Ever wonder about the collection of old buildings you pass as you enter Normal on Route 66 from the north? There’s a story here – in fact, lots of stories! Local writer Ruth Cobb created a tour guide highlighting the connections between Route 66 and the former Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's School for the 2023 Miles of Possibility – Route 66 tourism conference in Normal.
(Photo of a Children’s Village cottage ca. 1960 courtesy of Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's School (ISSCS) Collection, Dr. JoAnn Rayfield Archives, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois)
Ruth Cobb came to Bloomington-Normal in 1970. She worked at Normal Public Library, Illinois State University, two local newspapers, and a business magazine, and was a publicist for local non-profit groups for more than 40 years. She researched and wrote a commemorative history of the former Illinois Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Children’s School in Normal that was published in 2007. Ruth continues to work with institutions and individuals to preserve the ISSCS legacy and to honor its role in local and state history.