Book review: “Traveling the Historic Three”

Here’s something for roadies: A guidebook for traveling not one, not two, but three historic highways, all in a compact loop.

Illinois Route 66 preservationists John and Lenore Weiss recently published the “Traveling the Historic Three” (self-published, 74 pages, $9.95), which is a guidebook to Route 66, the Lincoln Highway and the Dixie Highway in the Chicagoland area.

The Weisses enable travelers to see all three highways in a 110-mile triangle. It starts at Route 66 and the Lincoln Highway in Joliet, goes east to the intersection with the Dixie Highway, then north to the intersection with Route 66 in downtown Chicago. The loop is completed by heading southwest on 66 back to Joliet.

The book is spiral-bound with tabs separating each historic highway, so it’s ideal for navigators. Instructions on driving the route are detailed and easy to follow, and photographs and local trivia are sprinkled onto nearly every page. On the Lincoln Highway section:

On your right is Carlo (Lorenzetti’s) restaurant. A roadside classic that still caters to Lincoln Highway adventurers. The upscale dark wood walls will take you back to another time. Try the lunch buffet, a real bargain. (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) Weekdays. Sit in a cozy booth and adjust your own overhead light accordingly. Very nice. 708-747-9480.

They also have options for side trips and scenic alignments, and aren’t bashful about which ones they think are superior. For instance, on the Dixie Highway, they recommend avoiding the bypass and heading into historic Blue Island to check out the town’s mix of ethnic restaurants, bakeries, grocers, antique shops and boutiques. On Route 66, they recommend side trips to Dell Rhea Chicken Basket and the Castle Eden, which is a one-tenth scale model of the White House.

“Traveling the Historic Three” is an ideal guide for an afternoon day trip, or for entire weekend if you’re willing to explore everything in depth.

Note: The Weisses also have published “As the Story Goes,” a collection of fun and obscure anecdotes along Route 66, and the “New Historic Route 66 of Illinois” guidebook, which is highly recommended and has a similar format as “Traveling the Historic Three.”