A historic preservation group based in the Route 66 town of McLean, Illinois, recently received a $5,000 grant from Landmarks Illinois to help restore the village’s 90-year-old water tower.
CORE of McLean, which took possession of the tower from the village this fall, will use the grant for Phase I of restoration, which includes power washing and base painting.
CORE previously stated it has two years to restore the tower’s surface paint and create a mural at its top. That would be in time for Route 66’s centennial in 2026.
The old water tower, which stands nearly 100 feet tall, was built in 1935. It was decommissioned in 2017 after a new water tower was built.
Despite considerable opposition, the village originally voted in November 2023 to tear down the water tower for $34,000, citing liability and maintenance concerns.
CORE purchased the structure a few months later. Since that time, the organization has transformed the land below the tower into a public park and native garden.
Founded in 1971, Landmarks Illinois promotes preservation, restoration and adaptive reuse of historic buildings and sites.
(Image of the water tower in McLean, Illinois, via CORE of McLean on Facebook)