Route 66 murals popping up in McLean County

Posted on June 12, 2024

The Village of McLean is getting a new mural commemorating Route 66. This is just one of four Route 66 murals commissioned by McLean County being painted by muralist Troy Freeman. (Photo courtesy WMBD-TV)

MCLEAN – Route 66 enthusiasts are getting more to smile about. The Village of McLean is getting a new mural commemorating the iconic highway.

The mural is being painted on a silo. It’s created to look like a pinball machine because the village has an arcade. The mural features a train, corn and the dixie restaurant sign.

This is just one of four Route 66 murals commissioned by McLean County being painted by muralist Troy Freeman.

“For me. It’s great to, first of all, do something for Route 66 and to do something where I live. I travel a lot to do murals,” said Freeman. “So being able to stay home, sleep in my own bed and spend time with my family while still painting is just amazing. So this is something I take a lot of pride in because it’s here in home and things for small towns like this brings a lot of community pride.”

You can see two of the completed murals at the McLean County Museum of History and on a billboard Lexington. The last one will be on the Red Raccoon Games’ wall in Downtown Bloomington.

Freeman said feel free to take a few moment to watch him paint when you’re passing by.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…