BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL ( 25News Now ) - The iconic Route 66 once carried travelers from Chicago to California, and while much of that traffic has faded, the road’s legacy still runs right through Bloomington-Normal.

Before interstates and GPS, Route 66, also known as the “Mother Road,” was the main road connecting travelers to the heart of America. For Bloomington-Normal, it brought the world to their doorstep.

“It came along with the boom of the automobile. It transformed our cities. It transformed our lives in so many ways. I think that often the history of roads and the built environment around us is something that people don’t often think about,” said Micaela Harris, the director of communications at the McLean County Museum of History.

From diners to motels, the Mother Road fueled lo

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