The Mill to host Celebrity Autograph Day before The Tropics relighting

In conjunction with the June 24 relighting of The Tropics sign, The Mill Museum on Route 66 in Lincoln, Illinois, is hosting a Celebrity Autograph Day and other activities from 1 to 6:30 p.m. that day.

According a news release from the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway:

Route 66 roadie Rod Ferguson, of Hot Rod Travels will be the featured guest presenter, and he will have on display his collection of celebrity autographs, including an autograph from the late Jerry Maren, who passed away May 24, having been the last remaining munchkin in the “The Wizard of Oz” movie. […]
Rod Ferguson will also have autograph displays from the late Adam West, who played Batman in the original “Batman” TV show; the late Noel Neill, who played Lois Lane in the original “Superman” TV show; and Cindy Morgan, who was part of the cast of the “Caddyshack” and “Tron” movies.
Route 66 enthusiasts will also get a chance to see a unique display of autographs from the late Ernie Edwards of the Pig Hip Restaurant and famous Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire – both signed on a piece of original wood siding from the famous restaurant.
Also on display will be a picture of Disney/Pixar “Cars” character “Sara Safestreet” from the State Farm TV commercial signed by actress Eva Longoria, who did the voice for the character in the ad.
Several autographs from professional sports figures who were born in Lincoln, Illinois, will be on display, including NBA basketball player Brian Cook, NFL football player Tony Semple and MLB baseball players Kevin Seitzer and Ryan Aper.

On a note related to “The Wizard of Oz,” the original author, L. Frank Baum, based the book’s Dorothy character on his niece, Dorothy Gage, who died in infancy and is buried at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery along Route 66 in nearby Bloomington, Illinois. Top Notch Chainsaw Carving of Lombard, Illinois, will carve the stump of a dying tree near the grave site into a likeness of Dorothy and Toto from the “Wizard of Oz.”

Other things that will be featured at The Mill Museum on Sunday:

• An extensive Tropics collection including an original dining table and chairs from the 1950s-1970s era, rare Tropics documents dating to the early years of the restaurant (including a liquor license and a sales tax document) and Tropics menus, postcards, matchbooks and photographs.
• Original pieces of wood from The Mill will be for sale, along with Mill-branded T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, women’s apparel, ceramic pottery, original Tropics matchbooks and memory beads made from bricks in the Tropics restaurant.
• Book signings by Illinois Route 66 author John Weiss and retired local newspaper editor Danny Tackett.
• A special memorial to Charles Ott, an official Abraham Lincoln impersonator for decades. His widow, Marge, is one of The Mill’s volunteers and will greet visitors Sunday.
• Meet and greet the volunteers who restored The Mill.

The Mill Museum is at 738 S. Washington Ave. (the 1926-1940 alignment of Route 66) in Lincoln.

(Image of The Mill in Lincoln, Illinois, by Ron Ferguson via Facebook)