By Adam Studzinski

BLOOMINGTON – The McLean County Museum of History had a special visitor this week at its newly opened Route 66 Visitors Center.

Jim Conckle has traveled “The Mother Road” from beginning to end at least 200 times. He’s stopped in the Twin Cities around 30 times. Conckle said this area of Route 66 sometimes gets ignored.

“Because some of the other towns that are closer to the interstate and on Route 66 have done some jobs of promoting it,” said Conckle. “So Bloomington-Normal, maybe, felt they didn’t need to promote Route 66, but there’s a group of enthusiasts that are living in this area that want to change that.”

Conckle believed the new visitors museum will be a great way to bring in more travelers.

“The one about Route 66 travelers, especially the roadies, the real passionate dedicated ones, is that we’ve got to have everything that’s ever made and we’ve got to visit everything that’s ever in celebration of the road,” he said.

Conckle added there might be more Bloomington-Normal can do to bring in visitors.

“Most events that are held on Route 66 are watch you call car events, or motorcycle events, and those are OK. Those are great,” said Conckle. “But I think what we need to do in Bloomington-Normal is, maybe, have an event that’s a little bit different than the others so you stand out.”

Conckle was on his way back from Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif. promoting his latest venture promoting the Mother Road-Mojave Trails National Monument, an effort to make an undeveloped stretch of Route 66 in California a national monument.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].