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 will be lighted from the bottom with “sign sequins” to give it a shimmering effect.
It seems to be bigger than the huge Route 66 sign in front of the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma, but until someone with a tape measure confirms it, no one will truly know. A woman who answered the phone at the museum this week said she didn’t know how big the Elk City sign was.
Ace Sign Co. of Springfield, which fabricated the sign, posted this video of the company getting ready to raise it:
The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway also posted this video of the installation:
The byway also talked to the venue’s owner:
Route 66 MotorHeads also contains a plethora of other Route 66 memorabilia, including the Art’s Motel, Sonrise Donuts and Bel-Air Motel signs and items from Shea’s Route 66 Museum.
Route 66 MotorHeads sits near a later alignment of Route 66, west of Interstate 55 (map here).
(Image of the new Route 66 MotorHeads sign via Facebook)
I like the “open” design that will help it live through high winds.
Also seems like a person could add a WIDE border around the egde to KEEP IT the largest shield, if someone ever surpasses it.
The shape isn’t quite right.