A report in an area newspaper recently clarified how Joliet, Illinois, will use nearly $500,000 to beef up its Route 66 attractions for the highway’s centennial in 2026.
According to the Herald-News (paywall), the city council loaned $484,500 to the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau so it could get started quickly on Route 66 centennial projects while waiting for state grant money to arrive later this year.
Greg Peerbolte, vice chairman of the bureau’s board of directors, said the city’s action could position the local tourism bureau for more state grant funding down the road.
According to Peerbolte and the newspaper, these are the Joliet projects:
• A revamped Route 66 Welcome Center at the Joliet Area Historical Museum
• New exhibits at the Joliet Area Historical Museum designed for Route 66 travelers and called “Fuel the Future,” a look at the highway’s past and future; “Joliet: Prison City” focusing on the Old Joliet Prison, and “Joliet Champion Gallery” about hometown accomplishments
• A mural on the Scott Street wall of the Rialto Square Theatre that will commemorate both the 100th anniversary of the Rialto and Route 66
• A new exterior sign for the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66
• Two new Route 66 sculptures, like the one outside the Joliet Area Historical Museum, to be placed at other locations in the city.
Expect more action such as this from dozens of towns along Route 66 as the centennial approaches.
(Image of Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, Illinois, via Facebook)