Page 10 Museum of Route 66 Lincoln Daily News June/July 2026 Scott McCoy discusses the future of tourism in Lincoln In June 2025, Scott McCoy sat down with Lincoln Daily News to discuss his vision for Lincoln pertaining to the exploitation of Route 66 as a major tourist attraction in the city. The 1926 installation of Route 66 came into the heart of the city on Kickapoo Street and made a right turn on Broadway and proceeded to Logan Street. This meant that today, the Mother Road runs right past the old State Bank building, as well as the Lincoln Depot and the christening site where Abraham Lincoln named and christened the city with the juice of a watermelon. Lincoln Illinois is the only city to be named for and christened by Abraham Lincoln before he became the 16th president of the United States. Excerpts from that June interview McCoy said that Lincoln has long been on his personal radar. He said that over the years he has spoken to various groups across the country about Route 66 and tourism, and he has used two communities as shining examples of towns that have missed the boat on Route 66, with Lincoln being one of those two. He said that it seemed like a big opportunity missed. He noted that there was really no reason for it to be that way. If Pontiac can draw tourists more than a mile off of 66 to their town, then why shouldn’t Lincoln, who has Route 66 traveling right into the heart of the city, be even more successful at drawing tourists? In another somewhat surprising move the Lincoln City Council on Monday, June 16th voted unanimously to purchase the building located at 500-508 Broadway Street. This is the former Heartland Bank & Trust building better known to most people as the old State Bank Building.
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