sandwich was, ”it made its way by the way it’s made.” In the early days, “Ernie’s Pig-Hip Special” came with a Pig-Hip sandwich, French fries and Jell-O salad and cost 65 cents. The sandwich’s popularity prompted a change to the name of the restaurant itself in 1939.

During WWII in 1942, there were two lanes added to Route 66 because of its strategic military status. Because a portion of the Pig-Hip’s property was in the path of the new road, Ernie’s house was sold and moved to Elkhart (south of Broadwell) and his restaurant and small filling station also had to be demolished. A new restaurant was constructed with funds he received from the government on a short stretch of road that was added to the west of the military lane in 1943. That same year, Ernie went into the Army, working as a cook in the South Pacific and Japan.

Once home from overseas, Ernie settled down into a bustling few decades which included rubbing elbows with such famous names as bandleader Guy Lombardo and Harlan Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame.

Entrepreneurship ran in the family; his brother owned their Phillips 66 station next to the restaurant and his sister Bonnie and her husband built and operated the Pioneer Rest Motel on the property.

Despite construction of Interstate 55 through central Illinois in the mid 1970s, Broadwell’s overpass and freeway exit allowed easy access to the Pig-Hip, sparing it from the decline in patronage suffered by many other businesses along old Route 66.

Ernie goodnaturedly adopted the nickname, “Old Coot on 66” while serving hungry travelers and locals alike throughout the decades. And when Route 66 was decommissioned n 1985, he soon thereafter joined with fellow local fans of the Mother Road including Tom Teague and Springfield artist Bob Waldmire in founding the Route 66 Association of Illinois.

For his contributions to the character of Route 66 in Illinois, Ernie Edwards was inducted into the Route 66 Association of Illinois in 1990.

Ernie closed the restaurant in 1991 and converted the building into a Pig Hip/Route 66 museum which he ran for 17 years. People continued to visit over the years: tourists from around the world, those with fond memories of the restaurant, even the famous like Arnold Palmer and former President Jimmy Carter stopped by.

The building burned down on March 5, 2007. All that remains is an informational plaque attached to a boulder and a restored Pig Hip sign on the original site of the restaurant. Artifacts from the Pig Hip that survived the fire are now located at The Mill Museum on 66 in Lincoln, Illinois.

Ernie Edwards passed away in 2012 at the age of 94.

Click to read stories about the ever-growing list of Hall of Fame inductees.

As part of a series on the influential, colorful, historic people, places and things along Illinois Route 66, we present The Riviera and the Streetcar/Diner.

Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Class of 1993

District Six, Illinois State Police, Pontiac, IL

Here’s the story behind this Route 66 icon:

The Illinois State Police was formed in 1922 to serve the people of Illinois on the “new hard roads.” In 1942, District Six headquarters were established on Route 66 near Pontiac. In 1957, fresh out of the police training academy, 26-year-old Chester Henry reported to work there for the first time. From then on until his retirement in 1984, Route 66 was a daily part of his life.

“I was out there on Sundays, I was out there on holidays and I was out there on the graveyard shift,” he said. Frequenting their cafes, gas station and truck stops, he soon became a familiar sight to the citizens of all the little towns from Dwight to McLean. In the early days of radar, he and his partner also became familiar sights to motorists along the route – they set a record one year for the number of tickets written. This made motorists wary when they traveled through District Six, but it also kept the number of accidents well below average.

“Route 66 affected me by the lives of the people that I touched and the accidents that happened and the injuries I’ve seen.” Chester said. “Sometimes the snow would come down and Route 66 would be packed with ruts like an old country road. Accidents would happen, sometimes even fatal ones. I would go home and sometimes not sleep too good for a night or two remembering what I’d seen. The next morning, the sun would come out and the snow would start melting off and you’d wonder if it ever happened.”

“I’ve been there when trucks have turned over and closed the road and we’d have to run traffic both ways on the other side. That’s dangerous practice, but we’d put up cones and direct traffic around them. Sometimes those loaded semis weren’t too easy to move if they were upside down or had both lanes blocked. We had to caution everybody and stop traffic until we could get the road clear.”

In 1967, Chester was promoted to corporal. In 1972, he became a sergeant. And in 1979, he was promoted to lieutenant and became administrative officer for District Six.He held that post until his retirement in 1984, not too many years after Route 66 itself “retired.” During much of his career, his commanding officer was Captain Francis Mowery, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.

