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
Tag: Pontiac IL
Extreme cold closes Illinois Route 66 Museum in Pontiac until Jan. 8
Extremely cold weather and a broken heating unit prompted local officials Friday to close the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac until at least Monday, Jan. 8. Ellie Alexander, director of tourism for the city, wrote in an email Friday the heating unit lacks essential parts that won't be available until … Continue reading Extreme cold closes Illinois Route 66 Museum in Pontiac until Jan. 8
Jim Jones honored by Illinois Route 66 Association
Jim Jones, a longtime volunteer at the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum with a longtime personal history with Route 66 in Odell, Illinois, recently was honored with the President's Award by the Illinois Route 66 Association. According to this news release from Ellie Alexander, director of tourism in Pontiac, Illinois: In making the … Continue reading Jim Jones honored by Illinois Route 66 Association
Artist makes jewelry inspired by Route 66
Kathy Sancken recently created 50 pieces of jewelry inspired by Route 66 that are on display this month at the Community Art Center in Pontiac, Illinois. The show is called "Encircled: Route 66 Travelogue — Necklaces Inspired by the Mother Road" in the center's Joe Bailey Gallery. Pictured above is jewelry inspired by the Gemini … Continue reading Artist makes jewelry inspired by Route 66
Pontiac sees sixth consecutive year of tourism growth
The Route 66 town of Pontiac, Illinois, finished 2015 with its sixth consecutive year of tourism growth, according to visitor sign-ins at the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum. The museum tallied 25,720 visitors in 2015, which was a 4 percent increase over the previous year's 24,736. That's more than double from the … Continue reading Pontiac sees sixth consecutive year of tourism growth
“How to Make Your Community a Route 66 Destination Hot Spot”
By Emily Priddy Pontiac, Illinois, was struggling in 2008. The nearby Vermilion River overflowed its banks in January. A local prison closed. And the country had fallen into a recession. A year later, about 150 muralists known as the Walldogs gave the community a much-needed boost, Pontiac tourism director Ellie Alexander said during a panel … Continue reading “How to Make Your Community a Route 66 Destination Hot Spot”
A look inside Bob Waldmire’s bus
Roamin' Rich Dinkela posted this video about the late Bob Waldmire's school bus that Waldmire converted into living quarters years ago. After Waldmire's death from cancer in 2009, the bus was parked at the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac to be permanently displayed. Museum curator John Wille gives the lowdown … Continue reading A look inside Bob Waldmire’s bus
Pontiac shield featured on cover of National Geographic Route 66 calendar
The giant Route 66 shield mural featured on the back of the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, Illinois, is the cover image of the 2016 Route 66 wall calendar published by National Geographic. The cover image is seen above. The inside of the calendar features images from the Blue Swallow … Continue reading Pontiac shield featured on cover of National Geographic Route 66 calendar
Route 66 tourism draws Hampton Inn to Pontiac
Pontiac, Illinois, doesn't have a Hampton Inn hotel. However, that soon will change, and much of that is because of the surge in Route 66 tourism in that town. Hampton Inns is building a 79-room hotel near Deerfield Road and Interstate 55, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. The hotel chain projects it will be open by … Continue reading Route 66 tourism draws Hampton Inn to Pontiac
More Genuine Route 66 Lives
KC Keefer recently uploaded a few more videos as part of his Genunine Route 66 Life series. Here is Bob Russell, mayor of Pontiac, Illinois, who personally greets many Route 66 travelers as they arrive in downtown Pontiac. The clip prominently features the bus of late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. https://youtu.be/X6MmLMJ3RWQ Next is historian … Continue reading More Genuine Route 66 Lives