Amazing Photos: Wilmington Throws Party As Gemini Giant Returns

WILMINGTON ? Several hundred Wilmington residents beamed with pride as they took countless selfie photos on the coldest weekend of November at Wilmington's recently improved South Island Park, which is now home to a worldwide Route 66 tourist attraction, the Gemini Giant.

Saturday's bitter cold weather did not keep Wilmington residents away from South Island Park as they listened to the Route 66 Band play on the stage for an hour. Then at 2 p.m., hundreds of people walked over to the new location for the Gemini Giant for the commemorative ribbon-cutting.

During his speech, Joliet Area Historical Museum CEO Greg Peerbolte praised the city of Wilmington and also he singled out the Wilmington Police Department for praise because of their efforts on multiple occasions to make sure that the Gemini Giant was not destroyed by the woman who owns the shuttered Launching Pad restaurant.

Earlier this year, the Joliet history museum obtained a state tourism grant to allow the museum to purchase the Gemini Giant for $275,000. Once the contract was signed, the museum had the Gemini Giant moved the very next day, before the Wilmington Launching Pad property owner could cause more damage to her property or destroy the Route 66 icon.

"Today is really significant for us because it kind of represents for us a two-year journey with what we thought would be acquiring the Launching Pad property, and everyone knows the twists and turns that took us to acquire the Gemini Giant," Peerbolte told Joliet Patch's editor. "We're just happy he's back where he belongs.

"He's along Route 66 in Wilmington and the support system that you can see all day that has been present ... we love the location. You're steps off of the route. I think it's a lot safer location. That was kind of a concern as well, how close the giant was to the right of way. This will allow people to spend some time on an extended basis and enjoy him," Peerbolte explained.

"There are massive improvements coming to the (South Island) Park here as well so what you see today is kind of just the beginning of this. When this was all originally contemplated, we did not know we would have the star of the show back here, the Gemini Giant. We're looking forward to working with the city and keeping the momentum going and just ensuring that the guest and the visitor have the best experience possible in our region."