The Route 66 Heritage Foundation is planning a cleanup day for The Mill restaurant site at 738 S. Washington (Route 66) in Lincoln, Ill., from 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Geoff Ladd, chairman of the foundation, says tours also will be available of the long-closed but much-improved restaurant, which nearly faced the wrecking ball several years ago until he and others intervened.
The group wants to spruce up the property for the annual Cruise-In at The Mill event on Oct. 12.
The photo above of The Mill shows new shutters built and painted by foundation members John Sutton and Bob Wilmert, made possible through grants from the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway and Lincoln Rotary.
From the news release about the cleanup:
“Stop by Wednesday afternoon and say hello, see what progress we have made, help us clean up the inside, provide inspiration, join the group as a member, make a donation, or tell us we’re crazy! I didn’t intend to make this a public event but it is a good informal opportunity to interact with the community,” said Ladd. “From doing our latest round of work this summer, there is stuff that needs to be cleaned and organized, and the downstairs needs a good spic and span cleaning – mopping the floors, wiping stuff down, that type of thing.”
Ladd said a wall of the future museum will be dedicate to those who have volunteered and donated funds and issued grants over the years, including organizations and individuals such as the National Park Service, The Danner Trust, Route 66 Association of Illinois, Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, Lincoln Rotary, The Railsplitter Antique Auto Club and Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County.
“I always like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped with The Mill since we saved it from destruction back in 2006 with coordination from the city of Lincoln,” said Geoff Ladd, chairman of the Rt. 66 Heritage Foundation. “I particularly want to thank some very special individuals – Larry Van Bibber for his generous donation, the late Ernie Edwards for his insistence, John Weiss for his mentoring, Bruce Huskins for the Route 66 Garage Sale, the Huffman Family, Hallies Restaurant, Chris and Deb from Timeless Presentations, two very special anonymous donors, a bunch more folks I don’t have room to name, all past and present board members, and all the generosity provided by the local media,” said Ladd. More information can be found at SaveTheMillOnRoute66.com.
(Photo of The Mill courtesy of Geoff Ladd)