“A great portion of my life was spent out there amongst the people – out on 66 – helping them and handling different things. We were right out there with them and we were out there all the time. I was glad to be there during those times and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Route 66 was a grand old. Road.”

In 1995, Lieutenant Henry began preserving his memories of his time as an officer along Route 66 in written form. In 2014, his book, Route 66, My Home Away From Home, was published.

Friend of Route 66, Chester Henry, passed away at the age of 86 in 2018. His unique and profound experiences along the road remain a cherished piece of Route 66’s history.

Click to read stories about the ever-growing list of Hall of Fame inductees.

As part of a series on the influential, colorful, historic people, places and things along Illinois Route 66, we present The Palms Grill Cafe.

Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Class of 2013

110 SW Arch St, Atlanta, Illinois

Here’s the story behind this historic landmark:

The Palms Grill was opened in 1934 and declared it was, “in the center of Atlanta on U.S. Route 66. Dancing Every Night. Special Chicken and Steak Dinners. We Specialize in Club Parties.”

The original owner, Robert Adams, was a native of Atlanta who had moved to Los Angeles, California. It was decorated to resemble an eatery near where Adams had lived in California. Ray Thompson of Atlanta had been hired to oversee the restaurant and hire and oversee managers for the absent owner.

In its early years, businessmen, tourists, and even celebrities frequented the Palms Grill Cafe. Beginning in 1940, it was also the designated Greyhound bus stop in Atlanta for many years. In the late 1940s and 1950s, the Grill continued to serve as a popular gathering spot, especially for the students of Atlanta High School. Many students held their first real job at the Palms Grill.

After the Grill closed in the late 1960s, the building remained empty for nearly 20 years. John Hawkins purchased it in 1982, and upon his death in 2002, his family donated the building to the Atlanta Public Library and Museum. In 2003, the Atlanta Library began the restoration project that culminated in the rebirth of the Palms Grill Cafe.

It became a well-known, highly-praised restaurant that beckoned all to stop and dine and go back in time. Blue plate specials, spam sandwiches and definitely the pie attracted tourists to stop and make the Palms Grill Cafe  the center of Atlanta.

Sadly, The Palms Grill Cafe closed in 2020. It is currently owned by the Atlanta Library District and leased out.

Click to read stories about the ever-growing list of Hall of Fame inductees.

In 1956, a man named Chet parked a white bus with polka dots painted on it by the side of Route 66 in Braidwood. He put a kitchen in it, served food from the side windows and Braidwood had its first drive-in restaurant. As time and profit allowed, Chet erected a small building with walk-up windows, then a dining room.

Couples John and Cathy Dixon and Dan and Judy Chinski bought the business in 1972, sold it in 1978, and then bought it again in 1987. They have remodeled it extensively with neon and ‘50s decor from other area businesses. But the walk-up windows are still in use. The restaurant’s original Hamilton Beach mixer is on display. Green River floats and chili-cheese French fries remain as menu favorites. You can even order a Black Cow but you have to know the secret because the words “Black Cow” do not appear on the menu.

The Dixons and Chiniskis work side by side with their staff. They take pride that many of their young workers have made the honor roll, made valedictorian, and gone on to college. Every day this team show that a family-owned and operated business can still thrive in the day of franchises.

Since the Polk-a-Dot’s induction, they’ve welcomed Elvis and Superman statues ~2016. They’ve added a drive-up window to the establishment. The restaurant is open 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Click to read stories about the ever-growing list of Hall of Fame inductees.

As part of a series on the influential, colorful, historic people, places and things along Illinois Route 66, we present…

Ed Waldmire Family, The Cozy Dog Drive-In

Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Class of 1991

2935 S 6th St, Springfield, Illinois

Here’s the story behind this historic landmark:

The Cozy Dog is an original and traditional Route 66 business. Before our association was even formed, its founder and owner, Ed Waldmire, was supporting the road’s revival with displays at the Cozy Dog. His son, Bob, has drawn many scenes and maps of the highway. And Ed is credited with perfecting a classic form of American roadside fast food – the corn dog – on Route 66.

Ed was visiting a brother in Oklahoma in 1941 when he saw the first corn dog being made. “We stopped at a greasy spoon in Muskogee,” Ed said. “They were making it in a contraption like a waffle iron. They poured batter in a trough, put in three wieners and baked it for 15 minutes.”

