Ariston Cafe - The Historic Restaurant of Litchfield, Illinois

There is a restaurant that is considered to be an important part of the history of the United States of America. In fact, this particular restaurant is the longest-operating restaurant on US Route 66 - a stretch of highway that has been known as the Main Street of America.

This restaurant that has stood for years is known as the Ariston Cafe and the building for this particular cafe was built back in July 1935. Part of what makes this restaurant so historic is that the building it operates from is a combination of different architectural styles from the Art Deco Style (an art style that flourished in the United States from the 1920s to the early 1930s) to the common utilitarian style you find for a bunch of American small commercial buildings. Contractor Henry A. Vasel - a somewhat prolific builder in Illinois - was the one who designed this historic restaurant building and now his legacy has lasted for decades.

This particular restaurant has been considered so important that it has been added to the National Register of Historic Places - a system run by the United States government specifically to keep track of and preserve buildings, objects, and landmarks important to the history & culture of the United States of America. Ariston Cafe was added on May 5th, 2006, and if you want to visit this piece of US culture for the atmosphere or some tasty treats, feel free to stop by 413 Old Route 66 in Litchfield, Illinois!

Citations:

- Hillier, Bevis (1971). The World of Art Deco: An Exhibition Organized by The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, June–September 1971. E.P. Dutton. ISBN 978-0-525-47680-1.

- Hoekstra, David (13 July 2006). "Dining With the Locals on Illinois 66". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 5 April 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2008., via Route 66 University

- Thomason, Philip; Douglass, Teresa (November 8, 2005). "Ariston Café, National Register of Historic Places Registration Form" (PDF). Retrieved May 9, 2008.

- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.