Illinois Route 66 - Odell

     The restored Standard Oil gas station in Odell, Illinois, where my Route 66 adventures began. In 2005, inspired by some wonderful roadside photography in the Route 66 books authored by Michael Wallis and Michael Witzel, I drove a limited test run on the two-lane in Illinois, just to check it all out. The original sightseeing plans called only for photography at the many attractions that populate Illinois 66, with no desire on my part to meet the locals or absorb the local history. In hindsight, that sounds like a naive and shortsighted approach to the Mother Road.

     Lucky for me, though, the Illinois 66 people are exceptional at what they do, and my very first stop was at one of their success stories, the station in Odell. My photography of that structure's building and pumps was completed in a very short time that day, even after I made sure to get in close to capture the great Standard Oil sign swinging in the breeze. After that, I was ready to bolt.

     That's when an alert attendant stuck her head out and invited me inside. This lovely young lady gave me a tour of the station, pointing out the garage's antique equipment and recalling its place in 66 history, but she also spoke of the consequences to the entire town with the arrival of the interstate that detoured traffic around Odell. During our discussion, 66 roadies from other parts of the USA happened by, road stories were exchanged, and I was hooked. For the rest of that trip and on all subsequent trips, my first priority was to meet the locals, especially the longtime business owners of the hotels, restaurants and stores that are always happy you dropped by. And when I got home, I actually read the stories surrounding the pictures in those great works of Route 66.