SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – The Queen\u2019s Gate 66 sculpture was dedicated Friday as part of the National Route 66 Centennial Celebration Kickoff.<\/p>\n
The sculpture stands on St. Louis Street just west of Glenstone Avenue. Designed by Amie Jacobsen and Jake Balcom, the sculpture stands nearly 20 feet high and 32 feet wide in the center of St. Louis Street. It will be illuminated at night.<\/p>\n
\u201cGateways matter. They mark transitions, between places, between eras, between what was and what comes next,\u201d said Mark Hecquet, Visit Springfield president and CEO, who also serves on the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission. \u201cQueen\u2019s Gate stands as a symbolic entry point to Route 66\u2019s story here in Springfield \u2013 a reminder that this city has always welcomed travelers, ideas, and change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Funding and partnerships<\/p>\n
The sculpture and its installation were funded by a $1 million state appropriation made possible by Sen. Lincoln Hough. Visit Springfield managed the project.<\/p>\n
Gordon Elliott, owner, and Dale Replogle, CEO, of Elliott Lodging Inc., which owns the Rail Haven, allocated a portion of the Rail Haven\u2019s parking lot for Queen\u2019s Gate 66 visitors. City Utilities and the city\u2019s Public Works Department relocated utilities, prepared the site, and assisted with the installation.<\/p>\n
Musical Road plays \u2018America the Beautiful\u2019<\/p>\n
Visit Springfield introduced a new Musical Road experience on St. Louis Street near Queen\u2019s Gate 66. As drivers travel across a specially engineered section of roadway at the recommended speed of 30 mph, precisely spaced rumble strips create the melody of \u201cAmerica the Beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n
The song was selected as a tribute to America\u2019s open road, the spirit of Route 66, and the upcoming celebration of America\u2019s 250th anniversary.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis project started with a simple goal: we wanted to create a unique new experience for visitors traveling Route 66 in Springfield,\u201d Hecquet said. \u201cThe Musical Road does exactly that. It gives people something unexpected, memorable, and fun, while adding another reason to stop, explore, and experience Springfield in a new way.\u201d<\/p>\n
The project was developed in partnership with Route 66 Musical Roads LLC. Springfield\u2019s Musical Road joins a limited number of similar road attractions across the U.S.<\/p>\n