History Revisited on Route 66

Less than a 2 hour drive from Chicago, the Illinois town of Pontiac preserved an incredible part of American history – the story of Route 66 and the American dream. Pontiac was a stop along the Route that started in Chicago by the Art Institute and went diagonally all the way to LA. It was a one-road concrete highway, so cars going west had to stop to pass the ones going east. Once the country started to expand, a 4-lane highway was built and Route 66 was replaced by larger roadways. If you want to visit this little slice of history, Pontiac is your town. Everything that you would want to visit is within a few blocks, so this makes for an easy walking tour day. We didn’t even feel the need for a stroller. Everyone will enjoy the automotive history from the Route 66 Museum and the new Pontiac/Oakland Museum, and kids will especially love the Murals and Art Cars around town. History buffs will like seeing the Lincoln trail exhibits and the scenic Court House. You can end your day in Pontiac with a relaxing stroll through the Chautauqua park and the swinging bridges. But to start, park your car in the free lot across from the Visitor’s Center and stop there first to pick up a map and get some restaurant tips. Then off to explore the history of Route 66.

Route 66 Museum

A perfect slice of Americana that both kids and adults will find interesting. This museum has a great collection of artifacts telling the story of how Route 66 began and the story along the way. Back in the 1920s, small rural towns weren’t easily accessible, so when Cyrus Avery, an Oklahoma businessman, suggested a road that connected the little towns along the way from Chicago to Los Angeles, it made a huge impact on the country. Businesses started popping up along the Route, bringing more jobs, more tourism and connecting communities across the country. But as the economy developed, there were more people and more cars traveling along the route, so soon the larger interstates replaced the original Route 66 and it was officially decommissioned in 1985.

The legacy of Route 66 is alive, and it’s wonderfully preserved at the Route 66 Museum and Hall of Fame. You can learn about all the Illinois stops in particular – you can learn where to revisit some of the original stops. There are many interesting memories preserved at the museum. One such example is the Memory lane – a wall of license plates going back in to the 1920s. Another is the Bob Waldmire VW Bus set next to the old gas station. Bob Waldmire is a Route 66 artist that traveled around the route. He is a dedicated hippie who drives a vintage VW from place to place and was an inspiration for the Pixar "Cars" VW Fillmore character. You can find a lot of Waldmire’s work along the route, and his Route 66 postcards are a great set to get from the gift shop. Each of the objects you will see in the van on display at the museum is a great part of history, and to Bob, probably a great memory. The Route 66 museum offers many such memories. The second floor hosts a set of photo exhibits of Route 66 stops, signs and other landmarks. It’s a fascinating look back in history. Music and history buffs will be interested to see a functional set from the 1960s radio station.

Murals on Main Street

This was by far my kids’ favorite in town. While I enjoyed a little slice of history (the murals go back all the way to 1865), the kids enjoyed following the little red footsteps printed around town that lead you from mural to mural. Murals are depicted on the sides of buildings, museums, even a fire-station, and reflect a little bit of history and a lot of pop culture of the day. The largest mural is on the back wall of the Route 66 museum and if you have an antique car, posing by that sign is a must, though any car will do, I guess. Most of the murals were painted by the so called Walldogs – a group of muralists that were in town in June of 2009. When we stopped at the Mural and Sign Museum (right next to the Pontiac museum), we were told that this group of 150 painters finished 18 murals in just 4 days. There is a lot of interesting history on murals and walldogs at the museum. Make sure you ask them about the hidden mural – an old mural found on a side wall during construction.

There were a few murals that stood out the most for me. The Daniels Oil Company Mural depicts a gas station in downtown Pontiac – back when gas stations were full service and people would hang around the station for small chat and some gossip. This mural is so realistic, I almost did a double take. Of course, the Route 66 Mural is unique in that it’s large and has been featured in many ads around the world. Palace of Sweets mural is an ode to the 1920s candy store that was a must stop in town for any celebration and a popular soda fountain stop.

Pontiac/Oakland Museum

The Pontiac-Oakland Museum and Resource Center at 205 N. Mill Street, across from the court house, is the latest downtown attraction in Pontiac, IL. It features a great display of Pontiac/Oakland classic cars spanning the turn of the century, the classic muscle car era to more modern examples. Memorabilia includes hood ornaments, a vast collection of literature, thousands of oil cans and sales promotional items. Also available is a resource library with access to reference books, service manuals and vintage design sketches. This is the only Pontiac/Oakland museum in existence. Tim Dye, renowned collector, and his wife Penny opened it’s doors July 23rd. Admission is free and donations are accepted, as is the case with all museums in Pontiac. Be sure to drop in while you visit, and explore this special piece of Detroit history that was Pontiac/Oakland. Tim is great at talking about Pontiacs and my kids loved the old car horn he let them try. Automotive history becomes so much more interesting, especially to kids, when it’s so hands on. You can find more info at their website: www.pontiacoaklandmuseum.org

Art Cars

Perhaps, as an ode to cars, all around Pontiac, you will see little car sculptures made of fiberglass and big enough for kids to sit in. Great photo opp! Each art car is unique – you will spot "Not a Van" Gogh (next to a delicious bakery), "See the USA in your Chevrolet", "Cruisin with Abe" by the court house and countless others. This was a 2010 art project in town, but it’s still there and hopefully will stick around for a while, it makes a fun stop for the kids.

Swinging Bridges

Although I hear one of the three big swinging bridges is a few blocks away from Main street, the other two are a short drive away at Chautauqua Park. This is a nice stop for an afternoon play – the park has some (though slightly outdated) swings and slides, and lots of ground to walk around. The bridges are the main attraction in this and other neighboring parks over the Vermillion River. These bridges cover a span of history – one dates back to the 1898, the other was built in 1920s and the 3rd one in 1978. The swinging bridges in Pontiac are made of wood and supported by cables, yet durable. These are the only swinging bridges in Illinois – a unique kind of experience and kids will love it. Walk carefully over the bridges – they do swing a bit – and look around the magnificent views of the river. A perfect way to end the trip.

See more pictures from Pontiac, IL and the history of Route 66 on our FlickR CafeYak.com’s photostream.