Community Monuments along The First Hundred Miles of Illinois Route 66

Heritage Corridor Destinations staff in Burr Ridge

As part of a $1.5 million grant from IL DCEO, the Heritage Corridor purchased and installed 12 interactive monuments along Route 66. The monuments are perfect for photo ops when traveling the Mother Road. You can find them from Joliet down to Pontiac.

The monuments are located in Joliet, Burr Ridge, Willowbrook, Romeoville, Lockport, Gardner, Dwight, and Pontiac. Additional monuments coming soon in Bolingbrook, Countryside, Plainfield, and another Joliet location.

Heritage Corridor Destinations staff in Dwight at the Texaco Station

Monument outside Dell Rhea Chicken Basket

Heritage Corridor Destinations staff and village officials in Gardner

City staff in Lockport

Find all the monuments when you follow this Route 66 history tour along The First Hundred Miles.

More about the grant that funded the monuments:

In May 2022, the Heritage Corridor was awarded a $1.5 million grant under the Route 66 Grant Program administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Illinois Office of Tourism.

Grant funding was intended to develop or enhance sites along Route 66 ahead of the centennial in 2026, prioritizing projects focused on future transportation and tourism trends such as electric vehicles. Projects that the Heritage Corridor funded with this grant include:

• State-Wide Integrated Marketing Campaign
  • The marketing campaign includes trade shows, FAM (familiarization) tours, sales missions, travel campaigns, use of print, website and digital advertisements, email, and social media platforms, targeted at both domestic and international travelers and tour operators.
• New museum exhibits
  • “Fuel the Future” - A new mobile exhibit created by the Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn that looks back on the history of Route 66 and highlights what lies ahead for the road as a beacon for tourists of tomorrow driving electric vehicles.
  • “Joliet: Prison City” and “Joliet Champions Gallery” - Two compelling new exhibits at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, focusing on the Old Joliet Prison and hometown accomplishments, will be open for new visitors marking the Route 66 Centennial and beyond.
• Transportation, Arts, and History Legacy
  • Mural A 42’ x 8’ mural on the facade of the legendary Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet will commemorate the twin centennials of the magnificent theater and Illinois Route 66, as well as their intertwined history.
• Landmark Signage for the New Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66
  • The project includes a massive guitar-shaped sign above the entrance that will draw visitors for one-of-a-kind photos and boost museum attendance.
• The First Hundred Miles of Route 66 Welcome Center
  • A state-of-the-art, Route 66 themed Welcome Center in Joliet opening soon, that will feature an Illinois Made Gift Shoppe showcasing artisans and businesses from throughout the state.
• New EV Stations in Wilmington and Pontiac
  • Both cities are popular stops along Illinois Route 66.  Electric vehicle charging stations in municpal lots will allow visitors to linger longer to shop, dine, and explore while charging their EV on their road trip experience.