Toward the end of WWII, Ed was stationed with the Army Air Corps in Amarillo, Texas. With a lot of time on his hands, he began thinking about those corn dogs in Muskogee – and how he could make them faster and in greater quantity. “Finally, I called a fraternity brother in Galesburg who ran a bakery and I asked him to make a batter I could dip a weenie in and deep fry like a doughnut,” he said.

Cooked in a gas-fueled fryer at the base PX, the corn dogs were an immediate success. Soon Ed was ordering hundreds of pounds of the batter mix at a time. After the war, Ed continued perfecting his hotdog on a stick. Cozy Dogs were first sold at the Lake Springfield Beach House; they were introduced at the Illinois State Fair the same year. The first Cozy Dog House was located in Springfield on South Grand between Fifth and Sixth Street. A second Cozy Dog House was located at Ash & MacArthur. In 1949, the Drive-In was born, built along “Route 66” South Sixth Street. In 1996 Cozy Dog moved to its current location, 2935 S 6th St.

At first, he called his batter-dipped specialty Crusty Curs. But his wife, Virginia, convinced him a more inviting name would help the product sell better. She suggested Snuggle Puppies, Long Johns and finally Cozy Dog. The last one stuck and she drew a logo showing two hot dogs in love. Only Snortin’ Norton on the trucks of Campbell 66 Express and the Fat Man at the Club Cafe in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, rank alongside the Cozy Dog couple as classic logos of Route 66.

Ed’s son, Buz, ran the Cozy Dog at the time of their induction to our Hall of Fame while Ed wholesaled the mix throughout the country. Meanwhile, Ed and Virginia became proprietors of Cardinal Hill Crafts, a unique shop built in an old corn crib near Rochester. They also built their solar-heated home onto the side of the crib. 

Their son Bob lived on the grounds in a converted 1966 School bus. A freelance artist, he specialized in Route 66 scenes and maps. He designed our association’s letterhead, T-shirt, bumper sticker,1991 Motor Tour shirt and much more throughout the years. Bob was to become an avid Route 66 preservationist and icon. Sadly, he died of cancer in 2009

Today, Sue (Ed’s daughter in law), Josh, Eddie, Tony & Nick (Ed’s grandsons) continue on with the business right next door to the original location.

Click to read stories about the ever-growing list of Hall of Fame inductees.

As part of a series on the influential, colorful, historic people, places and things along Illinois Route 66, we present…

The Wishing Well Motel, La Grange, Illinois

Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Class of 2003

Gone, but not forgotten.

Here’s the story behind this historic landmark:

Sadly, sometimes our valued Hall of Fame inductees become lost to time. The Wishing Well Motel is one of those iconic places that no longer exists. But its history is worth preserving. This fixture of La Grange, Illinois was in operation from 1941 – 2007 – coincidentally, 66 years of serving travelers.

The Wishing Well Motel was conveniently located only 15 miles from the Chicago Loop on Historic Route 66 at Joliet Road and Brainard Avenue in La Grange, IL. You could see the Sears Tower from in front of the motel without paying Chicago lodging rates. Across the street was a forest preserve for walking and bicycling.

Built in 1941, the Wishing Well had only three owners during its lifetime. The original owners were the Blackburns, followed by the Bronson family. In 1958, father and son, Charles and Emil Vidas and their wives purchased the motel. When Mr and Mrs Emil Vidas and Charles had passed, Charles’s Wife Zora took over. Zora singlehandedly ran the motel from 1958 and raised her children while continuing to further her education.

Originally, the Wishing Well properties consisted of 10 cabins, an office and a small house located behind the cabins. The facilities went through a number of renovations throughout the years.

The Wishing Well had served as a comforting home away from home for many famous people who wanted quiet and anonymity away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Entertainers, business people, and other celebrities would make the Wishing Well their home as they would perform in nearby Chicago. Probably the most famous people to stay there were Guy Lombardo, Tex Beneke and the rock band Chicago. Mrs Vidas is quoted as saying in an interview, “When I saw those kids (Chicago’s band members) with that long hair I almost didn’t rent a room to them, they scared me!” Movie star Dale Robertson entered her lobby looking for a safe haven one hectic day but she was so busy, she sent him away, not wanting to be bothered. Later she learned from the manager of the hotel where Mr Robertson ended up and was surprised to learn she’d turned away a star!

