The new Route 66 Interpretive Center, located in a former gas station in Edwardsville, Illinois, will be open to the public by late spring or summer once remodeling for the project is finished.
The building at St. Louis and West streets (aka Route 66) also once served as a dental office. Last summer, Great Rivers and Routes received a state grant for $460,000 on Edwardsville’s behalf to remodel the building and convert it into the Route 66 Interpretive Center.
According to the Edwardsville Intelligencer:
“This is likely to be a work in progress for some time and evolve as we are able to locate Route 66 memorabilia, hopefully including items with Edwardsville ties,” said Cathy Hensley, Edwardsville’s communications coordinator.
The city is still working out the details, but the Route 66 Interpretive Center will be open for limited hours and days.
The newspaper published a photo of new concrete being laid in front of the building, along with construction materials stacked nearby.
The station formerly was named the West End Service Station. It was part of Edwardsville’s Route 66 until it was bypassed in 1965.
According to Route66Chick.com, the station initially was established by Henry Springer Jr. as a Texaco in 1927 — one year after U.S. 66 was federally certified. In the late 1930s, the gas station was rebuilt and turned into a Mobil while Route 66 was undergoing reconstruction, as well.
(Image of the West End Service Station in 2021 via Loopnet.com)