Route 66 Association of Illinois makes its annual tour of the Mother Road with stops in Logan County
 

[June 16, 2022]    Over the weekend, the Route 66 Association of Illinois took their annual motor tour down Route 66 from Joliet to Alton, making a stop in Logan County.

The group arrived in Lincoln on Saturday afternoon and stayed the night. While in town, they hosted their annual Route 66 Association Banquet at the American Legion Post 263.

The buffet meal was catered by Curt Wendlandt and featured a fine array of salads, sides, entrees and desserts for the guests.

The turnout for the annual motor tour was considerably smaller this year, perhaps due to gas prices but also due to concerns about the lingering coronavirus.

Long time Association member and founder of the Route 66 Preservation Committee for the Association John Weiss noted that it had been a tough year for the membership. There were about six deaths among the members, all of whom would be sorely missed.

Weiss said that because spirits were a little dampened this year, the association had decided to forego naming a new Association Hall of Fame recipient this year.

Before the meal, Kathy Miller welcomed guests and acknowledged the past Hall of Fame awardee representatives in attendance including those from the Atlanta Public Library and the Mill on Route 66 Museum in Logan County.

Miller also asked for a moment of silence in remembrance of the members who have passed in the last year. She asked that everyone observe a moment of grace according to their beliefs.

After dinner, Weiss gave a brief talk using excerpts from his book “As the Story Goes…. Trivia – Oddities - Folklore & Ghosts” written in 2006.

The evening then closed with guests invited to stay a visit a while, or get out and explore some of the town.

On Sunday morning the group left Lincoln headed southward on Route 66. Several of the group made a stop in Elkhart where they visited the new Elkhart Station as well as Horsefeathers across the street.

[Nila Smith]