Pontiac announces speakers for Route 66 conference | Local News
PONTIAC — The seventh annual Miles of Possibility Route 66 Conference will be held Oct. 20-23 in Pontiac.
This year’s theme is “America’s Main Street Welcomes the World.” Stephanie Stuckey, CEO of Stuckey’s Inc. and granddaughter of Stuckey’s founder W.S. “Sylvester” Stuckey Sr., will present the keynote speech, “Roadside Revival: Bring Back Stuckey’s” on Friday, Oct. 21.
Other speakers include Jane and Bill Diaz, artists/Walldogs muralists, owners of Diaz Sign Art; Tim and Penny Dye, Pontiac automobile historians and driving forces behind the Pontiac-Oakland Museum; Jim Hinckley, author, historian, tour guide; Ed Long, president of Livingston County War Museum; LaWanda Henry Matson, daughter and biographer of Illinois State Trooper Chester Henry; Ron and Becky Metzger, collectors of Springfield signs and business memorabilia and owner-operators of Motorheads Bar and Grill & Museum; Jax Welborn, photographer/entrepreneur; and John Wille, historian at the Route 66 Illinois Hall of Fame Museum.
The event also will include panel discussions on “Pontiac and Route 66: Past, Present, Future”; “The Legacy of David Clark”; and “Updates from the Road Ahead Initiative and the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway.”
Registration for the event is now open at Eventbrite.com. Updates can also be found on the event’s Facebook page or Instagram.
Presenters for the event include Pontiac Tourism, Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, Illinois Rock & Roll Museum, Ryburn Place at Prague Super Service, McLean County Museum of History, Illinois Coal Museum at Gillespie, Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Visit Springfield.
Visit route66milesofpossibility.com or contact Cheryl Eichar Jett at route66mop@gmail.com for more information.
Main Street of America: Route 66 attractions state by state
Main Street of America: Route 66 attractions state by state
Grant Park (Chicago)
Mural City (Pontiac, Illinois)
Lauterbach Giant (Springfield, Illinois)
Chain of Rocks Bridge (Madison, Illinois)
World’s Largest Catsup Bottle (Collinsville, Illinois)
Henry’s Rabbit Ranch (Staunton, Illinois)
Old Log Cabin (Pontiac, Illinois)
(Former) World’s Largest Rocking Chair (Cuba, Missouri)
66 Drive-In Theatre (Carthage, Missouri)
Route 66 State Park (Eureka, Missouri)
Meramec Caverns (Stanton, Missouri)
Wagon Wheel Motel (Cuba, Missouri)
Devil’s Elbow, Missouri
Cars on the Route (Galena, Kansas)
Galena Mining & Historical Museum (Galena, Kansas)
Brush Creek Bridge (Cherokee County, Kansas)
Williams’ Store (Riverton, Kansas)
Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas Service Station (Baxter, Kansas)
Milk Bottle Grocery (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Blue Whale (Catoosa, Oklahoma)
Lucille’s Service Station and Roadhouse (Hydro, Oklahoma)
Allen’s Conoco Fillin’ Station (Commerce, Oklahoma)
Totem Pole Park (Foyil, OK)
Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo, Tesas)
VW Slug Bug Ranch (Conway, Texas)
Midpoint Cafe (Adrian, Texas)
Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Cafe (Shamrock, Texas)
Leaning Tower of Texas (Groom, Texas)
Big Texan Steak Ranch (Amarillo, Tesas)
Blue Swallow Motel (Tucumcari, New Mexico)
Tee Pee Curios (Tucumcari, New Mexico)
Clines Corners Retail Center (Clines Corners, New Mexico)
66 Diner (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
El Rancho Hotel (Gallup, New Mexico)
Blue Hole (Santa Rosa, New Mexico)
Hackberry General Store (Hackberry, Arizona)
Winslow Corner (Winslow, Arizona)
Angel and Vilma’s Original Route 66 Gift Shop (Seligman, Arizona)
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In (Seligman, Arizona)
The town of Oatman (Oatman, Arizona)
Wigwam Village Motel #6 (Holbrook, Arizona)
Grand Canyon National Park
Meteor Crater (Meteor City, Arizona)
Elmer Long’s Bottle Tree Ranch (Oro Grande, California)
Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe (Victorville, California)
Rt. 66 Museum (Victorville, California)
Original McDonald’s (San Bernardino, California)
Cucamonaco Service Station (Rancho Cucamonga, California)
Roy’s Motel & Cafe (Amboy, California)
Santa Monica Pier (Santa Monica, California)
Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3352. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs