The Complete Story
General contractor William Sprague opened Sprague's Super Service in 1931, creating the only two-story Tudor Revival service station along the entire Route 66 corridor. This unique structure served travelers with a cafe, a Cities Service gas station and garage, with upstairs apartments for the owner and station attendant. Visitors could easily imagine the 1930s, when cars pulled up under the canopy and attendants pumped their tanks full at 10 cents a gallon.
The station remained open as some traffic still took Business Route 66 into Normal, but the property changed hands many times over the decades. It was vacant during part of World War II when gasoline and repair parts were scarce. The station sold various brands of fuel including Gulf Oil during the 1960s. The last fuel was dispensed in 1971, and pumps were removed by 1979.
Illinois State University instructor and Route 66 historian Terri Ryburn, with her husband William Sanders, purchased the deteriorating station for $220,000 in October 2006 and began restoration. The station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in April 2008 and inducted into the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2016, Ryburn sold the station to the Town of Normal, which completed additional renovations. The station reopened on August 12, 2017 as Ryburn Place, a visitor center and gift shop featuring local art.
Surprising Facts You Didn't Know
→ The only two-story Tudor Revival service station on all 2,400 miles of Route 66
→ Gas sold for just 10 cents a gallon when it opened in 1931
→ The upstairs apartments originally housed both the owner and the station attendant
→ Terri Ryburn paid $220,000 in 2006 to save the station from demolition
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit Ryburn Place at Sprague's Super Service
✓ You Can Visit Today
Address: undefined, Normal, IL 61761
What's There Now: Restored visitor center and gift shop named Ryburn Place, operated by the Town of Normal. Open Wed-Sun 9am-5pm (closed January-February). Features Route 66 merchandise, vintage items, collectibles, and local artists' work.
GPS Coordinates: 40.5174733, -88.9806791
Photo Tip: Best photographed in early morning or late afternoon when the Illinois light brings out the building's character.
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