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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. — Courtesy of Jim Marcacci

September 16, 2026

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

A book released earlier this year explores mob activity in the Prohibition era along Route 66 specifically through the lens of Benld, Illinois.

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