The City of Pontiac is currently in the process of updating parking at or near the Hall of Fame and Museum. Please take note of the following from the city…

Pontiac City Hall is set to undergo renovations in 2025, including the construction of a new parking lot! Construction will begin in late March of this year and continue until August. During this time, downtown parking will be limited due to the absence of parking spaces. As a reminder, we do have a few alternate parking options available:

• Dargan Parking Lot (located at the corner of Mill and Water Street.)
• Eagle Theater Parkign Lot (located at 319 N. Plum Street.)
• Block 59 Parking Lot (located at 116 N. Mill Street.)

Downtown Pontiac offers 3-hour parking spaces, and on-street parking outside of the Central Business District will also be available. We highly recommend that residents plan ahead for the upcoming parking changes.

For further information regarding the City of Pontiac’s parking, please visit our website here. You can also stay updated on the progress of the construction and its completion by following our Facebook page and watching for future City E-newsletters. We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience as we complete this project!

Visit the Burr Ridge website

Spend the day with fellow Members (family and friends are welcome, too) exploring and touring, in some instances, places of historic significance on or near Historic Route 66.

Please text Shelly at 708.542.4625 with your name and how many will be joining us – it would be appreciated.

[Order of stops/events shown below subject to change]

Normal, Illinois

Meet at 9:30am @ Ryburn Place

[Retail] Ryburn Place / Sprague Super Service Station, 305 East Pine Street

[Tour] The Normal Theater, 209 West North Street

[Retail] The Garlic Press, 108 West North Street

[Lunch (full menu) for purchase*] Carl’s Ice Cream Factory, 1700 West College Avenue

Bloomington, Illinois

[Tour, $5*] Ewing Cultural Center, 48 Sunset Rd.

[Tour, $10*] David Davis Mansion, 1000 East Monroe Drive

[Tour, $5*] Vrooman Mansion Bed & Breakfast, 701 East Taylor Street

[Point of Interest] Miller Park Zoo, 1020 South Morris Avenue

[Dessert for purchase*] Gene’s Dairy Delight, 1019 South Main Street

[Point of Interest] Asahel Gridley House, 301 East Grove Street

[$10 admission*] Courthouse & History Museum, 200 North Main Street

[Point of Interest] Adlai Stevenson I House, 903 North McLean Street

[Tour] Bloomington Center for Performing Arts, 600 North East Street

* Cost of items marked with an asterisk are the responsibility of Tour participants

Recently, the trees along one side of Memory Lane in Lexington were removed. This has markedly changed the appearance of this section of Old 66, and has resulted in a number of online posts regarding the removal. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in a number of calls to Lexington’s City Hall to voice complaints.

Please note that the removal of the trees was not performed by the city of Lexington, but by the owner of the property. Please do not call Lexington about the removal of the trees, as they have no control over the trees on that private property.

Justice was on the initial alignment of SBI 4, which followed the Lone Star Route and Pontiac Trail. IL 4 was later moved across the river to the west, and the eastern routing of IL 4 then became IL 4A. Before that happened, US 66 followed the original route from its inception in 1926 to roughly 1927/28, as the western route was not yet completed, with a portion west of Lyons still unpaved. The newer route of IL 4 was straighter and less populated at the time, resulting in the eventual bypass of IL 4A.

Visit the Summit website.

Justice was on the initial alignment of SBI 4, which followed the Lone Star Route. IL 4 was later moved across the river to the west, and the eastern routing of IL 4 then became IL 4A. Before that happened, US 66 followed the original route from its inception in 1926 to roughly 1927/28, as the western route was not yet completed, with a portion west of Lyons still unpaved. The newer route of IL 4 was straighter and less populated at the time, resulting in the eventual bypass of IL 4A.

Visit the Justice website.

Come join us for our Motor Tour Committee meeting. We’ll be finalizing plans and putting together volunteers.

We’ll also be looking for ideas for Red Carpet 2025 and for the upcoming Centennial of the Route. Volunteers will be needed for these and other future events!

Drinks and snacks will be available.

Following the meeting will be the Preservation Committee meeting down the street at the Old Route 66 Family Restaurant.

The Association announces several changes to our membership program. These include our first increases since 2006, which we need to make due to the increasing costs of publishing and postage, both of which have risen significantly in the past 18 years. We also are once again offering international memberships as well.

Physical Memberships

These are the same as the previous type of memberships and include a physical copy of the Associations’s quarterly magazine, The 66 News. Membership fees will increase on March 1, 2025:

• Individual: $30
• Family: $40
• Business/Organization: $66

Digital Memberships

This is new type of membership and reduces the increase for those that are interested in getting their quarterly magazine in a digital format, as opposed to it being mailed. The first digital copy of The 66 News, Winter 2024/2025, is available now in the Member pages of the site, which requires a login to access. This membership type will officially be available March 1, 2025:

• Individual: $25
• Family: $35
• Business/Organization: $55

International Memberships

Due to the costs and problems with reliability of delivery of The 66 News to our international members, we were forced to discontinue that membership type several years ago. However, with the new availability of the digital format, we can once again welcome our international audience back into the fold. These memberships only offer the digital format of The 66 News. This membership type is available now.

• Individual: $35
• Family: $45
• Business/Organization: $70

To enroll in International memberships, please visit the Membership page. Fees must be paid in US funds.

All members receive our quarterly, members-only magazine, The 66 News.

Each membership comes with voting rights; voters must be 18+ and present to vote.

For a Business membership, Name/Address/Phone/Website should be for the business. List your individual name under Contact Person; Email and/or Phone will be for internal contact use. Once you have signed up for your membership, you’ll have an opportunity to build out your Business Member Directory information (photos, etc.).

Illinois members should enter their county as well.

If this membership is a gift, select that option and enter your name as the giver.

All members receive our quarterly, members-only magazine, The 66 News.

Each family membership comes with voting rights for two persons; voters must be 18+ and present to vote.

Name, Address, Email, and Phone should be entered with your information. Illinois members should enter their county as well.

If this membership is a gift, select that option and enter your name as the giver.