Logan County Tourism Bureau plans celebration for re-opening of The Mill Museum on 66 in Lincoln

 

[May 08, 2021] 

The Mill Restaurant was originally opened in 1929 as The Blue Mill and later renamed The Mill. From 1945, it was owned by the Huffman family and became known for its delicious Pork Schnitzel Sandwiches. Four generations of the Huffman Family worked there until its closure in 1996. It was then left abandoned until 2006. Around that time, The Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County began the initiative to save The Mill and launched a campaign to raise money to restore it. It officially opened as The Mill Museum on Route 66 in 2017. In February of 2020, The Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County was dissolved, and the Logan County Tourism Bureau took ownership of The Mill.

After obtaining ownership the Bureau realized that some repairs were needed on the interior and exterior of the building. The Logan County Tourism Board gave the approval to re-side the entire building, install heating/air and gutters, and do interior updates. We are so grateful to help further preserve this iconic Route 66 structure. The museum features original artifacts from The Mill, The Tropics, and The Pig Hip (3 Route 66 restaurants that were iconic fixtures in Logan County), along with some other Route 66 artifacts.

After over a year of continued renovation, we are ready to have visitors again and want to invite the public to come celebrate the reopening of The Mill Museum on 66 at The Backyard Bash on Saturday, May 22nd, 2021. The Backyard Bash will kick off at 11:00 a.m.  and the museum will open for touring at 11:30 a.m.

In addition, the Traveling Top Hat and Nuthatch Hill BBQ will be selling food until 2:00 p.m.  Thornhill Band will be playing live music from Noon to 2:00 p.m., and there will be a 50/50 raffle to benefit The Mill Museum. We also invite all classic car owners and motorcyclists to cruise at The Mill.

The Tourism Bureau could not have done it alone, thank you to the City of Lincoln, Route 66 Association, and the many contractors who have helped keep the integrity of this historical building. With this restoration the Bureau is further preserving this iconic, original building in anticipation for the 2026 Route 66 Centennial and beyond.

[Morgan Gleason]