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 The cruise-in is being held as part of and in conjunction with
the Abraham Lincoln Railsplitting Festival (www.railsplitting.com)
and the 90th Anniversary of Route 66 (1926-2016). All statewide
ABATE club members are invited as well as all motorcyclists. There
will be People’s Choice awards, live music and hot pizza for the
event. A suggested donation for motorcyclists and attendees will go
towards the Mill.
The Salt Creek ABATE Motorcycle Club is a non- profit group that
covers Logan County, and is known for their volunteer efforts and
service to the community. The Mission of A.B.A.T.E. (A Brotherhood
Aimed Toward Education) of Illinois is to preserve the universal
right to a safe, unrestricted, motorcycling environment. A.B.A.T.E.
works to safeguard motorcycling rights, while allowing for
individuals with different views. All riders are welcome. It doesn't
matter if you ride a Goldwing, Harley, Cruisers, touring bikes,
sport bikes or dirt bikes. More information is available at
www.abate-il.org/saltcreek.
 10th Annual Mill Cruise-In
This year’s 10th Annual Mill Cruise-In, hosted by the Lincoln
Railsplitter Antique Auto Club, will be Saturday, October 8th from
11am to 3pm at this historic original 1929 Route 66 attraction
located at 738 S. Washington in Lincoln, Illinois, with registration
proceeds ($5 per vehicle) to once again go to the Mill for
restoration efforts. The Railsplitter Antique Auto Club has hosted
the event all ten years and has raised over $2500 for the Mill from
this annual event. Registration will be the day of the cruise-in as
always.
Lincoln Railsplitter Antique Auto club is a non- profit group of
automobile enthusiasts located in Lincoln, Illinois. In addition to
supporting The Mill, the club is known for their annual Cruise-In
for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in July. More information
is available at
www.lincolnrailsplitterautoclub.webs.com.
[to top of second column] |
 Mill Restoration
continues
A long time ago on June 25, 1929, Paul Coddington opened “The Blue
Mill” at the corner of Washington Street and Stringer Avenue (Route
66) in Lincoln, IL. The eatery had blue trim and continuously
turning sailed decorated with lights, and the waitresses dressed in
blue with white aprons. In 1945, The Mill was painted barn red and
an army barracks was added onto the back to operate as a dance hall.
One of the restaurant’s claims to fame was its fried schnitzel which had been
passed down throughout the generations of the Huffman. The Mill closed in 1996
and fell into disrepair until 2006 when the title was gained by the Route 66
Heritage Foundation of Logan County and preservation efforts began. In 2009, The
Mill was inducted into the Route 66 Association of Illinois’ Hall of Fame. To
date, over $80,000 has been raised to save and renovate the building.
The Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County would like to thank the City of
Lincoln, all the organizations that supplied grants, all the donors, all the
supporters and all the volunteers! Railsplitter Antique Auto Club volunteers and
Salt Creek ABATE volunteers have also done a lot of critical work at the Mill.
The Mill is in the final phase of renovation, with plans to open as a Route 66
museum in April of 2017. For more information, visit www.savethemill.org or
contact 217-671-3790.
[Geoff Ladd, Save the Mill on Route
66]
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