Route 66 Shield Monument - Gillespie
Route 66 Shield Monument - Gillespie115 Macoupin St.
Gillespie, Illinois 62033
Route 66 Shield Monument - Gillespie
Gillespie is on the original first alignment of Route 66 on the stretch between Springfield and Staunton. A well-known coal-mining town, Gillespie was one of the busiest towns in the county in the early 20th century because of its rich ores. It is now home to the Illinois Coal Museum, the 1921 Canna Theatre, a former service station, and Lake Gillespie. The Progressive Miners of America Union formed there in 1932.