Gillespie (1926-30 US 66)

Gillespie, Illinois: all about it

Trivia, Facts and Useful Information

Elevation: 663 ft (202 m). Population 3,319(2010).
Time zone: Central (CST): UTC minus 6 hours. Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5).

Gillespie is a city in Macoupin county; see this Map of Gillespie.

The History of Gillespie

The first inhabitants of what is now Illinois, arrived when the ice sheets retreated some 11,000 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age. These Paleoindians were the ancestors of the modern Kickapoo, Illinois and Miami natives that were the historic natives encountered by the first European explorers in the mid 1600s.

France claimed the region as part of "New France" (now Canada) but lost it to Britain during the Seven Year War (1763). The independence of America (1776) saw the land change hands again; it became a territory of the U.S.

The first settlers arrived to this part of the prairies the mid 1810s and early 1820s, around the time that Illinois gained statehood (1818). The first settler in this region was John Woods, who came from Virginia in 1817. Macoupin County was established in 1829 and was named after Macoupin Creek (the word is a Miami-Illinois term for the American lotus Nelumbo lutea).

The original community was known as"Prairie Farm" but changed to Gillespie in 1854. The town was platted in 1851 in advance of the arrival of the Chicago & Alton Railroad.

Originally a farming community, the discovery of coal led to an influx of European migrants to work in the mines during the 1880s.

Route 66 was aligned through the city in 1926 but only four years later it was moved eastwards through Litchfield and therefore it bypassed Gillespie.

Gillespie, its Hotels and Motels

Lodging & accommodation in Gillespie

More Accommodation near Gillespie on Route 66

See some more hotels & motels nearby

Hotels, Westwards in Missouri

Gillespie's weather

Gillespie's climate is a "humid continental type", its summers are humid, long and hot. Its winters are short, very cold, with a lot of snow and quite windy.

Its average yearly temperature is around 52.4 °F (11.3°C). The winter averages (Jan) are: low 21°F (-6°C) and high 35°F (1.7°C). The average summer (Jul) high is 86°F (30°C), and a low is 68°F (20°C).

Snow falls during more than 4 months with an average snowfall of 22 inches (56 cm) yearly. Precipitation is 35.3 in. (895 mm) per year.

Tornado risk

The are around Gillespie may get around 7 tornado strikes each year.

Tornado Risk: learn more about the Tornado Risk on US 66.

Gillespie: classic US 66 Sights

Landmarks and Attractions

Enter the town along Springfield Road from Carlinville (IL-4), which meets IL-16 on the north side of the town, then turn right along E Elm St. and finally, left along the town's main street, Macoupin St.

To your left (101 Macoupin St) is a monument crowned by an eagle (street view) it is next to the City Government Office.

Keep eastbound and don't miss the Historic Route 66 sign to your left, on the NW corner of Walnut and Macoupin:

On the next block, to your left, is the Coal Museum (more on coal further down: it is an important part of Gillespie's history):

Illinois Coal Museum at Gillespie

121 S Macoupin St., Gillespie

The Illinois Coal Museum At Gillespie has collections and exhibits that stimulate the appreciation and knowledge of role of coal mining in Illinois.

To your right, Across the street, on the SW corner of W Chestnut and Macoupin St. is a Route 66 Mural

Michelle’s Pharmacy Mural

120 S Macoupin St, Gillespie

The mural is painted on the pharmacy's east facade facing W Chestnut St. It depicts the old Dippolds Drug Store and a statue of a "Doughboy" a World War I American soldier and a 1920s car with Route 66's shield in the middle next to a "Welcome to Gillespie Illinois" greeting.

Dippolds had a soda fountain and and now became Michelle's. The statue was actually loated on the street next to the drugstore, it is no longer there but you can see it in this vintage photo showing the statue, the pharmacy and the old State Bank (now "Castle's Forgotten Treasures").

Turn left, northwards along Chestnut to visit a Classic Movie Theatre:

Canna Theater

110 E. Chestnut Street, Gillespie

It opened as the "Pert Theater" in 1921 and was renamed in 1928 ("New Pert") it could seat 603. Following the crash of 1929 it became the "Lyric Theater" which closed in 1953.

