The historic West End Service Station has been named a 2026 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation National Preservation Award honoree by Landmarks Illinois in the Stewardship category.
Saved from demolition through a partnership between the City of Edwardsville and the Great Rivers & Routes, this treasured 1927 landmark has been restored as a Route 66 museum and welcome center. Today, it welcomes travelers from around the world exploring #TheLastHundredMiles of Route 66 in Illinois.
This honor celebrates more than the preservation of a historic building—it recognizes the power of partnerships, community stewardship and tourism to revitalize meaningful places and create lasting economic impact.
The West End Service Station is a collaborative stewardship project that transformed a vacant service station on historic Route 66 into a visitor center with interpretive historical exhibits and community event spaces. This project was led by the City of Edwardsville with support from Millennium Construction, LLC; Henderson Associates; and the Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau. The property served as a fuel stop and service center on Route 66 from 1927 to 1964. When Route 66 was rerouted to bypass Edwardsville, the building became a dentist’s office until 2019. It has been vacant since and was set for demolition until the City of Edwardsville obtained the building from the Illinois Department of Transportation through public auction.
In its work to restore the property, the City of Edwardsville collaborated with architects and building professionals to create a visitor information center and a small, community-led museum on the significance of Route 66 – a particularly critical endeavor on the centennial of the Mother Road’s founding. The project has reinvigorated the local community and brought economic development to Edwardsville.
This project was funded with a $460,000 grant from the Illinois Office of Tourism’s Route 66 Grant Program. It has preserved an iconic property on Route 66 in Illinois that now also serves as a vital community hub, thanks to partnership and creativity on the part of city and state officials.
Congratulations to everyone who helped give this Mother Road landmark a new life, especially as we celebrate the Route 66 Centennial!
The awards ceremony will be held Nov. 6 in Chicago. Click here for more info.
