Today’s post is 1375 words, 4 photos, an 6 minute read. Enjoy!
Hi everyone,
This post begins a series about our recent trip to Houston, Texas where my Traveling Partner attended the International Quilt Show and I met up with my photography friends. Some of that happened, stay tuned to this channel for the full story.
The Trail to St. Louis
We left on Friday morning, our destination was St. Louis, about a six-hour drive. I’m guessing that most readers haven’t made a drive through flatlands of Illinois. It doesn’t take long for the drive to get a bit boring cruising down I-39 to Bloomington then onto I-55 to St. Louis especially on a gray, dreary day. This kind of driving leads me to read the road signs along the Interstate which usually means towns with unusual names and an exit. I want to know more about these towns, how did they get their names and what goes on there. Here’s a few that struck me as funny or seemingly out of place.
Lostant, Illinois
I pronounced the name of this village “lost ant” and had a good chuckle at the expense of the people who call Lostant their home. Organized in 1861, the name comes from French Countess Lostant Mercier, the wife of Baron Henri Mercier who visited Illinois in 1861. Therefore, Lostant probably sounds better when pronounced with a French accent. With a current population of around 400 people, Lostant has neither grown nor declined since it was founded. There are a few churches, a bank, a funeral home, a cafe, a grain elevator, and few other businesses. I’m guessing it’s mostly a farming community given the many corn and soybean fields we passed. So looking for your lost ant, you know where to find it!
El Paso, Illinois
Down the road from Lostant is a sign for El Paso. That sign set me to wondering how many US towns are named El Paso. According to Google, there are only five, I thought there’d be more. The big one is the El Paso in West Texas with a population of nearly 700,00. Then there is El Paso, Arkansas, in the southwestern part of the state with a population of 1200. El Paso County, Colorado isn’t a hamlet, village, town or city but a whole county with a population of 730,000 that includes Colorado Springs.
I was surprised to find out that Wisconsin also has a village named El Paso. Situated in far western Wisconsin near the Mississippi, El Paso has a population of just over 700 people. It’s known for mid-August El Paso Days festival that features a horse pull, greased pig contest, parade, and street dance. A favorite past time appears to be fishing in the Rush River. Next time I’m in the neighborhood, I’m going to check out El Paso.
Back to El Paso, Illinois. With a population of nearly 3000, this town is located at the intersection of I-39 and US 24 that takes travelers west to nearby Peoria. By all descriptions it’s a charming town surrounded by cornfields. With nine churches, a museum, several gas stations, and fast food restaurants, El Paso appears to be a thriving town. In every review I read, the golf course and public library are mentioned.
Of note, the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was born in El Paso, IL in 1895. After his ordination, he served as a parish priest and later a teacher of theology at the Catholic University of America. He was popular for his radio and tv programs in the 1950s and 60s attracting as many as 30 million listeners a week. Many of his programs are being rebroadcast on religious cable networks. He wrote 73 books and numerous articles. He was influential for seeking common ground with the Eastern Orthodox churches and Protestant denominations. He has been nominated for sainthood in the Catholic Church. A small town boy that rose to fame.
Before I move on to the next town, did you know there are nine El Paso’s in Mexico. Go figure!
Funks Grove, Illinois
After turning on to I-55 at Normal-Bloomington, we were ready for the rest stop at Funks Grove. Located in Funks Grove township (6 square miles), population about 400, is the unincorporated community of Funks Grove. From what I can gather there is no real town. There is an 18-acre grove near the rest stop that is a National Natural Landmark, a source for maple syrup and a nature center run by a non-profit.
Funks Grove is a popular stop on the historic Route 66. Inside the rest stop, there is a display about the history and memorabilia related to Route 66, aka, “the Mother Road” from Chicago to Los Angeles. We took a few minutes to check out the displays before heading down the road.
