66 Stops on Route 66 (Part Three)

Hazelgreen to Waynesville

DEVILS ELBOW

HOOKER CUT

The construction of Hooker Cut began in 1941, requiring the excavation of 280,000 cubic yards of limestone. Its creation was in an effort to replace Fort Leonard Wood Highway, which proved to be inadequate for heavy traffic and large vehicles. Hooker Cut opened in 1945 and resulted in the deepest road cut in the United States at the time. Hooker Cut is still a marvel to be viewed along Historic Route 66, between Devils Elbow Bridge and Powellville.
• VisitMO.com

DEVILS ELBOW BRIDGE

Since 1816, the Big Piney River was used to transport timber and railroad ties to St. Louis. The tight bend in the Big Piney River was a “devil” for lumbermen to navigate, and it thus became known as Devils Elbow. In 1923, the Route 66 Bridge at Devils Elbow was completed. It became iconic for its dogleg (curve) and the beautiful Hiawatha Bluffs surrounding it. The bridge was reopened in 2014 after a year of renovations.
• Teardrop Road, Devils Elbow • VisitPulaskiCounty.org

ST. ROBERT

URANUS FUDGE FACTORY AND GENERAL STORE

For a fun family destination and all things odd, over-the-top, and scatological in humor, visit Uranus, where “there are a lot of freaks.” Here you can visit the Uranus Fudge Factory and General Store, Uranus Sideshow Museum, Uranus Ice Cream Company, Putt Pirates (a miniature golf course), Escape Uranus, and Uranus Playground.
• 14400 State Highway Z, St. Robert • UranusGeneralStore.com

PULASKI COUNTY TOURISM BUREAU & VISITORS CENTER

A hub for tourists and locals alike, this visitor center offers three rooms full of information about experiences you can have throughout Missouri. Also available is a video about the local community and a gift shop full of souvenirs. The bureau offers a “Route 66 – Historic Auto Tour,” a self-guided driving tour through Pulaski County, on its website.
• 137 St. Robert Boulevard, St. Robert • VisitPulaskiCounty.org

ROUTE 66 NEON PARK

Route 66 Neon Park opened in May 2025, located within George M. Reed Roadside Park. This open-air museum features a collection of neon signs that were rescued along Route 66 from St. Louis to Carthage, donated to the city of St. Robert, and meticulously restored. The Neon Park offers lit story-boards that provide the history of each sign. Visitors can plan to experience the park both during the day and at night.
133 Reed Way, St. Robert • VisitPulaskiCounty.org

WAYNESVILLE

HOPPERS PUB

Hoppers Pub, a family-friendly restaurant, was opened by Ursula and Jake Lebioda in Waynesville in 2010. Not only are there 66 different kinds of beer and cider on tap in honor of Route 66, but there are also appetizers like frog legs, cheese curds, toasted ravioli, loaded french fries, and beer cheese dip. In 2018, a second Hoppers Pub location opened in downtown Rolla.
318 Historic 66 East, Waynesville • HoppersPub.com

PULASKI COUNTY COURTHOUSE MUSUEM AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Pulaski County Courthouse, built in 1903, was transformed into a museum in 1990. Exhibits feature the courthouse’s original, fully furnished courtroom, an old schoolroom display with desks, a piece of the World Trade Center, and a military honor room. The gift shop features Route 66 souvenirs and historical publications.
• 301 Historic Route 66 East, Waynesville • Route66Courthouse.com

OLD STAGECOACH STOP MUSEUM

Built in 1854 by William Walton McDonald, the Old Stagecoach Stop was a hotel on the stage route from St. Louis to Springfield and stayed in operation until the mid-1960s. After being abandoned, a group of Waynesville citizens saved and restored the hotel, renovating the original McDonald log cabin, a tavern room, and a sleeping room that was used for short hotel stays.
106 North Lynn Street, Waynesville • OldStagecoachStop.org

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Featured image: GASCONADE RIVER BRIDGE
In 2023, the Gasconade River Bridge was officially saved fromdemolition after a nine-year struggle to finalize a preservation plan. The bridge was built in 1924, became part of Route 66 in 1926, and closed in 2014. The Route 66 Association of Missouri’s goal is to stabilize the structure and rehabilitate the bridge for pedestrian and bicycle use, and it is currently under construction. Hazelgreen • Missouri66.org

Presented by Missouri Life in partnership with Visit Missouri.

This article was originally printed in the February 2026 issue of Missouri Life.