U.S. 50: Vincennes, Indiana to Olney, Illinois

U.S. 50: Vincennes, Indiana to Olney, Illinois

Heading west on U.S. 50 from its junction with U.S. 41, you cross the Wabash River on the Red Skelton Bridge. The bridge honors the comedian who starred on radio and television into the early 1970s. Skelton was born just south of here in Vincennes, Indiana.

Historical airfield

Six miles west of Vincennes and four miles east of Lawrenceville, Illinois, the first community you reach in the state, is an exit (yes, U.S. 50 is a four-lane limited access highway here) for the historical Mid-American Air Center.

The rural airport was built during World War II by the U.S. Army Air Corps and used as a training facility for its cadets. Named George Field, the facility remained active until 1946. The government gave the land to the city of Lawrenceville in 1948 and it has operated as a public airport since.

West of Lawrenceville, the highway returns to two lanes (although some discussions have occurred concerning widening this stretech to four lanes, as well.)

What's that smell? It's black gold -- oil. Many wells line the highway and with today's higher prices for crude, the oil industry is pumping good money into the rural economy here.

Hills on the prairie

Eight miles west of Lawrenceville is Red Hills State Park, the highest point on U.S. 50 in Illinois. The park features a 40-acre lake for fishing and boating.

The Trace Inn restaurant and gift shop overlooks the lake and surrounding woods. Enjoy fine dining and the rustic interior as you watch activity on the lake. Be warned, though, if you try to stop during the lunch or dinner hours, you might have a tough time getting a table by the window. Those usually are filled first!

The Trace Inn, by the way, gets its name from the "Cahokia Trace" or "Trace Road" which ran just north of present-day U.S. 50 and formerly was the principal route from Vincennes to St. Louis.

About 10 miles west of the park is Olney, Illinois, one of several U.S. cities to proclaim itself "The Home of the White Squirrels."

Continue west on U.S. 50 (Coming soon!)

Visit Olney, Illinois (Coming soon!)