Meet the man behind The Mill’s restoration

The Lincoln Courier posted an article about John Sutton, project manager behind the restoration of The Mill restaurant on Route 66 in Lincoln, Ill. Sutton was just named the Courier’s Citizen of the Month.

He is currently devoting his time and efforts to restoring the inside of the historic Mill restaurant that was known for its schnitzel sandwich, its place in Route 66 history and its Al Capone connections. Sutton was not surprised by the shape the structure was in when he first entered the building.

“I’ve done restoration since I was 18, so I am quite familiar with buildings with bowing floors and a foundation that was in desperate need of some help,” said Sutton.

The original structure was built in 1929 and still stands in its original location.

Director of Logan County Tourism Geoff Ladd appreciates the devotion that Sutton has put into the revitalization of the historic structure.

“Undoubtedly, he is one on my top volunteers and I admire the energy he puts into all of the projects he works on,” said Ladd. According to Ladd, Sutton is the project manager for The Mill’s restoration.

“His work is giving The Mill a new floor and windows and, in the long term, this breathes new life into the structure,” said Ladd.

It seems certain that Sutton will be at The Mill for a workday today, in which volunteers are going to finish work needed on the old restaurant so it’s eligible for a preservation grant.

Sutton also was honored by the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. He’s also a chairman of the Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitting Festival.

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