Route 66 news
Visitors came from near and far to witness the iconic Gemini Giant reclaim his right as a U.S.Route 66 roadside attraction during a homecoming event in Wilmington.
The Gemini Giant Homecoming will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, with the official ribbon cutting at 2 p.m., at South Island Park, 201 Bridge St. in Wilmington,
Downtown theater enjoys a good week after being shut down over asbestos issues.
Joliet and state officials on Wednesday celebrated park improvements funded through state grants made available along Route 66 ahead of the historic highway’s 100th anniversary year in 2026.
Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 in Joliet resets Hall of Fame induction ceremony for March 30.
The Rialto Square Theatre plans to reopen Oct. 22 after a prolonged closure connected to an asbestos removal project. “We’re as confident as we can be at this point,” said Rialto Executive Director Wade Welsh.
Induction ceremony for the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum was to be held Oct. 20. But the Rialto Square Theatre remains closed over an asbestos violation found in July.
Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi return Saturday for show at Old Joliet Prison for Blues Brothers Con, which includes music, food, beverages and merchandise for sale on site.
Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 in Joliet will open again but still recovering from July storm damage.
Here are six can’t-miss destinations for sweet frozen treats that are a blast from the past.
The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway is an organization dedicated to promoting Route 66 businesses and sites in Illinois. If you're looking to take a road trip and see the Route 66 sights, check out their website.
Downtown Joliet was the site for local and Illinois police as well as state department of transportation officials to promote a traffic safety campaign along the famed roadway on Tuesday.
Rock and Roll museum has no reopening date. JJC campus closed at least three weeks.
Staff has opened a pop-up location near the downtown museum at the University of St. Francis Art Gallery, 25 E. Van Buren St.
The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum announced that country music singer Suzy Bogguss will be among inductees at its fourth Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which will be Oct. 20.
The project includes a new city square and redesigned Chicago Street, two features that Joliet city officials and advocates say will inject new vitality downtown.
A Joliet City Council committee wants more information on why the low bidder was disqualified before a vote Tuesday on a contract to build a downtown plaza and rebuild Chicago Street.
Laura Racich has been painting her entire life. Now her works showcasing iconic Joliet landmarks are on display in one of the city's newest restaurants.
Residents of Joliet recognized Juneteenth on Wednesday by breaking ground on a new museum commemorating Black military service members at the historic Casseday House on the city's east side.
The City of Joliet is launching the Joliet Summer Challenge, a virtual passport program designed to encourage residents and visitors to explore local attractions and events.
All six docks going to prison site. City switches from original plan to put three at Broadway Greenway.
Drag racing at Joliet track runs Friday through Sunday. The Joliet Police Department issued a traffic alert.
John Force, daughter Brittany and fellow team driver Austin Prock made the rounds the last two days promoting this weekend’s appearance of the NHRA National Series at Route 66 Raceway.
Class of 2024 inductees include Smashing Pumpkins, Howlin' Wolf and Richard Marx.
Restaurant owners appeal to City Council for help in landlord dispute but say they're done.
The Joliet City Council did not vote this week on a state grant that would fund six new electric vehicle charging stations for tourists due to an apparent agenda miscue.
The City of Wilmington announced in a news release that the Gemini Giant, an iconic Route 66 landmark, will remain in Wilmington along its portion of the historic road.
Meramec Caverns barn signs have become a rare and nostalgic sightseeing opportunity along Historic Route 66.
Wilmington VFW Post 5422 teams up with Ryan Jandura as iconic statue goes to auction.
National Trust for Historic Preservation wants public to share personal experiences about the famed Route 66.
The state has awarded a $1.2 million grant to Heritage Corridor Destinations for Route 66 projects, most of them in Will County.
In her latest PBS series, “Places To Love,” Samantha Brown spotlights Route 66 attractions along The First Hundred Miles.
Nominees have been named for this year's induction ceremony for the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 Hall of Fame in Joliet.
The Launching Pad restaurant building in Wilmington is one of the iconic stops for Route 66 tours. The Joliet Area Historical Museum might purchase the property.
Guitars that have been on display in downtown Joliet throughout the summer will be auctioned off Wednesday evening at the Rialto Square Theatre.
Museum also depicts immigrant life in Joliet.
Voting open for "Ready to Rock" street art exhibit
Red Carpet Corridor ride includes Will County stops in 14-town tour.
The public is invited to attend Will County’s recycling and reuse event, “Recyclepalooza,” from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 1, at the Route 66 Raceway in Joliet.
The Route 66 Rialto Twin Centennial Mural, painted by Joliet-area Dante DiBartolo, honors both the Rialto and Route 66. Both will turn 100 years old in 2026.
Cheap Trick’s lead guitarist Rick Nielson will “flip the switch” on Jan.20, that will light up a 24-foot handmade guitar sculpture on top of the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 in downtown Joliet, Ron Romero, the museum’s executive director, said.
The Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau, in coordination with over a dozen municipalities, has been awarded a $1.5 million grant under the Route 66 Grant Program administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Office of T
Travelers with an eye for moments and places from another time stopped at the Joliet Area Historical Museum on Saturday on their way along the Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival.
Route 66 guidebook for Illinois has directions, photos, suggestions for best experiences
Authors say ‘Route 66 Chicago to Santa Monica’ is ‘the only Route 66 guidebook with a fully integrated app’
Stopped to the the Cadillac Ranch, which features graffiti covered Cadillac’s plated nose deep into the ground all facing West
In Geary, Okla. saw the Gillespie Building from 1903, an original horse trough and the “Pony Bridge”, which was 4,000 feet long made of 38 pony trusses, 100 feet long each.
Too much rain, not many miles. We don’t think we went for more than 30 minutes without a downpour. Never had an opportunity to put the top down.
Starting point in Chicago. First stop Miller’s Pub on Wabash. Historical stops at Dell Rhea Chicken Basket in Willowbrook, White Fence Farm in Romeoville
Had to make stops at Illinois quirky spots - Henry’s Rabbit Ranch in Staunton and Livingston to see the Pink Elephant and old high school.