Risk of the Road

Risk of the Road (HM130Z)

Location: Bloomington, IL 61701 McLean County
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Country: United States of America
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N 40° 28.822', W 88° 59.627'

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Bloody 66 and Insurance


Illinois Route 66 was dangerous.

Curves, crossroads, and bridge abutments doomed many speeding motorists, giving rise to the nickname, "Bloody 66." After World War II, curves were straightened, towns bypassed, and four lanes built to improve safety. New laws enforced by Illinois State Police slowed speeders. Insurance companies like Bloomington's State Farm, offered motorists protection from loss should they have an accident.

Accidents on Bloody 66
Patrolman Chester Henry investigates a 1959 accident on Route 9 east of Bloomington. From 1957 to his retirement in 1984, Route 66 was a part of his daily life.

"I would pull just about anyone over to issue a ticket, including TV and country music celebrities, as well as politicians headed to and from the Statehouse in Springfield"
Lieutenant Chester Henry

Chester Henry set a record one year for most tickets written. Wary motorists slowed down when they came through his Route 66 patrol area between Dwight and Atlanta. he was inducted into the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame in 1993.

State Farm Insurance: Sharing Risks
A small rural mutual insurance company began here in 1922. Its founder, George Mecherle, believed that since farmers drove less and had fewer losses than city drivers, they should pay less for insurance. With a reputation for low rates and fair payments on claims, State Farm quickly grew into the largest auto insurer in America.

Details
HM NumberHM130Z
Series This marker is part of the U.S. Route 66 series
Tags
Placed ByIllinois Route 66
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Friday, September 26th, 2014 at 11:54pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)16T E 331004 N 4482984
Decimal Degrees40.48036667, -88.99378333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 40° 28.822', W 88° 59.627'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds40° 28' 49.32" N, 88° 59' 37.62" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)309
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 200-298 N Main St, Bloomington IL 61701, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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