Near Funks Grove in McLean County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Having a Picnic
⎯⎯⎯
A Transportation Corridor
Funks Grove
| | Historical Route 66 | |
Photographed by Jason Voigt, October 2, 2020
1. Having a Picnic / A Transportation Corridor Marker
Having a Picnic side
Having a Picnic.
By the 1920s the automobile picnic outing had become a national phenomenon. Cars allowed people to escape from crowded cities, and rural residents also took advantage of the increased mobility furnished by the automobile.
The Sunday car ride and picnic became a favorite family pastime, and the legendary Ford Model T proved durable enough to handle rough country roads. People who had never traveled more than a few miles from home began to explore the American countryside.
A Transportation Corridor.
This area has been a transportation crossroads since Isaac Funk arrived in Funks Grove in 1824. One of Isaac's sons led a campaign to build the first hard road in McLean County. To drive on it, a grandson built the county's first automobile.
Situated almost midway between Chicago and St. Louis, Route 66 ran through Funks Grove beginning in 1926. John Steinbeck later immortalized Route 66 in his book the Grapes of Wrath.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the U.S. Route 66 series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1824.
Location. 40° 21.551′ N, 89° 6.587′ W. Marker is near Funks Grove, Illinois, in
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Central Illinois. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bloomington-Normal, Illinois (a few steps from this marker); Isaac Funk (within shouting distance of this marker); Funks Grove Church (approx. 1.2 miles away); Irish Monument (approx. 1.2 miles away); Local Prairie & History of Shirley, IL (approx. 4.2 miles away); A Home on the Road (approx. 4½ miles away); Charles Lindbergh Crash Site (approx. 4.8 miles away); Abraham Lincoln - Eighth Judicial District (approx. 6.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Funks Grove.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup, Funks Grove, Illinois (was approx. half a mile away but has been confirmed missing).
Photographed by Jason Voigt, October 2, 2020
2. Having a Picnic / A Transportation Corridor Marker
A Transportation Corridor side
Photographed by Jason Voigt, October 2, 2020
3. Having a Picnic / A Transportation Corridor Marker
Two-sided marker with supplemental interpretive statues
Photographed by Richard Hawkins, July 19, 2025
4. Having a Picnic / A Transportation Corridor Marker
Photographed by Richard Hawkins, July 19, 2025
5. Having a Picnic / A Transportation Corridor Marker
Photographed by Richard Hawkins, July 19, 2025
6. Having a Picnic / A Transportation Corridor Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 25, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 335 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 25, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 19, 2025, by Richard Hawkins of Phelan, California.
