Hall of Famer

Bob Waldmire's Last Art Show - Springfield, IL

Sunday, November 22, 2009

2:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Cozy Dog Drive In
2935 S. 6th St., Springfield, IL

"Come as you are. Leave different."

Our Lady of the Highways 50th Anniversary Celebration

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Our Lady of the Highways Shrine
West Frontage Road (Old Route 66)
Raymond, IL

2:30 PM Rosary
3:00 PM Mass
4:00 PM Rededication of the Shrine with a light meal to follow

Route 66 Association of Illinois member Emily Stork has created a Facebook page with information about the celebration. She invites everyone to attend this special event.

Click here to visit Emily's Facebook page detailing the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Our Lady of the Highways Shrine.

It is with a sense of great pride and thankfulness that we announce our Route 66 Association of Illinois 2009 Hall of Fame Inductees!

Here is the list of those people and places we honor this year for their contributions to the Mother Road:

The Crossroads Diner, Mt. Olive

Located along Historic Route 66 in the panhandle of Montgomery County, Illinois, the Shrine of Our Lady of the Highways has watched over travelers along the Mother Road and Interstate 55 since the late 1950's. While much of the pavement of Route 66 has been returned to the fields of rural Central Illinois, the Shrine remains as a testament to the weary traveler and Mother Mary's guidance and protection over the highway and her travelers.

The Carrara Marble Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes from Italy was originally constructed as a high school project. It is inscribed "Mary, Loving Mother of Jesus, Protect us on the Highway". Also along the road from this site is a trail of Burma Shave type signs of the Hail Mary.

Location

Ernie Edwards and his wife, Fran, owned and operated the Pig Hip Restaurant until 1994. Unfortunately, The Pig Hip burned down in 2007.

Location

Each year a new group of Route 66 Superstars are considered for induction into the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame.

Nominations received after the submission deadline each year will be considered for induction next year, as will nominations reviewed this year but not chosen.

Nominate that special someone you know who has significantly contributed to the character and history of Route 66 in Illinois while it was an official US Highway between 1926 and 1977.

Please submit nominations and related documentation to:

Route 66 Association of Illinois
Attn: Hall of Fame Committee
110 Howard St.
Pontiac, Il 61764

Nominations to the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of fame are being accepted for consideration January 1 through February 28, 2009.

We at the Route 66 Association of Illinois are sad to report the death of Hall of Fame Member, Annabelle (Horrie) Parkinson. Mrs. Parkinson passed away on January 23, 2009 at the age of 89.

She and her husband, H. Burt Parkinson owned and operated the Gardner Chronicle until 1987. They were inducted into our Hall of fame on June 10, 1995.

Read the Notice for Annabelle (Horrie) Parkinson.

We are proud to announce the creation of an Online List of Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Members!

Its permanent link, Hall of Fame Members, has joined the other points of interest in the Discover menu to the left. We hope you'll check it out!

We are excited to provide the list in its entirety...but there is much more to come! Our website team is working toward linking each inducted person and attraction to stories about their valued contributions to the Mother Road. Consider it an ongoing labor of appreciation to make this information available to all here on the site.

The Route 66 Association of Illinois invites you to submit nominations into the Hall of Fame.

All nominations will be accepted for consideration beginning January 1, 2009 and ending February 28, 2009 by the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame Committee. Nominations received at other times shall be considered in the following year.

Nominations must include accurate documentation or declaration of the Nominee's qualities, deeds and history on Route 66 that merit this honor. All nominations considered, but not elected, will automatically be reconsidered the following year.