High winds last week snapped off one of the blades of the The Mill museum along Route 66 in Lincoln, Illinois, and organizers are raising money to restore it. Geoff Ladd of the Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County said he was alerted about the damage Thursday. According to the Lincoln Courier: “I received … Continue reading High winds break off one of the blades of The Mill in Lincoln
Category: Preservation
Springfield developing a larger plan for Route 66 tourism
The city of Springfield, Illinois, announced in the wake of its recent purchase of the Sonrise Donuts neon signs it is developing a larger tourism plan to draw more Route 66 travelers in the coming years. With an eye on Route 66's centennial in 2026, Springfield wants to develop a "hub" of Route 66 attractions into … Continue reading Springfield developing a larger plan for Route 66 tourism
City of Springfield buys both sides of Sonrise Donuts sign
The city of Springfield, Illinois, revealed itself Friday as the new owner of the historic Sonrise Donuts neon signs along Route 66 in Springfield that recently went up for auction. The even-better news is Ace Sign Co. of Springfield will restore one side of the sign at no cost, and a restoration fund was set … Continue reading City of Springfield buys both sides of Sonrise Donuts sign
Wildlife officials dismiss review of Mojave Desert water project
California wildlife officials said an environmental review by Cadiz Inc. is severely flawed and a permit to extract billions of gallons of water from under the Mojave Desert cannot be approved. The Palm Springs Desert Sun reported: The California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife says scientists for Cadiz and the Orange County-based Rancho Santa Margarita … Continue reading Wildlife officials dismiss review of Mojave Desert water project
Historic resources specialist appointed to Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership
Anne Haaker, recently retired as a deputy state historic preservation officer for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, recently was appointed as historic resources specialist for the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership. According to a new release this week from the partnership: As deputy deputy state historic preservation officer, Haaker was involved in the preservation of buildings, … Continue reading Historic resources specialist appointed to Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership
Sonrise Donuts neon sign in Springfield being auctioned
The nearly 70-year-old Sonrise Donuts neon sign along Route 66 in Springfield, Illinois, will be auctioned by tonight after the building's non-doughnuts tenant said he no longer wanted it there. The online auctions -- separately for both halves of the rooftop sign -- will end today at 7 p.m. Central. If you're interested, you can … Continue reading Sonrise Donuts neon sign in Springfield being auctioned
Bill Deck of Deck’s Drug Store in Girard dies
Wyman P. "Bill" Deck, co-owner of the historic Deck's Drug Store in downtown Girard, Illinois, died Monday at age 91 at a hospital in nearby Springfield. A Girard native, Deck was a pharmacy technician at the store and formerly was a librarian at Auburn Public Schools in nearby Auburn, Illinois, according to an obituary in … Continue reading Bill Deck of Deck’s Drug Store in Girard dies
Denny’s windmill in Arcadia is spinning again
The blades of a windmill atop a Denny's restaurant along Route 66 in Arcadia, California, were spinning again this weekend. The blades inexplicably fell off the structure late last year and damaged the restaurant's roof. Reporter Christopher Yee of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune posted video of the windmill operating Friday evening: The last-of-its-kind windmill … Continue reading Denny’s windmill in Arcadia is spinning again
Clifton’s Cafeteria in Los Angeles closes its cafeteria
Clifton's Cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles quietly closed its cafeteria this summer and now the historic site primarily will run only as a nightclub for now. In the interim, Clifton's dropped the "Cafeteria" from its name and now is called Clifton's Republic. No one seems 100 percent sure when Clifton's stopped serving food, but Los … Continue reading Clifton’s Cafeteria in Los Angeles closes its cafeteria
Tourism center opens in building that houses Lincoln law office
The tourism bureau of Springfield, Illinois, recently opened a welcome center in a downtown building that once contained Abraham Lincoln's law office. The Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices historic site inside the 1840 three-story Tinsley dry-goods building was closed a few years ago for a $1 million renovation, but a state budget impasse kept the structure from … Continue reading Tourism center opens in building that houses Lincoln law office