Text by Tammie

  The symbolism of westward expansion is marked on the road in the U.S.   The Gateway Arch, the tallest man-made monument in the U.S., is along the most popular highway in the U.S. – Route 66.   The Gateway Arch has symbolized westward expansion for over 60 years with its stainless-steel structure that curves up at 630 feet on the riverfront in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.   The Gateway Arch is an iconic stop on the 100-year-old Route 66, a major road that follows a southwest diagonal arc of approximately 2,448 miles from Illinois to California. “The vision of renowned architect Eero Saarinen, the Arch commemorates Thomas Jefferson and St. Louis’ role in the westward expansion of the United States. Along with the Old Courthouse, it makes up Gateway Arch National Park,” the Gateway Arch’s Fact Sheet says. More is here .  

  The 500-pound fiberglass “Muffler Man” known as the Gemini Giant has moved along Route 66 in Wilmington, Illinois. In 1965, the 28-foot-tall Gemini Giant was at the parking lot of The Launching Pad restaurant at 810 E. Baltimore St. in Wilmington. It was located there for some 60 years. Today, the green Gemini Giant is at South Island Park entrance, 201 Bridge St., in Wilmington. South Island Park is along Route 66, now known as Route 53. The Gemini Giant remains a photo stop for Route 66 travelers. More about that here .    

    The historic Chain of Rocks Bridge connecting St. Louis, Missouri, and Madison County, Illinois, has a tricky bend in it. Today, that quirk is “just that” for pedestrians and bicyclists who move over it as part of a trail network. The Chain of Rocks Bridge – at over 1 mile long – spans the Mississippi River. After its construction from 1927 to 1929, the bridge’s 24-foot-wide roadway supported vehicular traffic and Route 66 – until it closed in 1970. Before then, that quirky 22- or 30-degree bend was a bit scary. More about that here .  

  Fast food and metal artwork are roadside attractions on Route 66 in Braidwood, Illinois. Polk-a-Dot Drive In is at 222 N. Front St. The Braidwood Zoo is nearby at 140 N. Front St. Chester “Chet” Fife served fast food in 1956 from his school bus painted in rainbow polka dots before moving the business to its current location in 1962. The late artist John “Jack” Barker’s metal creations populate the Braidwood Zoo. More about all that here .  

  David J. Schwartz of Lakewood, Ohio, is a professional photographer whose photos of life on Route 66 are in an exhibition in Springfield, Illinois. Also, certain photos are part of the soon-to-be-issued U.S. Postal Service Route 66 Commemorative Forever Stamps. The photo exhibition at The Pharmacy Gallery & Art Space, 623 E. Adams St., Springfield, Illinois, goes through December 2026. The Route 66 “Forever” Stamps will be issued at the First-Day-of-Issue ceremony at 9:15 a.m. (MDT), Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at the National Postal Forum at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. More information is available here .

  The giant catsup bottle water tower in Collinsville, Illinois, was dramatic at 170-foot tall, as well as practical. Some 25,000 gallons of water helped run the catsup plant below it; 75,000 gallons of reserved water was for fire protection. It was built in 1949. A company merger in 1959 meant Brooks Catsup left Collinsville and its factory buildings and Brooks Catsup Bottle Water Tower. The tower was idle and decaying until in 1994 a group of residents raised $80,000 to restore the water tower. Today, the public can celebrate the icon during the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle Festival to take place on Saturday June 20, 2026, in Collinsville. More information is here .