Route 66, Girard to Nilwood
Why it's listed
This four-mile stretch of road between Girard and Nilwood in Macoupin County, Illinois, was built around 1920 as part of State Bond Issue 4 and became part of U.S. Route 66 when the highway was designated in 1926. It carried Route 66 traffic until the route was realigned east of Springfield in 1930-1931. The original sixteen-foot concrete pavement survives, with four-foot gravel shoulders, five concrete box culverts, a 1920 reinforced concrete bridge over Shearles Branch and a 1930 railroad overpass. Its significance rests on two points. It reflects the hard-surfaced road that sped the movement of goods, farm products and coal miners in the area. It also represents the design standards of Illinois road building in the late 1910s and early 1920s. The form calls it the longest segment in the area that keeps its historic cross-section and original pavement, so travelers can still sense 1920s driving conditions.
Significance in brief: The segment is significant under Criterion A for transportation, through its link to Route 66 from 1926 to 1931. It is significant under Criterion C for engineering as a representative example of early 1920s Illinois road-building standards. It is described as the longest segment on this stretch that keeps its historic cross-section and original pavement.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99000117, listed May 23, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Rte 66, between IL 4 S of Girard and IL 4, Nilwood |
|---|---|
| County | Macoupin County |
| Listed | May 23, 2002 |
| Reference number | 99000117 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | A: 1926-1931; C: 1919-1931 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Other: Concrete Road |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in road-related use; owned and maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The original concrete pavement is cracked in places but described as in good shape. |
| Acreage | 15.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.41945, -89.78656 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99000117.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.