Macoupin C: Mt Olive, IL: Consolidated Coal Mine #15 and 1926 Soulsby Shell Station

Coal Mine: (Satellite, closed in 1951)

Shell Station: (Satellite, 350 photos)

US-66 Overview

 

Roger Kujawa posted
Mt Olive Illinois Consolidated Coal Co Mine Postcard c1930

Andy Zukowski posted
Consolidated Coal Company mine #15 at Mt Olive, Illinois

Roger Kujawa posted
Colorful Linen Postcard Consolidated Coal Mine #15 At Mt. Olive, Illinois

 

There are a lot of mines in that county, but only one is #15 so the index is 68.
68 CONSOLIDATED C C OF ST LOUIS CONSOLIDATED 15 SHAFT MRP 1905-1951
68 BELL & ZOLLER COAL & MNG CO BELL & ZOLLER 15 SHAFT MRP 1951-1951

The tipple was west of town just before IL-138 curves North.

Map

Roger Kujawa posted
Vintage Coal Mine Postcard: Mine No. 15, Mt. Olive, Illinois. ~ Collectible

Andy Zukowski posted
Consolidated Coal Company Mine Number 15, Mount Olive, Illinois. The mine operated from 1905-1951.

It was served by a spur from the Wabash.

1915 Gillespie and Mt Olive Quadrangles @ 1:62,500

Most of the spur route still has a land scar.

Satellite

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP
You can see coal cars parked in the storage yard at the end of the Wabash spur.

Dennis DeBruler posted

The Wabash had a spur going West from south of Mt. Olive to serve a coal mine.

https://towns-and-nature.blogspot.com/2020/03/macoupin-c-mt-olive-il.html

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1Q91IBeZLh916Q5auDaQ9-x25vh0&ll=39.05985107268876%2C-89.7359669834683&z=13

Old Soulsby's Shell Station

Street View, Sep 2021

Oliver Richter, Jul 2015

Oliver Richter, Jul 2015

Street View, Sep 2021

Hoferin Omala, Jul 2022

Jim Roepke posted
The Soulsby Service Station is a beautifully restored, historic landmark located at 710 W 1st S St, Mt Olive, IL along Historic U.S. Route 66. Built in 1926, the canopy design gas station stands out  on the Illinois stretch of the Mother Road.

Channen Lea commented on Jim's post

Timothy Baugh commented on Jim's post

Lusetta Fennell-Timmons posted 12 photos with the comment:

Route 66 Road Trip 2026

Mt. Olive ILL

March 31, 2026

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Al Urenovich posted two photos with the comment: "Soulsby’s Service Station in Mt. Olive, Illinois on old Route 66."

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[How many decades does it take for a tree to grow that big?]

obsoletevoids posted

One of the oldest and most original gas stations left along Route 66 in Illinois. ⛽️🛣️

The Soulsby Service Station in Mount Olive, Illinois, opened in 1926 and served Route 66 travelers for decades. After finally closing in the 1990s, this little station could have easily disappeared with the rest of the Mother Road’s past, but it was eventually restored and preserved.

Seeing the difference between then and now is pretty incredible. ❤️

How many of you have stopped here on a Route 66 road trip? 📸