Uncover the love story between Mary G. Harris Jones -- known affectionately as Mother Jones -- and local miners in the Route 66 community of Mt. Olive and beyond. This diminutive and tireless woman embraced workers rights and embraced an unshakeable love for working people. She worked fearlessly for local coal miners rights and an end of child labor often calling local miners "her boys". That affection was returned when in 1936, miners raised nearly $16,000 to purchase and erect a memorial honoring her and the coal miners who lost their lives in the 1898 Battle of Virden. That memorial stands tall today in the Mt. Olive Cemetery along Route 66.

Stop by the Sly Fox Bookstore in Virden -- an independent book store that serves as a keeper of Route 66 treasured tales, preserving stories passed down through generations. Within its four walls discover books on Route 66, Illinois history, American heritage, ghost stories, and more.

Take a loving step back in time at Soulsby Service Station in Mt. Olive and the newly revitalized West End Service Station in Edwardsville. Both served as major stopping points in the early days of Route 66 where weary travelers filled their tanks, got an oil change and enjoyed cold sodas. Soulsby opened in 1926 along the original alignment of the Mother Road and although no longer a working service station, visitors can tour the interior and snap selfies alongside the original gas pumps. In Edwardsville, the West End Station became a lively gathering place for Route 66 travelers. Visit this museum and welcome center that revives the warm welcome travelers once received during their pit stops as they prepared to head west.

Sometimes, all you need is a long drive, drifting down the open road and reminiscing about days gone by. A trip to Doc’s Just Off 66 in Girard offers just that. A chance to step into a place where love stories once blossomed and now gently weave into our modern-day lives.

Originally a pharmacy, and soda fountain, this historic building evokes images of two people sharing a milkshake at the counter, a group of girlfriends uncovering the latest trends over shared soda floats, or a whole family stopping in for ice cream after a little league game. These cherished moments of connection are exactly what current owners Steve and Casey Claypool envisioned when they purchased the building in late 2021, a warm, welcoming place where families and the community can continue making memories that last a lifetime.

Cruising through Litchfield along Route 66, neon lights and an iconic drive-in movie theater spark visions of a vibrant Route 66. Imagine a love song playing on the radio as a couple dances like it’s their very first time beneath the glow of the Ariston Café’s neon lights. Admire the classic cars and catch a movie under the stars at the Route 66 Skyview Drive-In. The golden age of Route 66 may have passed, but Litchfield has bottled up the timeless, old-school magic for modern day Route 66 travelers.

The heart-shaped grid for love locks at the Pink Elephant Antique Mall has its own story of romance. It was created by two local lovebirds who met at the Livingston Homecoming right at that spot in 1980, got engaged there in 1981, and married in 1982. They wanted to share their love story with all who visit, and Tanya and Wayne, owners of the Pink Elephant, were honored to display both their work and their story for everyone to enjoy.

When a business is lovingly carried through generations, you can feel it the moment you step inside.

That feeling lives on at Kruta Bakery in Collinsville, Mr. Twist Ice Cream and Sherbert in Granite City, and Jubelt’s Bakery in Litchfield. With Kruta’s and Jubelt’s both over a century old and Mr. Twist with nearly 50 years of serving up sweetness, there are timeworn stories, treasured recipes, and a kind of love that has been gently passed down from one generation to the next.

Kruta’s Bakery, opened in 1919 by Russian immigrants Frank and Stella Kruta, began with traditional Eastern European pastries crafted with care and purpose. Over the years, those old-world recipes embraced local favorites, including the iconic gooey butter cake. Kruta Bakery is also famous as an Illinois Maker.

Mr. Twist Ice Cream and Sherbert is more than a roadside attraction for those cruising along Route 66 through Granite City, it’s a beloved hometown tradition, woven into the fabric of the community. “Still Twistin’ After All These Years” isn’t just a slogan proudly worn on their shirts; it’s a promise lived out by three generations who have poured their hearts into every swirl.

In 1922, three Jubelt brothers purchased a modest bakery in Mt. Olive and began baking bread for the surrounding coal-mining community. As the business grew to more bakeries and even a few small grocery stores. Second generation owners, where John and Iris Jubelt, have devoted years to shaping it into the cherished destination that Jubelt’s Bakery is today. Jubelt's opened it's Litchfield location in 1952 where it still serves up delights to travelers along Route 66.