Illinois is where the road begins — and some people never really leave it.
Chicago gave Route 66 its heartbeat. The highway shot southwest out of the city in 1926, threading through small towns and flat prairie until it hit the Missouri line, carrying with it the ambitions of everyone who ever needed a fresh start. The eastern terminus wasn't just a starting point — it was a declaration. From here, you could go anywhere. For the people who grew up along that corridor, the road wasn't a tourist attraction. It was the fabric of the place.
