Dixie Travel Plaza facts for kids
The Dixie Travel Plaza is a big rest stop for truckers and travelers. It's located in McLean, Illinois, right on Interstate 55. You might know it by its older names, the Dixie Truck Stop or the Dixie Trucker's Home.
This famous spot started way back in 1928. J.P. Walters and John Geske opened it as a small sandwich stand. It was inside a truck repair garage on the historic US Route 66. People loved their food, and by 1930, it grew into a full restaurant. The restaurant got bigger many times. After a fire in 1965, it was rebuilt.
J.P. Walters, John Geske, and the Dixie Trucker's Home were honored for their work. The Route 66 Association of Illinois recognized them. They helped make Route 66 special from 1926 to 1977. They were even added to the association's hall of fame in 1990. The Route 66 Hall of Fame was first located at Dixie. But in 2003, when Dixie got new owners, the museum moved. It found a new, larger home in Pontiac, Illinois.
The Dixie Travel Plaza is often mentioned in travel guides. You can also find it in books about the history of Old US Route 66. The Chicago Tribune newspaper has written about it too. Dixie was called "one of the most impressive" late-night stops. This was true especially along I-55. When the Interstate highway system was built, Route 66 changed. The part of Route 66 where Dixie is became part of I-55.
How Dixie Travel Plaza Grew
In 2003, the original owners sold the business. After that, its name changed to "Dixie Travel Plaza." A company from Providence, Rhode Island, bought it. The new owners decided to make Dixie a chain of travel stops. They bought two more truck stops. These new locations were in Tuscola, Illinois and Effingham, Illinois. They also became Dixie Travel Plazas.
In January 2009, Dixie Travel Plaza was sold again. Ben Gulley from LeRoy, Illinois, bought it. He started a big renovation project. Then, in June 2012, it was sold once more. Road Ranger from Rockford, Illinois, became the new owner. They gave the plaza a complete makeover.
