Litchfield and Central Illinois is blessed with numerous highlights of Route 66. Below is a brief list of locations in Litchfield, or within a short drive. Enjoy your trip along Route 66!
Cozy Dog Drive-In
Our Lady of the Highways
Sky View Drive In
The Sky View Drive-In theater in Litchfield, IL celebrated it’s 66th year on Historic Route 66 in 2016. It is the last originally operating drive-in on Historic Route 66 in Illinois, and one of only 4 in the nation. The Sky View is in the Route 66 Hall of Fame and hosts a Wayside Exhibit at the front of the property. This exhibit, placed by the Scenic Byway, tells stories of patrons and some history of the property.
The Sky View opened in the spring of 1950 and has been in seasonal operation since then. The original owner/operator was Frisina Enterprises. It was then sold to Mid America Theaters and then to Norman and Del Paul. March 1st of 2016 the Sky View was purchased by Pastro Properties Inc, comprised of Mike, Debbie, Nick and Mindy Pastrovich. The family will be taking a more hands on approach and is excited to be a part of both local and Route 66 history.
The theater will be in season operation from early April till mid October, weather permitting.
Ariston Cafe
Jubelt’s Bakery & Restaurant
A full menu with homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, and dinner options is also available! Breakfast is served all day. Catering and party trays are available. Open daily from 6 AM to 8 PM.
Click here for more information about the Jubelt’s Bakery & Restaturant
Soulsby Station
Henry’s Rabbit Ranch
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Chain of Rocks Bridge is one of the more interesting bridges in America. It’s hard to forget a 30-degree turn midway across a mile-long bridge more than 60 feet above the mighty Mississippi. For more than three decades, the bridge was a significant landmark for travelers driving Route 66.
The bridge’s colorful name came from a 17-mile shoal, or series of rocky rapids, called the Chain of Rocks beginning just north of St. Louis. Multiple rock ledges just under the surface made this stretch of the Mississippi River extremely dangerous to navigate. In the 1960s, the Corps of Engineers built a low-water dam covering the Chain of Rocks. That’s why you can’t see them today. Back in 1929, at the time of the construction of the bridge, the Chain was a serious concern for boatmen.
Today you might say that the Chain of Rocks Bridge has completed a historic cycle. Built at the beginning of America’s love affair with the automobile, it is now a reflection of America’s desire not to ride in cars so often. During the 1980s, greenways and pedestrian corridors became increasingly popular, and a group called Trailnet began cleanup and restoration of the bridge. Linked to more than 300 miles of trails on both sides of the river, the old Chain of Rocks Bridge reopened to the public as part of the Route 66 Bikeway in 1999.
Because the bridge has not been significantly altered over the years, a visit there today conveys a strong sense of time and place, an appreciation for early-20th-century bridge construction, and outstanding views of the wide Mississippi River. The Chain of Rocks Bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.