U.S. government shutdown affects some national parks

The shutdown of the U.S. government that began Friday night is affecting some, but not all, of the national parks and other sites managed by the National Park Service. The effect the shutdown, if it's short-term, should be low on Route 66 because it's tourism off-season, especially near the Christmas and New Year's holidays. One … Continue reading U.S. government shutdown affects some national parks

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

Government shutdown closes several sites on or near Route 66

The ongoing shutdown by the U.S. federal government shuttered National Park Service sites on or near Route 66 this weekend, with no resolution in sight. An exception is Grand Canyon National Park, which remains accessible because of a partnership with the state of Arizona. Businesses there that include lodging, restaurants and retail stay open. Within … Continue reading Government shutdown closes several sites on or near Route 66

Midewin removing one history in favor of another

Officials of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie near Wilmington, Illinois, are gradually removing storage bunkers that once were a part of the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant in favor of restoring the original prairie. The fascinating article in The Herald-News illustrates how preservation or restoration can come in direct conflict with another era of history in the … Continue reading Midewin removing one history in favor of another

Midewin Tallgrass Prairie now leading bison tours

Rangers at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie off Route 66 near Chicago now will lead hikes to a pasture that contains recently introduced bison. The Rangers will be available from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends through October, reported the Kankakee Daily Journal. If you go this month, chances are good you'll see baby buffalo. The … Continue reading Midewin Tallgrass Prairie now leading bison tours

“Route 66 in Illinois”

The "Route 66 in Illinois" presentation by Joe Sonderman and Cheryl Eichar Jett -- who co-wrote a book by the same name -- during the Miles of Possibility conference in Edwardsville, Illinois, contained a few tidbits of information even veteran roadies might not have known, such as: An explosion in 1942 at the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant … Continue reading “Route 66 in Illinois”

Bison reintroduced to Midewin Prairie

Nearly 30 head of native bison were reintroduced this week to the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie along Route 66 in Wilmington, Illinois -- the first time buffalo have roamed in that area in nearly two centuries. Bison were exterminated by the 1830s in northern Illinois, and the animals were hunted to near-extinction in the United … Continue reading Bison reintroduced to Midewin Prairie

Suburban Chicago county approves Route 66 marketing plan

The board of Will County, Ill., recently approved a new marketing plan for a long-overlooked section of Route 66 from Joliet to Braidwood, reported the Southtown Star. The newspaper said: There is an “untapped tourism potential” here, and tying all these natural, recreational and historical amenities together is historic Route 66, said project consultant Ferhat … Continue reading Suburban Chicago county approves Route 66 marketing plan