City: Route 66 Heritage Foundation offers taking over Tropics sign
Tourism Bureau also offers sign support

[April 21, 2015]  LINCOLN - On Tuesday evening, April 14th, the Lincoln City Council heard from a variety of people regarding the future of the Tropics sign. The sign was given to the city last year by family members of the original owners of the Tropics Coffee Shop, Dining Room and Cocktail Lounge. [See photos of the sign past and present]

Tuesday evening, Tami Goodrich, the daughter of the owners addressed the council regarding the sign. She first said that there had always been an agreement that the city could have the sign, but it could not dispose of it or give it to anyone who would take it out of the city of Lincoln. She noted that it had been a verbal agreement with former Mayor Keith Snyder. Because the topic of the sign has been prevalent since Snyder’s departure, he has not been present to affirm this agreement to the council.

Goodrich said that she was now working with city administrator Clay Johnson to put something in writing.

She also noted that she and her family realized that restoration of the sign was going to be costly. She said if the city didn’t feel like they could care for the sign, they should return it to the family.
 

Goodrich was asked how she felt about the sign being stored at the city landfill. She said she was not bothered by that. She said she understood the sign is very large and would be hard to find an appropriate storage location.

In essence, Goodrich said the family wants the city to keep the sign and they will support the city in whatever way is needed to assure that happens.

Marty Blitstein of the Route 66 Association was also there to address the sign. Blitstein had appeared two weeks earlier asking the city to gift the sign to the Route 66 Museum in Pontiac, where it would be restored in some fashion and put on display. He also offered to give a part of the sign to The Mill on Route 66 in Lincoln.

He left that meeting thinking that the sign would be discussed again on April 14th. On Tuesday night he wasted no time in expressing his frustration that the sign was not mentioned on the agenda for the workshop.

Speaking for the council, Michelle Bauer said that it appeared the decision has been made. The Tropics sign will stay in Lincoln, and it will be the council’s responsibility to decide what to do with it in the future.

Also on hand was Bob Wilmert representing the local Route 66 Foundation, which has taken charge of restoration of The Mill, another former restaurant of historic note. Wilmert said The Mill was working to raise money to finish its museum and was currently conducting an online fundraiser. He said The Mill was interested in preserving the sign and would take it over.

Andi Hake with the Logan County Alliance was present to give a report on LCA activities. She also discussed recent developments at the Tourism Bureau. As part of that topic she noted that the Bureau is also willing to help with the sign. At the Bureau meeting held earlier that same evening, she had shared that an anonymous person has come forward with a storage solution. That person said the sign could be stored inside a building owned by him or her.

The Bureau has also been looking into options for online fundraising for the restoration of the sign. Hake said the Bureau is willing to take the lead on creating that fundraiser.

The Tropics sign will be recognized this fall when it is entered into the Route 66 Hall of Fame at the annual association banquet held by the Illinois Route 66 Association in Lincoln.

[Nila Smith]

Related websites:

Save the Mill Indiegogo Fundraiser in process to April 25.

Save the Mill on Route 66
The Mill restoration is under the Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County