Statewide, including in Livingston, Cumberland, Madison and Jackson counties
Various
Various
Various
(Meramec Caverns Barn near Cayuga, Illinois. Photo credit: Paul Morgan)
Meramec Caverns is a cave network and tourist attraction located on Route 66 near Stanton, Missouri. In 1933, amateur spelunker Lester Dill purchased the caverns and began to provide tours. To market the tours, he began offering to paint nearby farmers’ barns for free if the owners would allow him to advertise the Meramec Caverns on them. Barn advertisements began to crop up along Route 66, the National Road and other thoroughfares. Millions of motorists traveled these highways, making the barns ideal billboards. Dill and his employee, Jim Gauer, painted close to 400 barns in 14 states, including a number in Illinois.
(Meramec Caverns Barn near Edwardsville, Illinois. Credit: Scott Evers)
Many of the Meramec Cavern mural barns across the original 14 states have been lost, and those still standing are in deteriorated condition. This spring, Landmarks Illinois and the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway identified five Meramec Cavern Barns in Illinois in various states of disrepair. Two of them face imminent danger: one near Glenn, Illinois, and the other near Cayuga, Illinois. The disappearance of these structures represents an ongoing loss of Illinois’s heritage tourism. The barns are not merely colorful roadside kitsch, but also pieces of the history of Route 66 and the National Road, two of the most historically significant highways in the United States.
(Meramec Caverns Barn near Glenn, Illinois. Credit: Matt Meacham)
Landmarks Illinois will continue to work with the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway and the Route 66 Association of Illinois to identify the remaining Meramec Caverns barns in Illinois. Working with the owners, an action plan can be developed to address the deteriorated barns with the help of grant funding and volunteers.
(Meramec Caverns Barn near Edwardsville, Illinois. Credit: Scott Evers)
Contact Casey Claypool, Executive Director of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, with information on any extant Meramec Cavern Barn in Illinois.
(Meramec Caverns Barn near Cayuga, Illinois. Photo credit: Paul Morgan)
“Placing the Meramec Barns on the ‘Most Endangered’ list through Landmarks Illinois is a crucial step in preserving these historic structures for future generations. This designation not only raises awareness of their cultural significance but also opens the door to funding and support for their restoration. By securing their place on this list, we are ensuring that these iconic landmarks continue to tell the story of advertising history in the U.S. and along its interstate system while paving the way for their revitalization and long-term preservation.”
(Meramec Caverns Barn near Cayuga, Illinois. Photo credit: Paul Morgan)
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