The 21st Show | Route 66 in Illinois: How a small town became a mob hub during Prohibition | Illinois Public Media
Donate Now
During Prohibition, Benld's location on Route 66 made it a hub for mob bootlegging activity. The city's Coliseum Ballroom (pictured here in 1949) became a little Las Vegas in that era.

Route 66 in Illinois: How a small town became a mob hub during Prohibition

The 21st Show

Transcript