Pontiac

from 2022 Discover Central Illinois Magazine

Effingham

PONTIAC: LIVINGSTON COUNTY

Pontiac: Nature, Art, Classic Cars, Museums, Music

Looking for a perfect place to get away but not too far away? — Pontiac is the place to visit. Located in central Illinois, Pontiac is a great place to spend the day, or even better, a multi-day vacation/staycation.

Love The Great Outdoors? — Along the banks of the Vermilion River in Humiston-Riverside Park is a community bandshell with entertainment all summer long with an awesome splashpad, fun playground equipment, and plenty of room to run.

The Vermilion River flows through town and is crossed by three swinging pedestrian bridges, offering a unique wobbly, walking experience. Chautauqua Park houses a championship disk golf course, and a historic pavilion used for performances by the community theater group, The Vermillion Players. Just outside the city limits is the Humiston Woods Nature Preserve, which includes 335 acres of forest, 8 acres of prairie, and seven hiking trails — open sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year.

Calling All Artist And Art Lovers — Pontiac has more than 25 large, colorful, outdoor murals created by a talented group of artists known as the Walldogs. Simply follow the red footprints from mural to mural for a walking tour with nostalgic charm. A collection of miniature art cars scattered around the downtown sidewalks — each one created by a local artist or group — is great for family pictures and selfies.

The Pontiac Community Art Center is a studio, teaching space, gallery, and retail sales outlet for locally produced work. Pontiac is also home to the one-of-a-kind Museum of the Gilding Arts. Created by the International Society of Gilders, the museum focuses on the history, craft and art of using precious metal in design and decor. The Swift Collection, a recreation of a gold leaf manufacturer from the late 1800s, is also on exhibit.

Visitors will also love the one-of-a-kind museum: The Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum and Resource Center. With classic Oaklands and cool Pontiacs, the museum is the only one dedicated to just those two automobile brands. The museum is also home to one of the largest collections of oil cans and antique road maps around.

History Buff? We’ve Got You Covered — The Pontiac Museum Complex houses a variety of exhibits and displays, including: n The Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum offers a collection of images, artifacts, and stories about the nation’s most famous road — Route 66. Stories related to internationally famous Route 66 artist and icon Bob Waldmire, including his school bus home “The Road Yacht,” a VW Microbus, and a gallery of artwork are featured; n The Livingston County War Museum pays tribute to the men and women from Livingston County who served in the nation’s military since World War I; n Selle-Agner Exhibits — Ron Selle and Darlene Agner, curators;

n The Life in the 1940s features four rooms, completely furnished with furniture and toys of the era. Visitors are encouraged to stop into the “Stage Door Canteen” to enjoy some vintage 1940s music; n The Life on the Titanic exhibit portrays the life and times of the ship, its passengers, and the elegant Edwardian Age. The items on display are contemporaries of those that sank on the famed ship, as well as items from the rescue ship; and, n The Music of the Civil War — Learn about the music that was popular in the Antebellum period. There are framed original editions of sheet