The Springfield (Ill.) Journal-Register reports that a Macoupin County group is hoping to promote Illinois Highway 4 as a tourism destination.
It’s sort of mentioned in passing, but Illinois 4 was a Route 66 alignment from Springfield to Staunton from 1926 to 1930.
In the article, Henry’s Rabbit Ranch in Staunton receives prominent mention, as well it should.
As a native of Macoupin County, albeit one who grew up miles away from Route 66, I’m glad to see the county promoting Route 66/Illinois 4 as a tourist destination. The Macoupin County Courthouse in Carlinville truly is an amazing building, and I hope the effort will lead to more preservation of the county’s historic buildings.
As a cyclist, I’m also glad to see efforts to construct bicycle trails that roughly parallel Route 66/Illinois 4. A group is trying to build the ITS Trail (https://www.its-trail.org/) between Staunton and Benld, and the long-term goal is to build trails and bike routes that will link the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis with Springfield, Ill.