Thanks to the generous funding from a state grant provided by the Illinois Office of Tourism, we are proud to display one of many beautiful murals along Route 66 in McLean County.
Artist Troy Freeman from FreeSky Studios did an incredible job highlighting our Route 66 sites. And... there are mice hidden throughout the painting. Can you find them all?
The Abraham Lincoln “Lost Speech” mural was dedicated on May 29, 2025. This is the newest addition to the Lincoln story in Bloomington-Normal and McLean County. Click on the button below to access a PDF providing more details on the Bloomington Anti-Nebraska Convention including the journey to the mural and those involved in making it a reality. On May 29, 1856, delegates from across Illinois gathered at Bloomington's Major's Hall to oppose the expansion of slavery. They were part of a national movement that became the newly organized Republican Party.