Tractor ride to celebrate Route 66

LITCHFIELD, Ill. — In observance of the 100th anniversary of Route 66, the Mid-State Collectors Club will host a tractor drive on June 20.

The 35-mile route on the “Mother Road” includes traveling along the three different alignments of Route 66 for the years 1926 to 1930, 1930 to 1940, and 1940 to 1977.

The tractor drive begins and ends at the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center. The ride goes through White City, Sawyerville, Staunton and Mt. Olive.

Stops include Bono Implement, lunch at the Staunton Dairy Queen and the 1926 Soulsby’s Shell Station.

Registration fee for the drive is $10 that includes snacks at a rest area and lunch. All brands of tractors are welcome to participate.

The tractor drive, designed to bring fans of agriculture, vintage machinery and the iconic road together for a celebration, is already drawing large interest from Illinois and beyond.

“It keeps growing about every day. Keith Ladage and I are getting phone calls and we probably have at least 100 tractors so far. They’re coming from all over,” said Jim Niemann, co-chair along with Ladage.

“We had a call from a guy from Ohio that wanted to stop by while on his way to a three-day tractor drive in Iowa. We’ve been getting calls from all over Illinois and some from Missouri.

“We’ve had calls from some who may be two hours away from Route 66, but they still want to come because it’s on 66.”

Niemann, an Allis-Chalmers enthusiast, will be driving his 1957 WD45.

The Mid-State Collectors Club was formed around 2000. Niemann has been chairman for about 14 years.

“We meet in the Maverick Restaurant’s conference room in Litchfield. People come for a meal and then we have a very short informal meeting. We meet November to April,” he said.

“We always have a program at the meetings, not necessarily anything to do with antiques, but just things of interest to people so we can draw the people to keep coming. We have from 28 to maybe 35 or more at a meeting.”

Plans for the tractor drive started about a year ago.

“A fellow during the meeting a year ago said there are a lot of car cruises on Route 66 and they’re celebrating 100 years. What about a tractor drive? I got my wheels spinning and I thought the first thing we have to do is come up with a route,” Niemann said.

“So, I finally came up with a 35-mile route where we’ll be going on the three different alignments of Route 66 from over the years.”

For more information, contact Niemann at 217-324-5574 or Ladage at 217-971-5917.