On Friday, June 12th, participants in this year’s Illinois Motor Tour are invited to take a walking tour in Chicago at a discount price. In keeping with the theme of the 20th anniversary Motor Tour, Cruising the Land of Lincoln, the walking tours will emphasize the historic places visited by Abraham Lincoln or his family along the Route 66 corridor in Chicago’s Loop. Two tours will be offered:
A highlight of the East Tour is a visit to the 'Begin Historic Route 66' sign
We will start at LaSalle Street and Jackson Boulevard and walk east to Michigan Avenue, the original place where Route 66 began. We will walk north along Michigan to Adams Street (westbound Route 66 after 1953) and walk back to LaSalle Street. Lincoln locations along the way include the site of the hotel where Mary Todd Lincoln lived at the time of her alleged suicide attempt; where Robert Todd Lincoln worked when he was President of the Pullman Palace Railcar Company; where Tad Lincoln attended school; and where Lincoln’s funeral train arrived in Chicago in May 1865. Other highlights include the world’s tallest building with weight-bearing walls and the Tiffany mosaics of the Marquette Building. Of course, we will also discuss Route 66! The tour will last approximately two hours and covers about one leisurely mile (no stairs).
Union Station, on the West Loop Tour
We will start at LaSalle and Adams Streets and walk south to Jackson, then west to Clinton Street. After a visit to Union Station, we will walk back east on Adams to LaSalle. Lincoln locations along the way that we will discuss will be the old Chicago & Alton depot, where Lincoln’s Pullman funeral car departed for Springfield in May 1865; the place where Lincoln was nominated as President; where Lincoln worked as a commissioner for the Illinois & Michigan Canal; and where Lincoln argued in Federal Court on behalf of the Rock Island Railroad in the
Effie Afton case. Other highlights of the tour include Sears Tower, the movable bridges over the Chicago River, and a look at Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant. And yes, we will talk about Route 66 all along the way. The tour will last approximately two hours and covers about one leisurely mile (some optional stair climbing).
Tours normally cost $15 per person, but Motor Tour participants and members of the Route 66 Association of Illinois will receive a discount for these June 12th tours. Participants taking either one of the tours will receive a 33% discount–$10 per person. Anyone interested in taking both tours will receive a 50% discount—only $15 per person for both tours—like getting two tours for the price of one!
Reservations are required: Call Dave Clark at 312-432-1284, or email dave@windycityroadwarrior.com. So come to Chicago on June 12th to Follow in Lincoln’s footsteps as we get our Kicks on Chicago’s Route 66!
