Illinois announces seven grants for projects along Route 66

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity this week announced seven awards, totaling $3.3 million, through the Route 66 Grant Program. This funding is intended to boost local tourism and attract visitors to Route 66, leading up to the 100th anniversary of the highway in 2026, according to a … Continue reading Illinois announces seven grants for projects along Route 66

The man behind the scrap-metal elephant sculpture in Lexington

Along the side of Route 66 in Lexington, Illinois, is an 11-foot-tall elephant sculpture made of scrap metal, titled "American Standard." It's become a photo-op, as it's listed on the Roadside America website and the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway site. According to a recent profile by NPR affiliate WGLT Radio, the artist behind the … Continue reading The man behind the scrap-metal elephant sculpture in Lexington

1960s-themed The Lexington House on 66 aims to draw Route 66 travelers

An open house was held Saturday for The Lexington House on 66 in Lexington, Illinois, that seeks to draw Route 66 travelers as overnight guests. The Bloomington Pantagraph newspaper had more details about the Airbnb site: The three-bedroom, one-bathroom, two-story home features 1960s-themed décor and furnishings, complete with a stocked kitchen, laundry and cruiser bicycles.Visitors … Continue reading 1960s-themed The Lexington House on 66 aims to draw Route 66 travelers

Illinois governor hits several Route 66 sites during motorcycle tour

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner led a parade Sunday of hundreds of motorcycles to four Route 66 sites to celebrate the state's bicentennial. According to the Herald-News in Joliet, Rauner and 300 to 500 other riders made stops at the Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington, the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, … Continue reading Illinois governor hits several Route 66 sites during motorcycle tour

A lot going on with Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor festival

Towns along a 90-mile stretch of Route 66 in northern Illinois offer a lot during Saturday's Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival, but Wilmington's seems especially enticing. Not only does that city's Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie offer the chance of seeing the famous Smokey Bear hot-air balloon and newborn bison, but the new owners of … Continue reading A lot going on with Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor festival

Windstorm flattens Route 66 mural in Lexington

An apparent windstorm knocked down a Route 66 mural in Lexington, Illinois, that was created by a local teenager barely six months ago. Karen Wingo, owner of the Thrift Avenue store along Route 66 in downtown Lexington, told the Pontiac Daily Leader she discovered the damage over Easter weekend. Wingo was first alerted to the … Continue reading Windstorm flattens Route 66 mural in Lexington

Lexington hosting tour of three businesses Saturday

The city of Lexington, Illinois, is hosting a tour and specials Saturday for three new businesses in town along its Route 66 corridor. The town is known for its Memory Lane of original Route 66 and its neon arrow directing travelers on newer Route 66 into its downtown. According to a news release from the … Continue reading Lexington hosting tour of three businesses Saturday

New Route 66 mural goes up in Lexington

With the help of a local teenager, the Route 66 town of Lexington, Illinois, boasts a new mural that pays tribute to the Mother Road. Karen Wingo, owner of the Thrift Avenue store at Main Street and Route 66 in Lexington, told the Galva News how the project landed area high-school student Ana Cappis as … Continue reading New Route 66 mural goes up in Lexington

Illinois county seeks another expansion of Route 66 bicycle trail

McLean County, Illinois, is seeking a federal grant to help add seven miles to a Route 66 bicycle trail outside of the Bloomington-Normal metro area. According to WJBC radio: The McLean County Board is expected to apply for federal funds to add a 4-mile stretch of the trail between Lexington and Towanda and a 3.25-mile … Continue reading Illinois county seeks another expansion of Route 66 bicycle trail