Reborn as the "Canna" in 1956 it later used the old "Lyric" name again. In 2003 it was deeded to the city which renovated it and leased it as a movie theater, it is once again being renovated.

Return to Macoupin St., turn left and go on for two blocks. At the junction of Pine St. and Macoupin are Two Attractions: the Silhouette and an old service station:

Coal Miner Silhouette

NW corner of E Pine and Macoupin St. Gillespie

The Silhouette depicting a miner with his pick axe and helmet is set beside a Wayside Exhibit with a panel describing the relationship of Gillespie with coal mining.

During the late 1920s it was one of the busiest towns in the county: coal was mined at the Little Dog mine (which closed in 1968) and Superior Mines 1 to 4 in Eagerville (No. 1), Sawyerville (No. 2), Mt. Clare (No. 3) and Wilsonville (No. 4).

Many of the miners lived in Gillespie, and here they formed the Progressive Miners of America Union. They faced poor pay, death when they fought for their rights and death in the mines (more than 400 miners perished in Macoupin's mines due to explosions and inhaling coal dust "Black Lung").

The Annual Black Diamond Days

This is a three-day-long festival held in Gillespie ever year on the first weekend in June. It features a carnival, parades, contests , a Mine Rescue Demonstration, arts and crafts and more.

Across the street from the silhouette is the Vintage gas station:

Former Service Station (1920s)

320 S Macoupin St, Gillespie

Set on the SW corner of this strategic intersection where Route 66 entered the town from the south, the red brick building is clearly recognizeable as a gas station.

Three massive pillars support an imposing canopy of a 1920s style gas station.

Turn right along West Pine Street, which was known as the "Hardroad". The concrete state highway that became Route 66 has always been called the Hardroad. At Madison turn right and stop on the next corner:

Post Office Mural, Gillespie, Il. www.livingnewdeal.org

Post Office Mural

200 W Spruce St, Gillespie

The mural in the post office's lobby is actually an oil on canvas, painted by Gustaf Dahlstrom in 1936. It is the "Illinois Farm", and was commissioned by the Treasury Department as a New Deal project.

This marks the End of your city tour through Gillespie. Continue south (westbound) along IL-4 towards Benld.

Historic Route 66 in Gillespie

Historic background: Pontiac Trail

The Pontiac Trail symbol shield

The predecessor of Route 66 was the "Pontiac Trail". The use of automobiles grew in during the early 1900s and this led to a public demand for better roads, suitable for cars.

Dirt trails used by carts with deep ruts, which became muddy traps during the rainy periods were not suitable.

A private association was formed in 1915 to promote the Pontiac Trail which became a "solid surface road" that linked Chicago with St. Louis. It was named for the famous Ottawa Indians chief. The B.F. Goodrich tire company marked its milage posts with its custom shield sign (see image).

The state government took over and issued a bond in 1918 which created the State Bond Issue (SBI) Roiute 4 aligned along the Pontiac Trail.

This state highway was paved after 1921 and in 1926 U.S.Hwy 66 was created and aligned with IL-4.

1926-1930 US 66

This first alignment of Route 66 south of Springfield had a winding course following the former county lanes and lot demarcation trails. It had many sharp 90° curves. This made it unsafe and also longer. The highway ran between Staunton and Springfield.

Route 66 after 1930

Marked in Pale Blue in the map above.

Seeking a straighter alignment the Illinois Division of Highways led by Thomas Sheets moved Route 66 eastwards through Mt. Olive and Litchfield and Divernon.

This new alignment branched from the previous alignment just south of Staunton and met it again, in Springfield in the north. It bypassed Gillespie.

Original 1926-1930 Route 66 Carlinville to Gillespie

The 13.1 mile drive between both towns is shown in this Map of Route 66 1926-30 from Carlinville to Gillespie. And it is shown in Orange in the Google map above.

Sources

Banner image: Dead Man's Curve, Laguna New Mexico by Perla Eichenblat.