Towanda, IL Route 66 Arboretum

The Towanda, IL Route 66 Parkway Arboretum stretches 3.5 miles along an abandoned stretch of Old Route 66.  This is perhaps the only accredited arboretum located along the “Mother Road.”  Over 345 trees have been planted along the Parkway showcasing 91 different species providing an avenue to educate visitors about the importance of conservation and preservation by emphasizing how humans have interacted with the local physical and cultural environments.  Special trees in this collection include a sycamore grown from a sycamore seed located on the grounds of George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate. The arboretum also includes trees grown from seeds deriving out of historical sites such as a birch from the Robert Frost Farm Historic Site, a sugar maple originating out of the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, and two swamp white oaks located near the World Trade Center 9-11 Memorial.

This arboretum is not only a conservation project, but also affords educational and recreational opportunities where visitors can explore unique physical and human landscapes to experience nature and history through bike trails, gardens, historical plaques, murals and displays.  This linear prairie arboretum along Old Route 66 is a delightful outdoor museum of trees, shrubs, and grasses flanked by corn and soybean fields