Pontiac in Livingston County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Bob Waldmire Road Yacht
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 29, 2020
1. The Bob Waldmire Road Yacht Marker
Bob Waldmire was born near Springfield in 1945. His prolonged passion for Route 66 began in 1962 when his parents took the entire family on a motoring trip to California via Route 66. During that trip, Bob fell in love with the Mother Road and all that it offered. Bob then spent the rest of his life traveling along Route 66 in either this school bus mobile home, a 1964 Mustang, or his 1972 Volkswagen Van. Bob supported his nomadic and eclectic lifestyle by painting and drawing for clients along the Mother Road. His art works are famous world-wide and Pontiac is proud to have one of Bob's Route 66 roadmaps painted inside the Route 66 Museum, as well as his 66-foot long Route 66 Map Mural.
Bob purchased this used 1966 school bus from a New Mexico dealer in 1987. His original plan for the bus was to clear out the interior and create a living space complete with bed, kitchen, and a work area. Among the images here, you will find the plan Bob used for designing the school bus home, the interior of the bus as decorated by Bob's mother, and samples of the interior of the bus as it looked when Bob passed away in 2009. The school bus home ultimately included an array of solar panels for electricity, a rain water collection system, a comfortable back porch, a storage loft, a working toilet and a shower. The bus is filled with
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the U.S. Route 66 series list.
Location. 40° 52.856′ N, 88° 37.739′ W. Marker is in Pontiac, Illinois, in Livingston County. It can be reached from North Main Street. Marker is located behind the Illinois Route 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum (110 West Howard Street). There is a parking lot accessible to the outdoor exhibits in the back. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 321 N Main St, Pontiac IL 61764, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Illinois. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Original Route 66 Wishing Well & Sign Countryside, Illinois 1941-2007 (a few steps from this marker); Original Washington Street Route 66 Bricks (a few steps from this marker); Historic Route 66 Illinois (a few steps from this marker); Pontiac City Hall and Fire Station (a few steps from this marker); Pontiac, Illinois (a few steps from this marker); Civil War Memorial - Livingston County Illinois (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Livingston County War Memorial (about 300 feet away); Desert Storm - War Memorial (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pontiac.
Also see . . .
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 29, 2020
2. The Bob Waldmire Road Yacht Marker
Next to the van. This is behind the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum.
1. Bob Waldmire on Wikipedia. Waldmire (1945-2009) was well-known among Route 66 enthusiasts for his love of the Mother Road, his laid-back "hippie" nature and his artwork. The "road yacht" was the inspiration for the Fillmore character in the 2006 Pixar film Cars. There is a memorial wall dedicated to him at the Santa Monica Pier in California, where Route 66 ends/begins in the west. (Submitted on December 26, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
2. Bob Waldmire's official website. The site is still running as of late 2020, which talks about where to find Bob's artwork. (Submitted on December 26, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 2, 2026. It was originally submitted on December 26, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 1,976 times since then and 164 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 26, 2020, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
