National
Park Service Grant awarded to Tropics Sign Project
Send a link to a friend
[September 01, 2017]
LINCOLN
- On August 24th 2017, the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program,
which is administered by the National Park Service, National Trails
Intermountain Region, notified the Tropics Neon Sign Project
Committee it had been awarded a $17,000 grant. The cost-share grant
program provides grant assistance for eligible historic
preservation, research, oral history, interpretative, and
educational projects.
|
Grants are offered through an annual, competitive
grant cycle. Since 2001, 139 projects have been awarded $2.1 million
with $3.4 million in cost-share match, totaling $5.5 million in
public-private investment toward the revitalization of the Route 66
corridor.
The Tropics restaurant was opened in 1950 by Vince Schwenoha in
Lincoln. Vince served in Hawaii during his WWII tour of duty, which
was the inspiration for the name of his new business. The site
included a large, signature neon sign that quickly became the symbol
of the restaurant and a Route 66 landmark. In 1955 Lew Johnson
became manager of the Tropics.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2017/Aug/30/images/ads/current/castlemanor_sda_FINANCIAL_2017.png)
Under the leadership of Lew and his wife, Bev, it
operated successfully as a family- run business for the next five
decades, attracting customers from far and wide. In 2016, the
Tropics was inducted into the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall
of Fame.
After sitting vacant for ten years, the property was
purchased for the construction of a new McDonalds restaurant. While
the building could not be saved, a public/private partnership was
put in place between the City of Lincoln, the Logan County Tourism
Bureau, and the Johnson Family to preserve and restore the iconic
Tropics neon sign.
[to top of second column] |
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2017/Aug/30/images/ads/current/collisionconcepts_lda_FAIR_2017.png)
Thanks to the NPS grant and other funds raised to date, the
Tropics sign will be restored to operating condition to honor the history of
this well know Rt. 66 restaurant. Included in the project design is an
interpretive panel that will tell the story of the Tropics so visitors can learn
about the history of the restaurant, its relationship to Route 66, and the
long-time involvement of the Johnson family. In addition to preserving an
important piece of Lincoln and Logan County’s Rt. 66 history, the restored
Tropics sign will be used to promote and market other Rt. 66 related attractions
in Lincoln.
To date, approximately $60,000 of the total $70,000 needed to complete the
Tropics neon sign project has been raised. The opportunity is still available
for donors wishing to contribute to the project. “TLC Champion” donors, [$1,000
or more] will be recognized on the interpretive panel installed by the restored
Tropics sign. “TLC Partner” donors [$500 or more donation] will be recognized on
pavers placed around the base of the sign. “TLC Benefactor” donors [$250 or more
donation] will be recognized via a brick installed at the base of the sign.
Donation information is available from the Logan County Tourism Bureau,
217-732-8687.
[Geoff Ladd, Illinois Route 66 Scenic
Byway] |