Belvidere Café, Motel, and Gas Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Belvidere Café, Motel and Gas Station
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Route 66 Café
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 817 Old Rte 66, Litchfield, Montgomery County, Illinois, United States |
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| Built | 1936 |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| MPS | Route 66 through Illinois MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000060 |
| Added to NRHP | February 21, 2007 |
The Belvidere Café, Motel and Gas Station is a special old building in Litchfield, Illinois. It sits right along the famous Route 66. This historic spot once had a café, a motel, a gas station, and even a home for the owners. It shows what travel was like in the past.
History of the Belvidere Café
Early Days and Expansion
In 1929, a couple named Albina and Vincenzo Cerolla started a small business. They built a simple one-room gas station. It had just one pump to serve cars on Route 66. Their station also sold motor oil and other car items.
The gas station was part of the Johnson Oil Refining Company. Then, in 1936, the Cerollas made their business much bigger. They added a new brick gas station and a café. They also built four motel rooms. Each room had its own garage for cars. A small house for the family was also built. The restaurant was known as Cerolla's Café.
Changes Over Time
After the Cerollas passed away, their daughter Edith and her husband Lester "Curly" Kranich took over. In the 1950s, the Kraniches tore down the original family house. They built a new one with a garage. They also made the motel bigger. They added two new sections that looked just like the others.
In the 1940s, a new four-lane bypass road opened nearby. This meant the Kraniches had to change the entrances to their business. They made sure drivers could still easily get to the café and motel.
The End of an Era
The business was very busy for many years. But in the 1970s, a new highway was built. This was Interstate 55. It took traffic away from Route 66. This change caused the family business to slow down.
The café closed its doors in 1971. The Kraniches decided to retire in 1975. This meant the whole place closed down. The buildings for the café, motel, and gas station stayed in good shape. But they were mostly used for storage. Today, the property is mostly empty. The buildings are for sale. Sometimes, the current owner rents out a room in one of the motel sections.
