BROADWELL - The fire on Monday that destroyed the Pig Hip took more than a landmark from the people of Broadwell, one community leader said.

"For the 180 people who live in this community, it's like we lost our identity," Broadwell village President Warren Bradley said Tuesday.

The Pig Hip was a popular eatery in the highway's heyday and later became a must-see museum for Route 66 enthusiasts. To many, it put Broadwell on the map.

Now that the Pig Hip gone, fans promised on Tuesday to collect memorabilia and even launch a Web site to preserve its legacy.

"It's rather devastating and hard to put into words what we are all feeling," said Bradley. "In one way or another, we were all strongly connected to that museum. That memorabilia in there is irreplaceable."

Broadwell's sesquicentennial celebration, which already was scheduled for June, would have had the Pig Hip as a centerpiece, Bradley said. Despite the loss Pig Hip owner Ernie Edwards' spirits remain high about the celebration, Bradley said.

"He told me maybe we could still put up a tent or something," said Bradley.

To Geoff Ladd, Logan County's tourism director, "losing the Pig Hip was like losing an old friend. I am shocked and devastated, as is the entire Route 66 network."

County tourism took a hit with the loss of the museum and the artifacts it contained, he said.

"As for the county, this was the most known Route 66 museum and was host to numerous bus tours and drive-in tourists from all over the country and the world," said Ladd. "I have spoken with members of the Route 66 Association of Illinois who are already planning on helping with preserving what we can and leaving a kiosk or marker at the site."

Ladd said the Route 66 Heritage Foundation is working on a remembrance Web site coming soon to www.pighip.com . People will be able to blog their memories, leave messages for Edwards and post pictures.

The group also is looking for Pig Hip artifacts that can be donated for preservation purposes.

The loss was felt by people far from Central Illinois, said Patty Ambrose, executive director of the Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project, based in Springfield. She heard the news Monday night from someone in California.

"This is not just a loss for the state, but for the entire road, as this road is like one big family," said Ambrose. "You get to know the people who travel the road and attend the festivals, so it's not just a loss for one, it's a loss for the whole road."

Ambrose said she drove up Tuesday to visit with Edwards, and said it felt like a wake as friends and family gathered at the Edwards home, sharing memories of the restaurant and museum.

"This has just been a true icon for the past 60 to 70 years, and when you think of all that was lost, the history and memorabilia, it's just an amazing feeling of loss. It's like you are losing a person. It's really sad," said Ambrose.

Edwards will turn 90 soon, so Ambrose doubts a new museum will be build on the grounds, which is also where the home of Ernie Edwards and his wife, Frances sits. Something like an informational kiosk likely be placed at the location, she said.

"Ernie had been worrying and wondering what to do about the museum and about what is going to happen, and while I can't say whether he will rebuild, I can definitely say that I can't see Ernie not wanting to go out and talk to all the people who come visit this landmark along Route 66," said Ambrose.