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Route 66 Association of Illinois

Where The Road Begins

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    • November 11, 1926
      US Highway 66 is Established.
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The President’s View Spring 2014

It’s been a long, long, long, did I say LONG winter! Snow, ice, cold, lots of indoor time with intervals of shoveling snow. I lost two car keys out of my pocket while shoveling snow this year! One has been recovered – found frozen in ice on my front steps. The other I am hoping will resurface as the glacier in my front yard slowly melts away. While shoveling I made mental lists of events on our Illinois miles that I want to do this year. I realized I had to get to the Country Aire in Atlanta for a piece of Lumi’s peach pie ASAP. I knew the Maple Sirup was in process at Funks Grove. It’s the little things that keep you going when winter’s last blasts are trying your soul. I am officially done with winter, the shovel is out of my car.

The drab grays and browns along Route 66 in Illinois will soon be morphing into the famous “Illinois Green.” It’s time to think about upcoming events along Route 66 and plan spring and summer “honey do” lists around cruising down the old road checking out the people and places we love to visit.

We have an upcoming Preservation Work Day at Odell Station on April 12th. We work for food! It’s a great day getting together and getting caught up on the maintenance on the Odell Station. Lunch will be provided, and yes, dessert is included. Come out and get dirty and have fun! Find details on our website! Everyone is welcome!

The Red Carpet Corridor Event is the first weekend of May – May 3rd and 4th. It’s a 90-mile extravaganza of Route 66 events stretching from Joliet to Towanda. There will be music, garage sales, car shows, carnivals, contests, Trunkin’ For Treasure, and live bands. This year’s collectible will be postcards. This annual event is a lot of fun and a great way to start the cruising season!

The 2nd Annual “Getting Your Kicks on Route 66” Car Show is May 30-June 1st. This tour
is run by Craig Parrish (old72tour.com). Monies raised from this event go to the Cancer Research Center in memory of Lenore Weiss and Betty Estes. The car show will be on Saturday, June 1st in Pontiac. Entry fee is $15 per car. There will be music, great cars, and five free museums to visit!

Our 25th Anniversary Motor Tour starts in Edwardsville this year at the Mother Road Festival. Mark your calendars for June 13, 14, and 15th! This year we are celebrating the 25 years this 66 family has been together. We are going from South to North, starting Saturday morning crossing over the Chain of Rocks Bridge. Our Hall of Fame banquet will be Saturday evening in Lincoln, and our tour will end Sunday in Wilmington. This year’s Motor Tour theme is “Making Memories.” We would like to include your memories in our tour activities. If you have a photo you’d like to let us use of you on any of the tours, please either send me a photo file or a photo we can scan and return to you. Send photo files to my email cathiesb@earthlink.net or mail tour photos to
TOUR PHOTOS, 110 W. HOWARD, PONTIAC, IL 61764. We will scan them and return them to you.

We are involved this year in the “Museums Around The World” event. Ham Radio operators
will be at our museum on June 14th and 15th and the 21st and 22nd broadcasting about our
Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum and talking with people traveling the road.

Check the Association website calendar for events along the road. If your community has an event you’d like us to include, please consult Page 3 of this newsletter for how you can get your information to us for posting.

We are always grateful for the support of you, our members, and your response to our newsletter, our website, and Facebook page. We continue to preserve what we can, help when asked, and urge everyone to support the businesses and services that help keep Route 66 viable in Illinois. Several Route 66 supportive businesses closed this year including Vic’s Pizza & Pub in Springfield, and The Wooden Nickel Winery in Litchfield.

This winter we lost a great supporter of Route 66 in Illinois, Bill Shea. We extend our
deepest sympathy to his extended family. There is a term my father used to say
about a man like Bill Shea: “They just don’t make them like that anymore.”

Here’s to spring arriving and staying, and looking forward to a great summer with
you. See you on the road – Cathie

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Upcoming Events

May 22
May 22 - May 26

American Giants Weekend 2025

May 25
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm CDT

Route 66 Cruisers Cruises

Jun 13
June 13 - June 15

Motor Tour 2025 – A Bridge to the Giants

Jun 20
5:30 pm - 8:30 pm CDT

Lincoln Third Fridays Downtown

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Donations Fuel Our Mission!

Your donation to our Association helps support our efforts to preserve, promote, educate and enjoy Route 66 in Illinois. We are a volunteer organization; 100% of donations are allocated to preservation efforts along the Mother Road in Illinois (never to administrative or housekeeping expenses). We thank you for your generous donation toward maintaining our nostalgic slice of Americana.

Route 66 Association of Illinois
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