I-55 replaced Route 66 back in the 1970s, although now days, there are lots of folks that reminisce about what this road meant to generations of travelers. They try to recreate that drive with stops in Springfield, St. Louis, Amarillo, Santa Fe, Winslow, and finally LA. For a bit of history of this highway click here. Outside the restrooms was an emblem of this historic route.
Atlanta, Illinois
Just down the road from Funks Grove, I saw the sign for Atlanta. Did you know there are 19 villages, towns, and cities named Atlanta? There is one in each of these states beside Illinois and the obvious one in Georgia: Arkansas, California, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin. I did know about the one in Wisconsin, a small town of about 600 in the northwestern part of the state.
With a population of about 1700 people, Atlanta, Illinois cashes in on the popularity of Route 66 with a couple of museums, even a 1/4the stretch of the original road from 1926. What caught my eye was the sign for the grain elevator museum. I vowed that the next time we travel this route in the warmer months, we would stop and take a look.
On our trip to Houston, we encountered another Atlanta, the one in far northeast Texas about half way between Marshall and Texarkana. This Atlanta has a population of nearly 6000 with agriculture, oil production, and tourism as the major economic drivers. Comedian and talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres graduated from high school in Atlanta, Texas after moving there from New Orleans with her mother. Now you know!
Mt. Pulaski, Illinois
When we first saw the sign on the right for the exit to Elkhart and Mt. Pulaski, we chuckled because the landscape was pretty flat. When I looked to the left, there appeared to be a small knoll that rose above the surrounding corn and soybean fields. Ok, I guess that passes for a mountain in these parts.
Mt. Pulaski was founded in 1836 near the geographical center of Illinois. The town was named to honor a Revolutionary War hero of Polish descent. With a population of about 1500 people, the town is known for its Courthouse where Abraham Lincoln frequently stopped by and practiced law before he became President. It’s also part of the Lincoln National Heritage Area. Mt. Pulaski has a town square where many local events are held. There are five churches, a couple of banks, a clinic, a Dollar Store, a senior living center, and 5 restaurants. The mascot of the Mt. Pulaski is appropriately named the Hilltoppers!
Farmersville, Illinois
South of Springfield, we passed by Farmersville founded in 1832 with a population just under 700. This town was named for “a community of farmers.” It appears that most local businesses cater to the agricultural industry or to the drivers that exit I-55 for fuel, snacks, and food. There is an elementary school in Farmersville that is served by the Panhandle School District. The Lincolnwood High School is in nearby Raymond and its nickname is the “Lancers.” This is about as rural as it gets in Illinois.
That’s all I have to say about Farmersville, except that I like the name of the town! In fact, it’s so popular that thirteen other towns in the US have the same name. They are in California, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin. This was news to me, although it’s an unincorporated community in nearby Dodge County.
After passing Farmersville, our 75 mile drive to St. Louis was uneventful. Join me next week for a look at Gateway Arch National Park.
That about does it for this week. If you missed my last two posts because of the Thanksgiving holiday, click here and here.
Until then, happy travels!
Tom
I grew up in Piper City on US 24 in east-central Illinois in the 40s and 50s. Boring. “The Last Picture Show” was like my experience there.
Thanks for checking in Bill. I enjoy these “boring” drives, it allows me to notice the unusual then make up stories in my head. When I get to my destination, I look the places up to figure out what I just saw.
We used to take our Teen Caravan groups to St. Louis and take them up the Arch. I’d tell the kids that it was a smooth ride up to the top and that they shouldn’t worry unless it started to feel bumpy going up. We’d often be there for the Fourth of July fireworks. I would tell them that we would be dining on a riverboat where they would have their choice of beef, chicken or fish (in those days there was a McDonald restaurant on a riverboat). Other highlights there were the National Bowling Hall of Fame, a Cardinal baseball game and an outdoor musical theater event.
Being in St. Louis on the 4th would be special. Sounds like it was a lot of fun. Thanks for checking in George. TM