Funks Grove - Shirley, Illinois, USA.
N 40° 21.390 W 089° 07.061
16T E 320172 N 4469478
Funks Grove Maple Syrup Farm, a Route 66 roadside attraction. Also the Midpoint of the Illinois Historic Route 66, and now a Mother Road, Gift shop and yes still selling Syrup, Located near Shirley, Illinois.
Waymark Code: WMTDRN
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 11/07/2016
Views: 4
A Family Tradition in 'Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup' - Is still selling Sirup to travellers, (Yes they spell syrup the old fashioned way) at the Illinois midpoint of Route 66.
"Original Funks Grove Station In 1824 Isaac Funk found a large stand of native Maple trees growing on the Illinois prairie here. Being a foresighted man he located his farm in the grove and set about building a family business that has lasted almost 180 years! Little did Isaac know that a hundred years later a celebrated highway would pass by his front door! I would hazard to say the Funk's family business just might be the oldest family business along all of Route 66!
In the early years, Isaac and his sons started making maple sirup for personal use. They cooked the sap down in kettles over a fire. In 1860 Isaac's son, Isaac II, took over production of the maple sirup. Arthur Funk, Isaac II's son opened the first commercial sirup camp here in 1891." Text source: (
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"The First Maple Sirup Producers -
There is a long-standing family tradition of sirup making among the Funks of Funks Grove. However, the sweet benefits of the maple trees that grow in this native timber were likely enjoyed long before the Funk family settled here. History has it that Native Americans were the first maple sirup producers. They used maple sugar to season their corn and other vegetables and poured maple sirup over their fish and meat. Following is one of the many legends of how maple sirup was first discovered." Text source: (
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Address of Icon:
5257 Old Route 66, Shirley, Illinois 61772
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