For decades, the bricks used to build this pathway lay covered by asphalt on Washington Street in Pontiac until they were unearthed during a road work project in 2008. Until 1930, this stretch of Washington Street served as the detour route for Illinois Route 4 (SBI 4), the predecessor of Route 66, as it passed through downtown Pontiac. The reclaimed bricks have been put back into use for travelers on "The Mother Road."