Rich Henry, owner of the landmark Henry’s Rabbit Ranch in Staunton, Illinois, died suddenly Friday, according to locals and Route 66 enthusiasts who knew him well.
An exact age for Henry wasn’t available, though he listed on his Facebook page he graduated from high school in 1965. That would put his age in his mid-70s.
Henry’s Rabbit Ranch (aka Henry’s Ra66it Ranch), situated on a 1930-1943 alignment of Route 66 on the southeast side of Staunton, was a popular tourist stop for about 30 years.
The tributes poured into Facebook on Monday, including these:
According to the ranch’s website: “Rich took a trip to California on Old Route 66 in 1993 and noticed the lack of Route 66 visitor centers and souvenirs of the Mother Road. When he got back home to Staunton he decided to do something about that and built his visitor center. Times have changed and Route 66 is seeing a rebirth all along the highway, and Henry’s Rabbit Ranch was at the forefront of this movement.”
Henry’s Rabbit Ranch, which doubled as a tag agency, insurance office and souvenir shop for years, was so named because Henry kept pet rabbits — sometimes by the dozens — on the premises. He trained one or two so tourists could pet them or get their souvenirs or passports “stamped” by the animal chewing a hole in the edge of the paper.
The ever-genial Henry also kept a few Volkswagen Rabbit cars around, along with a fiberglass giant rabbit — similar to one at Jackrabbit Trading Post in Arizona — that tourists could mount for a photo op.
Henry also kept a couple of Campbell 66 Express truck trailers on the premises after the trucking firm, based in Springfield, Missouri, closed in 1986. Henry once was a truck driver.
A multitude of videos exist of Henry and his rabbits. Here’s one from 2019.
Henry’s Rabbit Ranch was inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame in 2012. In recent years, he’d retired from his side businesses, though he still greeted tourists when he was there.
We’ll pass along information about services when we get them.
UPDATE 8/21/2024: Williamson Funeral Homes is in charge of arrangements. His obituary can be read here.
The visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Williamson Funeral Home in Stanton. A memorial will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Zion Lutheran Church in Staunton.’
Henry suggested memorials to Dolly’s Dream Home Rabbit Rescue, 494 S. Fifth St., St. Charles, MO 63001.
(Image of Rich Henry at Henry’s Rabbit Ranch via Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway)
Very sorry to hear this. He was a very nice man, and my kids loved the rabbit on the counter that they could pet. R.I.P. Mr. Henry.