The Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, where a young politician named Abraham Lincoln served in the state Legislature and delivered his "House Divided" speech, reopened to tours last week after months of interior renovations. The Associated Press reports exterior work on the Capitol's dome is continuing, but indoor work on plaster and painting was … Continue reading Old State Capitol in Springfield reopens to tours
Tag: Springfield IL
Springfield came within an eyelash of losing its Route 66 Mother Road Festival
The International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Illinois, will return in September for its 20th edition after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the event landing a new manager Reporting by the Springfield State Journal-Register indicates the city came close to losing the festival entirely after it had become a … Continue reading Springfield came within an eyelash of losing its Route 66 Mother Road Festival
First phase of Illinois Route 66 Experience coming next month to Illinois State Fair
One of the entrance gates of the Illinois State Fair will be the site of the first phase of the Illinois Route 66 Experience when the fair begins on Aug. 12. The attraction will be at Gate 2, which is at the corner of Sangamon Avenue and Ninth Street in Springfield. According to a news … Continue reading First phase of Illinois Route 66 Experience coming next month to Illinois State Fair
Bel-Aire Motel sign in ends up at Route 66 Motorheads Bar in Springfield
The main neon sign for the defunct Bel-Aire Motel in Springfield, Illinois, now has resurfaced in a beer garden of the Route 66 Motorheads Bar, Grill and Museum in that city. The Facebook page for the Motorheads establishment announced the move of the sign: It previously had been reported in 2015 that Ron Metzger, who … Continue reading Bel-Aire Motel sign in ends up at Route 66 Motorheads Bar in Springfield
Green Book sites make the list of Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois
Businesses that were listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book from 1936 to 1967, including several on or near Route 66, made Landmarks Illinois' annual Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois. This year, Landmarks Illinois listed nine sites it considered as endangered. "The purpose of the list is to focus attention on sites threatened by … Continue reading Green Book sites make the list of Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois
Crime Stoppers group offers reward for solving graffiti damage to Route 66 mural
A county Crime Stoppers group is offering a reward of up to $2,500 to apprehend whoever defaced a Route 66 mural in Springfield, Illinois, with graffiti. The mural on the railroad viaduct on Ninth Street, just north of Converse Street, was vandalized between the week of Jan. 10 and Jan. 27, causing hundreds of dollars … Continue reading Crime Stoppers group offers reward for solving graffiti damage to Route 66 mural
A World War II bomber landed on Route 66 in Springfield, Illinois
A bomber pilot made an emergency landing on Route 66 in Springfield, Illinois, in 1942, then took off from the same highway after his aircraft was repaired. Reader Dave Todd forwarded me the brief story that was recounted in the Illinois State Journal newspaper on Dec. 30, 1942. The pilot, Lt. John W. Graybill, 25, … Continue reading A World War II bomber landed on Route 66 in Springfield, Illinois
‘World’s largest Route 66 sign’ planned in Wellston won’t be the world’s largest
Longtime Route 66 researcher and artist Jerry McClanahan flagged an article in a local newspaper that reported Wellston, Oklahoma, is planning what reputedly would be the "world's largest" Route 66 sign. In a Facebook post, McClanahan posted a photograph of an Oct. 8 article from The Lincoln County News, based in Chandler, Oklahoma, that stated … Continue reading ‘World’s largest Route 66 sign’ planned in Wellston won’t be the world’s largest
‘Archaeological dig’ scheduled in Illinois barn to find Bob Waldmire artifacts
Longtime Route 66 enthusiast Jim Conkle is scheduling a so-called "archaeological dig" at a barn in Rochester, Illinois, to find artifacts that belonged to late Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire. The barn belongs to Buz Waldmire, Bob's brother. Bob also spent time there off and on during his lifetime, and he died there in 2009 … Continue reading ‘Archaeological dig’ scheduled in Illinois barn to find Bob Waldmire artifacts
Route 66 MotorHeads erects its ‘world’s largest Route 66 emblem’
Route 66 MotorHeads Bar, Grill and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, on Friday erected its "world's largest Route 66 emblem." According to the Springfield State Journal-Register, the sign measures 32 by 32 feet. It was attached to 60-foot-tall poles that once carried a Stuckey's sign. Route 66 MotorHeads is housed in a former Stuckey's. The sign … Continue reading Route 66 MotorHeads erects its ‘world’s largest Route 66 emblem’