Virden, IL

Virden is another sleepy town along the original Route 66 but it has a bit of a colorful past.

In the late 1890s, Virden was a prosperous mining community. In 1898, there was a strike of the Chicago - Virden Coal Company in which management refused to allow workers to unionize and brought in black workers to operate the mine. That resulted in a gun battle in which several men on both sides were killed. There is a monument on the town square listing the names of those who died.

Pup's Tavern is on the town square. It has been owned and operated by Jerry "Pup" Stelle since 1966, and it's still going strong. It is housed in a 100 year old building with an old fashioned tin ceiling. There are lots of photos of Virden from days gone by and of regular customers old and new. It is a bit of a sports bar with several large TVs. The beer is extra cold, so it will be a good stop on a hot day of riding. Food is limited to pre-made sandwiches and micro-waved pizza. All in all, it's worth checking out.