PEORIA MAGAZINE July 2023

One of 23 murals in downtown Pontiac

Pontiac Cruise Night on the square downtown

travel on modern interstate highways, “it lets people move at their own pace.

traveled Route 66 in a 1966 school bus converted into the “land yacht” that is parked outside the museum. ‘WE BUILD EXCITEMENT’ It seems only fitting that a museum tribute to the Pontiac automobile should be in the heart of this city. The Pontiac-Oakland Museum and Resource Center on North Mill Street houses an impressive collection of vintage automobiles built by Pontiac and its predecessor, Oakland. Along with the classics and the chrome is a floor-to-ceiling library of service manuals and a colorful array of more than 2,000 oil cans.

of Guilding Arts relates the history and craft of gold and silver leaf in architecture and decoration. ‘DOWNTOWN IS ALIVE’ The clock tower on the Livingston County Courthouse, 70 feet high, watches over a thriving city center. There’s not a chain store or national franchise in sight. Homegrown restau rants and other mom-and-pop shops are joined by the Pontiac Doll Museum and the Community Art Center. The red-striped awning above the entrance to Pfaff’s Bakery is a landmark. The local purveyor of baked goods has satisfied sweet tooths for more than 75 years. Route 66 Kites and Board Games is on the square, filled with a dizzying array of colorful and exotic flyers. The shop sponsors the Route 66 Kit Festival in September. Adjacent to the square is Block 52, a green space and parking area that serves as a year-round site for activities including festivals, car shows and a winter ice skating rink. McElwee has only lived in Pontiac for five years, but he has been impressed with what he has seen in the downtown business district. “It’s well supported by the community,” he said. “When downtown is alive, the rest of the town can breathe, too.” ‘THE GREAT AMERICAN ROAD TRIP’ Another area of commercial activity is Wally’s, which entices travelers off

It gives you a chance to take a breath and look around.” Traveling Route 66, even just in Illinois, makes foreign visitors realize “what a gigantic, sprawling place America is,” McElwee added. The Pontiac Museum Complex is also home to the Livingston County War Museum, which preserves military artifacts and the uniforms of hundreds of local servicemen and women from World War I through Iraq and Afghanistan. Each uniform tells the story of the soldier who wore it. A volunteer staff of veterans and history enthusiasts conducts tours, answers questions and shares personal experiences. Elsewhere in the building are exhibits on life in the 1940s and on the Titanic, music of the Civil War and newspaper accounts of the assassination and funeral procession of Abraham Lincoln. The Bob Waldmire Experience is a tribute to the free-spirited artist and his work. He The Livingston County War Museum houses hundreds of uniformed mannequins, flags, and war memorabilia at 321 N. Main Street

The Pontiac-Oakland Museum in downtown Pontiac has everything related to those two car models

Opened in 2011, the museum is one of the reasons about 250 Pontiac GTOs and their drivers converge on the city each year for the largest “goat” rally in the Midwest. “I’m not even a car person and I find the museum fascinating,” said Vincent. Just down the street is another unique local experience. The Museum

JULY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 59