Local museums commemorating Route 20 centennial

Like other U.S. federal highways, U.S. Route 20 will mark its 100th anniversary on Nov. 11, 2026. It is the country’s longest federal highway at 3,365 miles in length and starts in Boston, Massachusetts and ends in Newport Oregon.

It traverses a total of 12 states. In Illinois, Route 20 originally ran through the city of Chicago and then, west along Lake St. In 1938, it was re-routed south of Chicago to the west to bypass the city.

In DuPage County, Route 20 travels through the communities of Elmhurst, Addison, Bloomingdale, Roselle and Bartlett. It was originally a Native American trail; in the 1830s, it was a major stage coach route from Chicago to Galena, and in early 1900s it was the road to Elgin.

It has been known by many names in its history — the Chicago-Elgin or Elgin Road, Lake St., the U.S. Grant Memorial Highway and most recently, the Medal of Honor Highway.

In 2024, a group of history museums from Elmhurst, Addison, Bartlett and Elgin came together to form a collaborative named: “A Century of Travel through Illinois: Route 20 1926-2026.”

In September 2025, the collaborative produced a joint promotional video highlighting the significance of Route 20 in each of these communities in DuPage and Kane counties. The video can be viewed on the village of Addison YouTube channel.

Communities along Route 20 in DuPage are also marking the road’s centennial by presenting historical exhibitions in 2026.

In Elmhurst, the Elmhurst History Museum will feature the story of Lake Street as it runs through the north side of Elmhurst.

The display, located in the History Spotlight section of the second-floor exhibit, “By All Accounts,” will share how the road served as the northern border of the city, hosting several memorable sites such as the Elmhurst Airport and the Elm Lawn and Arlington cemeteries.

Artifacts from these businesses will accompany photos to help commemorate the 100th anniversary of Route 20. The display will be available to view throughout summer 2026.

In Addison, the Addison Historical Museum presents the permanent exhibition Historic Route 20 which examines the national highway through a local lens through historic photographs and artifacts and “Route 20 Turns 100,” a temporary display in the village hall rotunda during 2026, which provides an overview of the national, state and local significance of the highway.

Stop by the museum to purchase your commemorative Route 20 magnet and pick up your complimentary centennial bookmark while supplies last!

Join us as communities along historic Route 20 celebrate the centennial of this important highway in 2026.