Cruising the Strip
GPS: 41.825325, -87.798658
3667-3699 Wenonah Ave. - near Berwyn Museum, Berwyn, IL
Route 66 on Ogden Avenue
Ogden Avenue was designed for automobiles when the car was king of American culture. A wide street lined with drive-through businesses and convenient parking served both travelers and residents. Drive-in restaurants, service stations, and auto dealerships sprang up on Ogden to cater to a mobile society.
Drive-ins, like Mac’s in Berwyn, became popular hangouts for kids cruisin’ the Ogden strip. Patrons paid just $1 for 8 burgers in 1957.
Serving the Car Culture
Ogden Avenue has served drivers since its earliest days. The Hendry Sinclair Station, on the corner of Ogden and Harlem, offered 24-hour service as early as 1932. White Castle, on that same corner, was open for a fast burger in 1939.
“Teenagers” and Cars
After World War II, new cars flooded the market. Teenagers (a new term in the 50s) embraced the car culture. Rock music, movies, and drag racing romanticized cars, individualism, and rebellion.
3667-3699 Wenonah Ave. - near Berwyn Museum, Berwyn, IL
Route 66 on Ogden Avenue
Ogden Avenue was designed for automobiles when the car was king of American culture. A wide street lined with drive-through businesses and convenient parking served both travelers and residents. Drive-in restaurants, service stations, and auto dealerships sprang up on Ogden to cater to a mobile society.
Drive-ins, like Mac’s in Berwyn, became popular hangouts for kids cruisin’ the Ogden strip. Patrons paid just $1 for 8 burgers in 1957.
Serving the Car Culture
Ogden Avenue has served drivers since its earliest days. The Hendry Sinclair Station, on the corner of Ogden and Harlem, offered 24-hour service as early as 1932. White Castle, on that same corner, was open for a fast burger in 1939.
“Teenagers” and Cars
After World War II, new cars flooded the market. Teenagers (a new term in the 50s) embraced the car culture. Rock music, movies, and drag racing romanticized cars, individualism, and rebellion.
