OK I guess this is as good a place as any to add a thought or two.
We are leaving the Granite City area...and venturing a little further east, to the area where I called home, Pontoon Beach.
State Aid 35 & 162 and Spuddy's Tavern. That sure was a run-down-place (as one of the contributors of this thread mentioned) alright. I remember that they had Turkey Shoots there pretty regular...and these shoots may have been on held on Sundays.
Jethro's was one of Updike's gas stations...and a brother in law of mine (Don Alfaro) was the attendant on duty during the days. Updike also had a second place on Namoki Road and it was a full service gasoline station...oil changes...flat tire repairs...battery charges, the whole works.
Back to 162 now, I remember the name of Marco Polo's but that is all. Still, there was a teen-hang-out that we used to go to all the time...and they had the best burgers & fries & drinks...the "Phil & Dot's A & W Root Beer Stand" on Highway 162. They really had BIG BURGERS.
After so many years, it is hard to place everything in that area because the roadway of State Aid 35 has been reconstructed...and the roadway of the adjoining road across from the signal light (I think Mockingbird Lane) has been moved to form that four-way-intersection....not moved much, just enough to bring the two separate roads together. But it has changed the appearance of that area quite a bit.