The Mother Road

In all of the world, there are few highways with the mystique, the magic and the fame of Route 66. People come from Germany, England, Australia, Japan and many other countries to travel the “Main Street of America.”

Lebanon was an important stop on Route 66 and it provided the road services that tourists sought. In fact, one of the very first motels along the highway was Camp Joy, opened in 1927 as a tent camp at a rate of 50 cents a night. Later, cottages and a combination gas station/grocery store were added. The Spears family ran Camp Joy for 44 years in Lebanon and even named one of their daughters after the business.

The How It All Started

With the beginning of the 20th century Lebanon and Laclede County was basically isolated from the rest of the world with its lack of good roads. There was little more than a dirt path coming to Lebanon from St. Louis and going on in the direction of Springfield to the west. This path carried a few isolated travelers and commerce by way of wagon or stagecoach. The dirt road had change very little from its beginnings when it carried the Union troops during the Civil War to the battle at Wilson’s Creek. The only major change to Lebanon and its dirt highway had been after the Civil War when the Railroad caused the village to move about one mile to the southwest from its original location.
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