by jimhinckleysamerica | May 22, 2023 | Adventure, community development, Lifestyle, RECOMMENDED LOCATIONS, Route 66 centennial, Route 66 restaurant, Travel, Travel Tips, urban exploration
The historic courthouse in Pontiac, Illinois is the centerpiece of an historic business district with a palpable and infectious vibrancy. ©Jim Hinckley’s America
The 19th century courthouse in Pontiac, Illinois is an architectural gem. Casting long shadows across the square is a towering monument to honor Civil War veterans of Livingston County. Mayor Rathbun and President Theodore Roosevelt officiated at the dedication ceremony on June 3, 1903.
Pontiac is a village steeped in history that is infused with an infectious vibrancy. Colorful murals, an eclectic array of museums and shops in the historic business district, and pride in its association with Route 66 are manifestations of the dynamic enthusiasm that has transformed Pontiac into one of the states leading destination cities.
Learning Something New
Officially the population of Pontiac nestled along Route 66 in Illinois is 11,359 people. But not all of the residents enjoy the diverse array of restaurants. And many of them never skip the special events at the museums or in the parks on the Vermillion River that are connected by three historic picturesque foot bridges. Some of the residents counted in the census are guests of the state of Illinois at the nearby Pontiac Correctional Center.
That was one of the tidbits that I learned during the fascinating conversation with Liz Vincent, Pontiac’s passionate tourism director, on the May 21, 2023 episode of Coffee With Jim.
There are so many exciting things taking place, and that are being planned as we draw closer to the Route 66 centennial, in Pontiac that it almost makes the head spin. No wonder Pontiac was selected to host the official National Road Trip Day celebration this year!
Vision and Leadership
Leadership with vision and leadership with the ability to inspire diverse groups to work toward a common goal will transform a community. The speed of that transformation is directly linked to the leaders understanding about the role of tourism in economic development.
Walking the streets in Pontiac it is hard to imagine that until just a few years ago this was a fast fading midwestern farming community. The historic heart of Pontiac with dozens of empty storefronts had a ghost town feel.
That was then. Today at every turn the visitor finds evidence of a strong sense of community. Visitors are welcomed so warmly thoughts of relocation sonn dance in your head.
And there is also a plethora of innovative promotional and marketing ideas on display. As an example, consider the VIP (Visitor In Pontiac) program that was discussed with Liz on the Coffee With Jim podcast. Promotional material sums up the program simply.
If you are a community organizer or elected representative with a hunger to see your community transformed I can highly recommend a field trip to Pontiac. And if possible, schedule some time to visit with Liz.
At Jim Hinckley’s America we tell people where to go and we share America’s story. We also inspire road trips, and through programs such as Coffee With Jim, lend a hand to folks that want to transform their community into a destination.
by jimhinckleysamerica | May 3, 2023 | Adventure, community development, Hollywood history, Kingman Arizona, Lifestyle, Route 66 authors, Route 66 centennial, Route 66 Events, Route 66 history, Travel, urban exploration
The home of legendary frontier era lawman Commodore Perry Owens in Seligman, Arizona just off Route 66. ©Jim Hinckley’s America
In September of 1887, Apache County Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens rode into Holbrook to arrest Andy Blevins. Blevins, his brothers, and acquaintances that they rode with had a feasome reputation in the Arizona Territory. They were thieves, rustlers, and cold blooded murderer’s. And they weren’t afraid of Owens.
The gunfight lasted mere minutes. When the smoke cleared Andy Blevins was mortally wounded. John Blevins was bleeding profusely but would survive. Sam Houston Blevins and Mose Roberts lay dead. Owens was unscathed.
The Blevins House still stands in Holbrook. It is a private residence with a monument commemorating the now nearly forgotten shootout.
Missed Opportunity
Holbrook never really capitalized on this event or this story in the development of toruism as a component of economic development. Likewise with the beautiful 19th century train depot, the territorial era Bucket of Blood Saloon, or the historic Navajo County Courthouse.
Contrast that with Tombstone, Arizona. On October 26, 1881, the Earp brothers and Doc Holiday faced off against the Clanton-McLaury gang at the OK Corral. The rest, as they say, is history. Tombstone built an entire tourism industry around this single event.
The late Bob Waldmire was a folk artist of legendary stature. Among Route 66 enthusiasts his work and legacy is revered. In 2004, Bob Waldmire earned the National Historic Route 66 Federation’s John Steinbeck Award for his contributions to the preservation of Route 66. His eclectic lifestyle and 1972 VW microbus that served as a studio and home when Waldmire was on the road served as inspiration for the Filmore character in the animated film Cars.
A mural by iconic folk artist Bob Waldmire at TNT Engineering on Route 66 in Kingman, Arizona.
Pontaic, Illinois harnessed Waldmire’s popularity in the Route 66 and folk art community as an integral component in the development of tourism that literally transformed the town into a destination. Kingman, Arizona has an an orignal Bob Waldmire mural, and a display of his orignal work, at TNT Engineering, orignally a Ford dealership built along Route 66 in the 1960s.
Waldmire’s work isn’t recognized or promoted in the Kingman’s official tourism marketing. An innovative narrated self guided historic district walking tour developed by Kingman Main Street finally put the mural and other public art displays in the spotlight. But a year after its introudction the walking tour still hasn’t been included in the city’s tourism marketing initiatives.
Tourism Dollars and Cents
Every community has a story. Every community can use that story as as a component in marketing and in the development of tourism. And, of course, in the context of economic development tourism is easy money.
Leadership that develops cooperative partnerships, that builds a sense of community purpose, and that utilizes all marketable assets is key to succesful tourism marketing. This is crucial if a town is to maximize the economic poential of tourism.
This is the second installment in our series about the economic impact of tourism. As the exclusive Jim Hinckley’s America series continues, I will be sharing action items that have a demonstrable history of sucess in economic development as well as historic district revitalization.
by jimhinckleysamerica | Feb 4, 2017 | Uncategorized
Why do some communities along Route 66 thrive, and
others continue the decline precipitated by the highways bypass. Why is Pontiac or Cuba a destination for legions of international travelers as well as entrepreneurs? In regards to tourism development, why do some communities such as Kingman or Tucumcari move forward at glacial speeds or even stagnate even though their tourism related assets far outnumber those found in Pontiac or Cuba? Why is Seligman a beehive of activity but Ash Fork flirts with becoming a ghost town?
On numerous occasions I have addressed these thoughts and related issues in blog posts. In recent years I have also made numerous presentations on the subject in various communities, and assisted with the development and marketing of events. However, over the course of the past year my involvement with tourism as a catalyst for economic development has broadened. It has included a stint as a marketing development consultant for Ramada Kingman, a role I now play for Grand Canyon Caverns, and some representative work for the City of Kingman. I am also involved with the innovative Promote Kingman initiative, and proudly serve on the economic development committee for the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, formerly the Route 66: Road Ahead Initiative steering committee.
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