Pieces of Route 66 history for sale

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

Two hot spots along historic Route 66 are for sale, including the Launching Pad restaurant in Wilmington, home to the iconic Gemini Giant statue.

Morey Szczecin, of Channahon, owns the restaurant at 810 E. Baltimore St., which opened in 1960 as the Dari Delite.

Former owners John and Bernice Korelc came up with the space theme in 1965 and brought in the 28-foot-tall fiberglass statue that was converted from a giant muffler man to a space man to capitalize on the nation’s obsession with space exploration at the time.

After some four years of owning the eatery, Szczecin wants to move on. His asking price is $650,000.

“Some things inside could use some updating,” DiBrizzi said. “But it is still a great business. With the economy, more families are turning to sit-down, fast-food restaurants instead of fine dining.”

Also for sale is the old Eagle Hotel down the road at the corner of Baltimore and Water streets. Dating to 1836, it is Will County’s oldest remaining commercial building. It once served as a boarding house with a storefront that later became a local historical museum, though it has languished in recent years.

Route 66 dates to 1926 and began as one of the nation’s first east-to-west arteries from Chicago to Los Angeles. In 1985, it was officially removed from the U.S. highway system, replaced by interstates.