The Mill in Lincoln, Illinois, will mark its 90th anniversary with a variety of activities June 7-9 during the first annual Route 66 Weekend in that city.
The Mill, which opened as a restaurant along Route 66 in 1929, is beginning its third year as a museum highlighting the Mother Road and local history.
The Route 66 Weekend coincides with the 30th annual Route 66 Association of Illinois Motor Tour. The motor tour’s Hall of Fame induction banquet will be the evening of June 8 at the American Legion hall in Lincoln. The festival also serves as a runup to Route 66’s centennial in 2026.
According to a news release from the Lincoln County Tourism Bureau about the festival:
The Mill will be open extended hours during Route 66 Weekend in Lincoln – Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The weekend event will kick off with an official ribbon cutting at The Mill on Friday at 9 a.m. The Mill Museum gift shop will have Route 66 specials along with several participating Lincoln businesses including in the Historic Downtown Lincoln District. A limited edition Mill 90th anniversary T-shirt will be available for the anniversary weekend, with proceeds as a fundraiser for The Mill (special thanks to Route 66 T-shirt expert Marie Fiedler). There is also a Mill raffle leading up to the big weekend, with the drawing Sunday, June 9. Raffle items include an authentic Route 66 road sign, two limited edition Mill 90th anniversary T-shirts and several gift cards from local businesses – a total of over $500 worth of items. Tickets are $3 each or six for $15 and are available at The Mill Museum and Logan County Tourism Bureau.
On Saturday at noon at The Mill will be the dedication of The David G. Clark Mill Library, with two presentations of “Al Capone & the Route 66 Connection” at noon and 2 p.m. by David G. Clark himself. David is a Route 66, Chicago and Al Capone historian. He conducts Windy City Road Warrior tours from his home base of Chicago. David has been prolific and generous in his donation of Route 66 magazines and books to The Mill since it opened as a museum in 2017. On display as part of the library is a recently acquired collection of rare materials from the Pig Hip Restaurant & Museum (special thanks to Jude Harms and family). A rare document from The Mill, The Tropics and Lincoln/Logan County will also be featured. Saturday at The Mill is also the official Celebrity Autograph Day – pick up a list at the door and see if you can find them all. An informal gathering of classic cars from Railsplitter Antique Auto Club will gather at The Mill Museum between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. All classic and sporty vehicles are welcome during the event. There is no registration fee, but donations are always welcome.
On Sunday, June 9, from 9 to 10 a.m., The Mill Museum will be one of three Lincoln, Illinois, passport stops for the Route 66 Association of Illinois Motor Tour. The other stops during that same hour will be the World’s Largest Covered Wagon and the newly restored Tropics Sign. The public is encouraged to stop out at any of the three locations and greet the Motor Tour participants from all over the state and beyond.
Other information about the weekend may be found on this website.
Geoff Ladd in 2006 saw the potential of a terrible-looking property, marshaled local forces to save it and helped raise $90,000 to renovate it. It’s one of the best Route 66 resurrection stories out there.
The Mill, which featured a Dutch-inspired design and a turning windmill, has been inducted into the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame.
(Image of The Mill in Lincoln, Illinois, on its reopening day in 2017 by Ron Ferguson via Facebook)