Have you visited the kid-sized bike path west of the Route 66 playground at Harvester Park in Burr Ridge yet? It’s officially called Harvester Highway and there are big plans for that area that we’re excited to share. We got a sneak peek because some of the elements are already built and waiting to be installed, so you can be the first to see what Burr Ridge Park District is working on!
In addition to the current Wilderness Frontier section with animal sculptures and hands-on activities, six new mini attractions are coming. The journey down the path will take you on an imaginary trip down Route 66 across Illinois with mini roadside attractions you’ll recognize from the real thing.
So much research went into making it authentic and there are going to be interactive features that kids are going to love. We love how Burr Ridge Park District keeps kids in mind when designing their park features, with everything at eye level for them, built-in history lessons, and elements to interact with. So creative and fun!
Here’s a rundown of what you have to look forward to along Harvester Highway:
- Becoming Burr Ridge: A nod to Burr Ridge’s roots as farmland, with farm animal sculptures, a planting bed with crops, and a cow with a working udder kids can “milk.” Did you know that in 1956, the village of Burr Ridge was actually named Harvester and it wasn’t until 1962 that it became Burr Ridge?
- Santa Fe Speedway: A miniature oval track with elevated ramps, 16’ X 10’ with trackside adornments where kids can ride bikes, scooters, and balance bikes, or race remote control cars. Santa Fe Speedway used to be located off the southwest corner of 91st Street and Wolf Road in Willow Springs and was operational from 1953 through 1995, and it’s coming back as a replica!
- Land of the Giants: The Pink Elephant and Green Sinclair Dino will greet you around the bend, along with photos and a map of Illinois marking where you can find the real Route 66 roadside giants, like the Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston, Illinois.
- Vintage Gas Station: A pretend-play gas pump and air pump under a 6-foot roof structure, styled after old Route 66 filling stations.
- Mississippi River Flatboat: Set on a slight incline with a movable paddle and keel, this 10′ x 8′ boat will sit on suspension chains so kids can get the sensation of floating downriver. It will have a nice tie-in to Lincoln’s two trips down the Mississippi River as a young man.
- Chain of Rocks Bridge: A scaled-down version of the real pedestrian/bike bridge near St. Louis, with 6′ and 8′ sections and a straight 4′-high stretch on the other side, which will make a grand exit from the path.
The project is expected to be completed by fall 2027, and we’ll share updates as construction moves along. In the meantime, Harvester Park’s existing Route 66 playground is still open and definitely worth a visit if you haven’t been.
