HR0733 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0733 LRB104 21176 ECR 35595 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Established in 1926, U.S. Route 66 has long captured the imagination of travelers around the world, stretching nearly 2,500 miles and linking Chicago to the coast of California; and

WHEREAS, This historic highway has connected rural communities, neon­lit motels and diners, and countless dreams across eight states for the last 100 years, becoming a symbol of American mobility, adventure, and cultural heritage; and

WHEREAS, The City of Chicago has always held the distinct honor of serving as the official starting point of Route 66, marking the beginning of one of America's most storied journeys; and

WHEREAS, When Route 66 was first designated in 1926, the road began in Cicero at the intersection of 48th Avenue and Ogden Avenue; and

WHEREAS, Route 66's starting point was then moved to the intersection of Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue in the early 1930s; and

WHEREAS, Route 66's starting point was moved once again to the intersection of Adams Street and Michigan Avenue in 1955 when Jackson Boulevard became a one-way street heading east; and

WHEREAS, Navy Pier stands as one of Chicago's most iconic and cherished landmarks, serving as a historic site, a community gathering place, and a welcoming gateway to the city known for its music, food, amusement rides, fireworks, public art, and sweeping views of Lake Michigan; and

WHEREAS, The Santa Monica Pier was publicly celebrated and formally recognized as the symbolic western terminus of Route 66 in 2009, establishing it as the emotional and cultural finish line for generations of travelers who journeyed westward; and

WHEREAS, Establishing Navy Pier as the unofficial eastern terminus of Route 66 symbolically connects two of the nation's most beloved piers, creating a meaningful pier-to-pier bond that reinforces the cultural and historic significance of America's most iconic highway; and

WHEREAS, This pier-to-pier pairing enriches the narrative of Route 66 by linking the western dreams long sought from the Santa Monica Pier with the renewed sense of possibility found on the shores of Lake Michigan in the heart of Chicago, serving as a tribute to the enduring legacy, imagination, and adventure of the road; and

WHEREAS, The dedication of a ceremonial Route 66 starting-point sign is planned for March 25, 2026, coinciding with the 28th Annual Worldwide Toast to Harry Caray to be celebrated at Harry Caray's Tavern at Navy Pier; and

WHEREAS, The story of Harry Caray is deeply intertwined with the history and culture of Route 66 as he was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, where Route 66 ran through his neighborhood; and

WHEREAS, Harry Caray, then known as Harry Carabina, traveled Route 66 from St. Louis to Chicago's Wrigley Field to announce his very first baseball game on April 17, 1945, when the Chicago Cubs defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2; and

WHEREAS, While working along Route 66 at radio station WCLS in Joliet, Harry Caray received the suggestion by the station manager to change his last name from "Carabina" to "Caray", a moment that helped shape the career of one of America's most iconic sportscasters; and

WHEREAS, Route 66 further inspired the famed Cubs-Cardinals rivalry, once known as the "Route 66 Rivalry", further cementing the road's place in the cultural and athletic life of the Midwest; and

WHEREAS, Route 66 has long been celebrated as "The Mother Road" and "The Main Street of America", serving as a primary connection between the Great Lakes region and the Pacific Coast and supporting westward migration, commerce, and cultural exchange; and

WHEREAS, Extending Route 66's eastern terminus to Navy Pier serves as a symbolic extension that honors the legacy of the historic highway while inspiring future generations of travelers, historians, and dreamers to explore the spirit of discovery that has defined the road for the past century; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Navy Pier on being named the unofficial eastern terminus of U.S. Route 66 on March 25, 2026.