It's considered the 'mother road' stretching across the United States - Route 66 - the iconic highway, turns 100 in 2026.

The historic Route spans over 300 miles in Illinois, from Chicago through St. Louis, and in 2026, small towns want to take advantage of the historic milestone. For small towns like Lincoln, leaders are working around the clock to establish a Route 66 museum and to attract tourism dollars. Scott McCoy serves as the Director of Tourism for Lincoln.

According to McCoy, leaders in small towns across the state have spent the past three to four years designing and implementing destination stops along Route 66 in anticipation of the historic milestone.

Route 66 spans nearly 2,500 miles from Chicago to California.