Brooklyn, Illinois, June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEDIA ADVISORY
Reconnecting Brooklyn to the Mother Road: Landmarks Illinois & the Village of Brooklyn, Ill. Host Route 66 Centennial Event June 26
WHAT: Landmarks Illinois and the Village of Brooklyn will host a Route 66 Centennial event on June 26 to dedicate and install Route 66 signage in Brooklyn, Illinois. After decades of being excluded from route maps and overlooked as an integral part of the highway’s history, America’s oldest Black-incorporated town will once again be officially recognized as part of the Mother Road’s legacy. This is a free, public event. Members of the media are invited to attend.
WHEN: Friday, June 26, 2026, 3 p.m. at 519 Madison Street in Brooklyn, Illinois.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS & PROGRAMMING: The event will include a sign dedication ceremony featuring a variety of speakers, local history exhibits and live performances.
- Official Sign Dedication: Landmark installation officially placing Brooklyn back on the Route 66 path.
- Quinn Chapel AME Church Tour: Self-guided tours will be available at the historic church, a documented Underground Railroad site.
- Route 66 Brooklyn History Exhibit: A newly curated exhibit developed by the St. Clair County Historical Society and the Illinois State Archaeological Survey.
- National Museum of Transportation Exhibit: An educational display mapping transit history in the Metro East region.
- Live Entertainment: Musical performances by the House of Miles Youth Ensemble.
FEATURED SPEAKERS: The dedication ceremony will bring together prominent local, state and national figures.
- Trenton “TC” Atkins, Mayor of Brooklyn
- Ronnie Steele, Co-Founder of the Historical Society of Brooklyn, Illinois
- Chris Belt, State Senator, Illinois 57th Senate District
- Bill Thomas, Chair of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership & Member of the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission
- Rhys Martin, Preserve Route 66 Manager for the National Trust for Historic Preservation & President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association
- Casey Claypool, Executive Director of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway & Member of the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission
- Bonnie McDonald, President & CEO of Landmarks Illinois
RSVP: If you would like to inform event coordinators that you plan to attend, please email Leslie P. Hardin, Community Engagement Coordinator for the Village of Brooklyn, at [email protected].