Charming stories from the Wishing Well abound. A couple who honeymooned at the motel returned to celebrate their 40th anniversary, thrilled to find the place in operation. Why didn’t Zora sell the property and retire once her sons were grown? She said, “I’ll never retire; where else in this world can I meet so many wonderful and exciting people reliving their past and searching for a future every day of my life?”

The Wishing Well’s sign and wishing well were donated from Zora’s two sons after she passed away from breast cancer. At the time, association member Joe Gniadak was told that, “The Route 66 Association of Illinois made their mom so happy when we inducted the Wishing Well into the Hall of Fame, they thought it was only right that we receive the sign.” The motel was torn down on November 12, 2007, three years  after its Hall of Fame induction.

Click to read stories about the ever-growing list of Hall of Fame inductees.

As part of a series on the influential, colorful, historic people, places and things along Illinois Route 66, we present…

Dorothy Seratt McMullen

Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Class of 2021

Dorothy has been involved in thePreservation Committee from its beginning. As a matter of fact, she insisted that John Weiss become the first Preservation chairman. She did all the research and completed the massive amount of paperwork necessary that resulted in the following properties being placed onto the National Register of Historic Places:

The Standard Oil Station in Odell, IL

The Red Brick Road in Auburn, IL

The Historic Bridge designation for the Auburn Brick Road

The Old Carriage way road (Route 66) in Springfield, IL

(Note – These sites would no longer exist if they’d no been saved by the Preservation Committee and the excellent paperwork Dorothy did to make it happen.)

With Terri Ryburn’s assistance, Dorothy formulated the Multiple Property Documentation Form. This saved our Association many thousands of dollars because we didn’t need to hire professionals like other states. Dorothy has shared her expertise and MPSF to help others document and certify properties for inclusion onto the National Register.

Dorothy has lived most of her adult life in Route 66 cities and towns. She was a teacher who spent most of her career working with prisoners incarcerated in the Pontiac, IL correctional prison and the old Collins Street prison in Joliet, IL.

In addition to all that, Dorothy has demonstrated her commitment to preserving Illinois Route 66 as a member of our board and Motor Tour committee.

Click to read stories about the ever-growing list of Hall of Fame inductees.

As part of a series on the influential, colorful, historic people, places and things along Illinois Route 66, we present…

Jubelt’s Bakery and Restaurant – Litchfield, IL

Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Class of 2017

303 North Old Route 66, Litchfield, IL
217-324-5314
Jubelt’s website

Here’s the story behind this historic landmark:

In May of 1922, three brothers, Paul, Fred and Albert Jubelt bought an existing bakery in the coal mining community of Mount Olive, Illinois. Bread was by far the most important product of the bakery. The brothers worked hard and were successful. In 1929, Albert died and Fred opened a second bakery in Granite City. In 1935, the partnership dissolved and Paul continued to operate the Mount Olive location himself.

As more highways were built in the 1930s, competition from national bread companies increased. A house to house route was started with great success but World War II and shortages of material and manpower ended this effort, In 1950, with the general decline in coal mining in the area, Jubelt’s expanded with another store in Taylorville, Illinois. Another store opened in downtown Litchfield in 1952. Over the next 40 years, more stores were opened in Jerseyville, Lincoln, Carlinville, Staunton, Gillespie and Springfield. In order to meet customer demand, the family again changed direction, adding prepackaged vending-type sandwiches in the Litchfield store. After some sessions in the test kitchen at Bunn Capital, lunches offering freshly made sandwiches, salads and soups were available in all their stores.

As the business in Litchfield began to shift to the west side of town, the family needed to find a bigger place with parking. When the Burger Chef Building on Route 55 became available, the family decided to open the current restaurant there in 1982. The economy once again changed and the family independent bakery became a dying breed. The family began closing the stores. The decision to keep only the Litchfield location open was made and in January 2008, Jeanmarie Jubelt purchased the business – this was the 86th year of Jubelt’s being in business. Over the last 90+ years, Jubelt’s has changed direction many times in order to adjust to the changing times and lifestyles. With the hep of loyal customers and travelers from around the world, Jubelt’s Bakery and Restaurant. is now in their 10th decade. Hand-dipped milkshakes are still served with a smile!

Click to read stories about the ever-growing list of Hall of Fame inductees.