Henry's Rabbit Ranch in Staunton, Illinois: Route 66's Hoppiest Attraction

Henry’s Rabbit Ranch: The Hoppiest Stop on the Mother Road

On the original 1926-1940 alignment of Route 66 just south of Staunton, Illinois, a sign reading ‘HARE IT IS’ beckons from the roadside — a deliberate play on the famous ‘HERE IT IS’ billboard of the Jackrabbit Trading Post in Joseph City, Arizona. Behind the sign: a replica vintage filling station, a gift shop full of Route 66 memorabilia, a row of Volkswagen Rabbits buried nose-first in the ground in tribute to the Cadillac Ranch in Texas, a giant fiberglass jackrabbit, a collection of Campbell’s ‘humpin’ to please’ semi-trailers, a small rabbit cemetery, and — most importantly — dozens of live rabbits, each with their own name and personality. Welcome to Henry’s Rabbit Ranch, one of the most genuinely original and flat-out delightful roadside attractions on all of Illinois Route 66. As Route 66 celebrates its centennial in 2026, Henry’s Ranch is a perfect example of what makes the Mother Road irreplaceable.

Where is Henry’s Rabbit Ranch?

Address: 1107 Historic Old Route 66, Staunton, IL 62088

Phone: (618) 635-5655

Henry’s Rabbit Ranch is located on the original Historic Route 66 alignment (State Route 4) south of Staunton, accessible from I-55 at Exit 41. From the interstate, drive west on Staunton Road, take the third left onto Old Route 66, and follow it southwest — the Ranch is on the right, just before Madison Street. Look for the semi-trailers parked out front.

Appointments are strongly recommended — call (618) 635-5655 before visiting to ensure the Ranch is open and the rabbits are available for interaction.

The Story of Henry’s Rabbit Ranch

Rich Henry Discovers Route 66 — and Rabbits

Rich Henry grew up in Missouri, where he was aware that an old alignment of Route 66 ran past — but not quite through — his home territory. It was an aged neighbor who first pointed to the pavement and told him definitively: ‘This is Route 66.’ Rich had long thought about opening a Route 66 visitor center and attraction on his Staunton property; he had noticed a shortage of Route 66 destinations in the southern Illinois segment and wanted to fill the gap. The question was what form the attraction should take.

The answer arrived unexpectedly in 1999 when Rich’s daughter called from her home with a problem: her two pet rabbits had become fifteen. Rich, the devoted father, volunteered to care for them. He never intended to keep them permanently. ‘I just told her, I can take care of them here for a while, during the day,’ he recalled. That was more than 25 years ago, and the rabbits are still there — along with a great deal more.

Building the Ranch

Rich opened Henry’s Old Route 66 Emporium first — a gift shop in a building styled as a vintage filling station. By his own admission it was ‘kind of bland.’ Then he and his wife visited Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In on Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona — the famously eccentric drive-in run by Angel Delgadillo’s brother Juan — and came home inspired to make their attraction ‘something different.’

The VW Rabbits were buried nose-first in the ground — a direct tribute to the Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, Texas, where 10 Cadillacs are buried nose-first in a wheat field. At the Ranch, the cars are ‘huddled like real rabbits,’ as Rich puts it. The ‘HARE IT IS’ sign is a play on the ‘HERE IT IS’ billboard of the Jackrabbit Trading Post in Joseph City, Arizona. The giant fiberglass jackrabbit welcomes visitors for photos. Every reference is a Route 66 in-joke, a nod to the broader tradition of roadside whimsy that the Mother Road invented and perfected.

The Bob Waldmire Connection

Among the most moving items at Henry’s Rabbit Ranch is a Volkswagen van — not a Rabbit — that belonged to legendary Route 66 artist and cartographer Bob Waldmire. Waldmire, who spent decades traveling the Mother Road in his famous orange 1972 VW Microbus and whose work inspired the Fillmore character in Pixar’s Cars, was an occasional visitor to the Ranch during his later years. After Waldmire died in 2009, the van was given to Rich Henry. ‘When we put the hand-built carrier box back on the roof — it hadn’t been on the car in years — it wasn’t just another rusty Volkswagen,’ Rich said. The Waldmire van is preserved at the Ranch as a tribute to one of the Mother Road’s most beloved figures.

What to See and Do at Henry’s Rabbit Ranch

The Live Rabbits

The ranch’s most popular attraction is also its most straightforward: dozens of live rabbits, each with its own name, living in and around the gift shop facility. Rich Henry has trained many of them to perform small tricks for visitors, and the bunny who typically occupies the post near the cash register is famous for its sociability and willingness to be petted. Rich’s philosophy about his rabbits is adamant: this is their family, not livestock. Visitors who ask if the rabbits are for sale are gently but firmly declined.

The VW Rabbit Installation

Behind the gift shop, a row of Volkswagen Rabbits extends from the ground at various angles — some deeply buried, some partially visible — creating the Route 66 version of a Cadillac Ranch photo opportunity that is uniquely Illinois. The cars are arranged ‘huddled together,’ as Rich describes it, as if they were a warren of real rabbits sheltering together. It is equal parts art installation, automotive tribute, and pure Route 66 kitsch.

The Bob Waldmire Van and Route 66 Memorabilia

The gift shop is stocked with Route 66 memorabilia, literature, and collectibles — a genuine visitor center resource for travelers on the southern Illinois segment of the highway. The Bob Waldmire van, with its hand-built roof carrier restored to the vehicle, is displayed outside as a tribute to the artist who, more than perhaps anyone else, understood what Route 66 meant as a way of life.

Tips for Visiting Henry’s Rabbit Ranch

Call (618) 635-5655 before visiting — appointments are recommended, and hours can vary based on Rich’s schedule and the rabbits’ welfare.
The exterior VW Rabbit installation is always visible from outside — worth a photograph even if the ranch itself is closed.
Combine with a visit to DeCamp Station roadhouse (8767 State Route 4) just south — the historic gangster-robbery tavern is open Wednesday through Sunday.
Staunton is well-positioned on the drive from Springfield toward the Chain of Rocks Bridge — schedule Henry’s Ranch as a mid-afternoon stop to ensure it’s open.

The Route 66 Centennial in 2026 has brought renewed international attention to southern Illinois Route 66 — Henry’s Ranch is one of the most genuinely original and unmissable stops on this segment of the Mother Road.

Final Thoughts on Henry’s Rabbit Ranch

Henry’s Rabbit Ranch is what Route 66 produces when a genuinely creative person with a genuine love for the road decides to build something and lets their imagination run. It is not trying to be anything other than exactly what it is: a Route 66 visitor center full of rabbits, quirky tributes, pop culture references, and the spirit of a man who found his life’s calling in the form of a very unexpected phone call from his daughter. That is as good a Route 66 origin story as any. In a world increasingly dominated by algorithm-optimized tourist attractions, Henry’s Rabbit Ranch is irreducibly, gloriously human. Illinois Route 66 needs it.