The Complete Story
Joe and Victor 'Babe' Selotis built the Log Cabin Inn in 1926, the same year Route 66 was established. Route 66 provided steady income for their family business - Joe barbecued beef and pork on a spit out back, while Babe filled gas tanks and fixed flats. The sturdy log cabin structure faced the original 'hard road' that ran east of them next to the railroad tracks.
In the 1940s, Route 66 was widened to four lanes and relocated to the west side of the business. Rather than lose their prime roadside location, the Selotis brothers made a dramatic decision: they jacked up the entire log cabin and rotated it 180 degrees using horses to face the new road. Hundreds of Pontiac residents came out to witness this remarkable event.
The restaurant became famous for more than just food. Joe Selotis was given a crow that he painstakingly trained to talk. The bird especially enjoyed perching on picnic tables in the company of beer drinkers, where he acquired a taste for malt liquor. Tourists fascinated with this chattering creature would return specifically to visit him.
Surprising Facts You Didn't Know
→ The entire building was jacked up and rotated 180 degrees by horses when Route 66 was relocated in the 1940s
→ Hundreds of Pontiac residents gathered to watch the building rotation
→ Owner Joe Selotis had a trained talking crow that developed a taste for beer
→ The original log siding is still visible on the interior walls
→ Inducted into the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame in 1996
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit Old Log Cabin Inn
✓ You Can Visit Today
Address: 18700 Old Rte 66, Pontiac, IL 61764
What's There Now: The Old Log Cabin Inn continues to operate as a restaurant, serving hearty home-style cooking to Route 66 travelers from around the world. Mother Road memorabilia covers the interior walls, which still feature the original log cabin siding.
GPS Coordinates: 40.8982694, -88.6236111
Photo Tip: Best photographed in early morning or late afternoon when the Illinois light brings out the building's character.
Continue Your Route 66 Journey
These nearby Route 66 stops are just down the road:
Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum
Home to the official Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame, housed in a beautifully restored 1900 City Hall...
Livingston County Courthouse
The Second Empire masterpiece where Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas both argued cases, designed ...
Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum
One of the world's greatest collections of Pontiac and Oakland automobile artifacts, created to hono...