Cicero, Illinois: A Gateway to Route 66 from Chicago

Welcome to Cicero, Illinois

Cicero occupies a unique and historically significant position on Route 66 as one of the first communities travelers passed through when heading southwest from Chicago on America’s most famous highway. This densely populated suburb of Chicago, located in Cook County, served as an early gateway to the open road — the transition point between the urban density of the city and the long, open highway stretching to the Southwest. For Route 66 enthusiasts tracing the highway’s full length from Chicago, Cicero is an essential and fascinating early stop.

Where is Cicero, Illinois?

Cicero is located in Cook County, Illinois, directly west of the Chicago city limits. It borders the Chicago neighborhoods of Austin and Berwyn and sits approximately 8 miles west of downtown Chicago’s Loop. Historic Route 66 ran through Cicero along Ogden Avenue, which continues to serve as the primary commercial corridor through this densely developed community.

The History of Cicero

Cicero was incorporated as a township in 1867 and developed rapidly through the late 19th and early 20th centuries as Chicago’s industrial expansion pushed westward. The Western Electric Company’s massive Hawthorne Works factory — which employed tens of thousands of workers at its peak — made Cicero one of the most important industrial communities in the Chicago metropolitan area and contributed to the famous Hawthorne Studies, pioneering research into workplace psychology and productivity.

When Route 66 was commissioned in 1926, Cicero was already a well-established urban community. Ogden Avenue, the route’s corridor through town, was a busy commercial street lined with shops, restaurants, theaters, and auto-related businesses. The connection between Chicago’s urban core and the open highway beyond made Cicero a critical transition zone for the millions of travelers who set out on Route 66 from Illinois’s largest city.

Route 66 Through Cicero

Route 66 followed Ogden Avenue through Cicero — a diagonal boulevard that cuts through the city’s grid with a character distinctly different from the surrounding street layout. Today, Ogden Avenue remains a busy commercial corridor, and while the Route 66 era businesses have largely been replaced, the diagonal alignment of the street itself is a surviving artifact of the highway’s original path through the Chicago metropolitan area. Historic Route 66 markers guide travelers along the corridor.

What to See and Do in Cicero

Ogden Avenue Route 66 Corridor

Driving Ogden Avenue through Cicero is the core Route 66 experience here. The diagonal boulevard passes through a rich urban landscape of ethnic restaurants, independent businesses, and mid-century commercial buildings. The diversity of Cicero — a community with significant Mexican American and Central American populations today — gives the Route 66 corridor a vibrant, contemporary energy layered over its historic foundation.

Hawthorne Works Site

The former site of the Western Electric Hawthorne Works — once one of the largest manufacturing facilities in the United States — is an important piece of industrial American history located in Cicero. While much of the original facility has been redeveloped, historical markers and local documentation preserve the memory of this enormous factory and the Hawthorne Studies that changed our understanding of the American workplace.

Exploring the Urban Route 66 Experience

Cicero offers a different kind of Route 66 experience from the small-town and rural stops further down the highway — it is an urban, working community with a living commercial corridor. The ethnic food scene along Ogden Avenue is outstanding, with excellent Mexican restaurants and taquerias that reflect the community’s contemporary character. Stopping for a meal here is a worthwhile cultural experience.

Climate and Weather in Cicero

Cicero shares Chicago’s continental climate — cold, snowy winters with temperatures frequently below freezing, and warm to hot, humid summers with highs in the mid-to-upper 80s°F. Spring and fall are pleasant, with mild temperatures and the energy of a large urban community shifting between seasons. The Chicago metropolitan area’s weather can be changeable and windy, so travelers should check forecasts before visiting.

Tips for Visiting Cicero, Illinois

Follow Ogden Avenue through Cicero to stay on the original Route 66 alignment heading southwest from Chicago.
Stop for a meal along Ogden Avenue — the local Mexican and Latin American food options are excellent and reflect the community’s current character.
Look for Route 66 historical markers along the corridor that help orient travelers on the original alignment.
Combine Cicero with the formal Route 66 start in Chicago — begin at Grant Park or Michigan Avenue and follow the alignment southwest through the city and into Cicero.
Traffic on Ogden Avenue can be heavy during peak hours — allow extra time if driving through during rush periods.

Final Thoughts on Cicero, Illinois

Cicero’s Route 66 story is one of urban transition and continuity — a community that has changed dramatically since the highway’s golden age yet still carries the bones of its mid-century character along Ogden Avenue. For travelers beginning the full Route 66 journey from Chicago, Cicero marks the end of the urban sprawl and the beginning of the open road ahead. It is a community worth experiencing with open eyes and an appetite for the unexpected.