Historic U.S. Route 6 Signs

Historic U.S. Route 6 signs installed on the east and west entrances of historic downtown Vermilion celebrate U.S. Route 6 as the oldest, longest and highest of the "old roads". The historic highway is 3,652 miles long, with a high point of 11,990 feet. It runs from the waterfront in Long Beach, California through 14 states, to the waterfront at Provincetown, Massachusetts located at the tip of Cape Cod.

The signs were a project of U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association and were funded by Main Street Vermilion and installed by the City of Vermilion. The signs are part of an effort to preserve the unique cultural and historical heritage along the longest coast-to-coast highway ever established in the United States.

The U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association, a nonprofit corporation, assists in the economic development of those cities, towns, and rural communities located along Historic U.S. Route 6. The Association supports efforts to restore and maintain remaining portions of the historic highway by promoting tourism along Route 6. The Association seeks out and/or provides grants for preservation and restoration of significant historical structures, education, health care, the arts, and new businesses along U.S. Route 6.

Efforts are being made to establish U.S. Route 6 heritage museums and educational facilities, as well as roadside parks, rest areas, and visitor centers.

The U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association hopes to keep and restore all remaining portions of the original sections of Route 6 which were constructed prior to 1956. These portions are being designated as "historic destination roadways".