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Springfield, Illinois may be "Mr. Lincoln's Hometown" (as its tourism tagline suggests), but come late September, Abe will share the spotlight with clean-cut Yale grad Tod Stiles (portrayed by actor Martin Milner) and brooding, street-wise Buz Murdoch (George Maharis). Their adventures driving a 1960 Corvette convertible along "Route 66" are chronicled in the TV series of that name that originally aired on CBS from 1960 to 1964 and gained an international following.

As fall arrives in the Midwest, Springfield hosts the "7th Annual International Route 66 Mother Road Festival" (Sept. 26-28). It features cool cars, hot music and free entertainment right in the heart of historic downtown.

The three-day festival showcases more than 1,000 classic and vintage cars and trucks and is expected to attract about 80,000 attendees. A major draw is the "Monet of Cars, " a display of high-end vehicles, some valued at more than $100,000. Admire these lovingly restored autos at the "Route 66 City Nights' Car Cruise." If you're a bruised-knuckle do-it-yourself restorer, visit "Gasoline Alley" for demos and tips on returning vintage autos to their original gleaming condition.

Main Stage entertainment includes Butchwax & The Hollywoods, a rocking band from the Midwest that has performed at numerous sold-out events (Friday night). Elvis fans should enjoy Kavan, an internationally recognized Presley tribute artist known for his on-target performances and authentic wardrobeÑespecially from Elvis's early years, 1954-1957 (Saturday night).

As festival-goers view colorful vintage automobiles, they can't help but notice brightly colored murals painted on the windows of downtown businesses. This storefront "gallery," sponsored by the Springfield Area Arts Council, showcases local artists who also will demonstrate their techniques and offer work for sale.

Officially, the Route 66 that in Bobby Troop's 1946 hit song "winds from Chicago to LA" no longer exists. It was wiped off maps in 1984, supplanted by four-lane interstate. But fascinating stretches remain. Some say more than 85 percent exists in some form, although often as anonymous frontage road.

Where historic Route 66 does survive, it is locked in a shameless time-warp of diners and roadhouses, caverns and curio shops, motor courts and service stations. It remains strong in the folklore of America, in the minds and hearts of those who love the romance of the road.

For Europeans, it is 24-carat pure Americana set in an unfamiliar and fascinating landscape of wide open spaces and sweeping prairies.

European tourists, suitably clad in leathers, rent motorcycles specifically to ride Route 66Ñor what remains of it. "We're here to celebrate the excitement of the open road," explained a tourist from Germany. (One-way rental packages Chicago-Los Angeles and Los Angeles-Chicago are available from dealers and dealer-connected groups such as Route 66 Riders at around $170-$195 per day.)

Illinois is an appropriate venue for celebration of the "Mother Road"Ñas John Steinbeck called it in Grapes of Wrath. The state is well-endowed with stretches of the original Route 66, punctuated by meticulously preserved icons and quirky, off-the-beaten-path attractions. Nostalgia-seekers traveling the Interstate can take the off-ramp to history and explore portions of Route 66 that date back to its opening in 1926.

In Springfield, aficionados of the "Mother Road" make an obligatory stop at Cozy Dog Drive-In, a 1950s-style diner decorated with Route 66 memorabilia and sporting its whimsical logo of two hot dogs "in love." Using a "secret" batter recipe developed by the late Ed Waldmire, the restaurant uses a special cooker to prepare corn dogs three at a time in a couple of minutes, serving daily up to 600 "hot dogs on a stick."

Another "must" stop in Springfield for travelers along the "Main Street of America"Ñas Route 66 also is knownÑis Bill Shea's former Texaco station. Although he stopped pumping gas in 1982, Shea remains alongside the fabled highway, where his superannuated gas station now houses a matchless collection of Route 66 memorabilia. Brimming with entertaining anecdotes, Shea holds court as highway historian. His tales include the story of the 25-year-old woman from Munich who spent a month exploring Route 66 because she regarded it as America's "Romantische Strasse" (romantic road).

Of course, Springfield is undeniably and indelibly "Mr. Lincoln's hometown" and fairly bristles with Lincoln-related sites. Take time to visit Lincoln's document-strewn law offices where he would lie on the floor and use a peephole to observe proceedings in the federal courtroom below. Visit the railroad depot from which Lincoln departed to assume the awesome burdens of the presidency and the Old State Capitol where he delivered his famous "house divided" speech. Tour the only home Lincoln ever owned and pay respects at his tomb, which bears the poignant inscription, "Now he Belongs to the Ages."

In contrast to these perennially popular sites is the $150-million Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, where 21st-century technology leads you through the heroic life of the nation's 16th president. Be sure to allow time to explore it thoroughly. In fact, you might want to schedule at least an additional half-dayÑor perhaps a return visitÑto wander through the 100,000-square-foot museum (twice the size of any other presidential museum and sprawling over an entire city block).

IF YOU GO...

Information: Springfield Illinois Convention & Visitors Bureau (800) 545-7300, www. visit-springfieldillinois.com; Illinois Tourism (800) 2CONNECT.

Mileage: SPAN Springfield is about 200 miles southwest of Chicago.