The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Casey Wichmann as the organization’s Executive Director. Wichmann brings to the Byway a wealth of knowledge and an extensive background in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors. She brings more than a decade of non-profit experience to the organization including work with the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield and most recently, the state-wide Illinois Association of Park Districts. An experienced Director of Marketing and Development, Wichmann also brings years of experience in event planning, financial and human resource management, fundraising, grant writing and strategic planning to the Byway. Wichmann is a 1998 graduate of Western Illinois University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management.

On February 18, 2020, a new Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway display was unveiled at a ceremony at the State of Illinois Stratton Office Building in Springfield, Illinois. The display features thematic sections of the current Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway visitor guide. Over 125 attractions, businesses and tourism partners are represented in the display. Highlights include museums, iconic restaurants, giant statues, breweries, neon signs and downtown districts along Illinois Route 66. Prominently featured is a copy of “The Green Book”, which was an essential guide for African American safe travel during the Jim Crow era. Also included is an example of the Illinois Route 66 specialty license plate, which is available for cars, light trucks and motorcycles in the state.

A record 892 people signed the guest book at the Texaco Welcome Center this past weekend at the 13th annual Red Carpet Corridor Festival. Visitors signed in from Chicago and its suburbs to the Quad Cities, from Peoria to Park Ridge, from Wisconsin, Indiana, Canada, the Czech Republic, England, Poland, Argentina, France and Spain, just to name a few.

The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership held its third Annual Board of Directors Meeting February 22-23, 2019, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Highlights of the meeting included an update on efforts to designate Route 66 a National Historic Trail, the 2019 budget, a new partnership policy, reports from working groups and task forces, and the election of the 2019 Board Officers.

The City of Springfield’s Convention and Visitors Bureau announced today (12/14/18) the city is the new owner of the iconic Route 66 Sonrise Doughnut sign. In partnership with Ace Sign Company who assisted the city in navigating the bidding process, the Convention & Visitors Bureau purchased the complete sign to retain its historic value for $22,000.

The Parkview Food & Pub, better known as the Parkview Inn, in Bloomington, Illinois, is on a mission to reopen after a it caught fire awhile back and virtually destroyed the historic establishment. The Parkview sits on a 1930 to 1940 alignment of Route 66 at 1003 S. Morris Ave. The Parkview has been around since 1928, and is Bloomington's oldest restaurant that has remained on the same site. This means it is only a few years newer than the very beginnings of Route 66.

Adam Lovell, of Reedsville Wisconsin, has been named the new Executive Director at the McLean County Museum of History. Lovell has over 18 years’ experience in museum operations.  Most recently, he spent two years as Assistant Director and Curator at the Rahr-West Art Museum in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and eight years as Curator of Collections at the Detroit Historical Society in Detroit Michigan.

Last April, at Lake Lou Yaeger in Litchfield, IL, a female Bald Eagle was injured, in what was viewed as a territorial fight with a male Bald Eagle. While the male Bald Eagle did not survive, thankfully the female Bald Eagle was able to be transported to the Treehouse Wildlife Rescue Center in Dow, IL to recover from her injuries. The female bald Eagle has made a full recovery and will be released back to her native territory at Lake Lou Yaeger. The release is scheduled for Saturday, January 20th and the public is invited to attend.