TAMPICO HISTORICAL MUSEUM- Located in the former W.H. Harrison General Store. The building was donated to the Tampico Historical Society by Mr.& Mrs. Paul NICELY in 1991 and opened to the public on May 10, 1992. The Farm Museum was formerly a part of the Simpson/Powelson Lumber yards and donated to the Historical Society by the Wayne COOPER Family. HY&T RAILROAD-"The little engine that could" from 1909 to 1954. For the railroad buffs, visit our historical museum and enjoy the many artifacts, pictures and articles left of the HY&T railroad. Refered to locally as "The Dummy", it ran through Hooppole, Yorktown and Tampico. The TAMPICO TORNADO NEWSPAPER established May 4, 1876 - Copies are archived at the Historical Museum. TAMPICO CENTENNIAL BOOK- (1875-1975) Step back in time with a pictoral and written history of Tampico and the surrounding areas such as Deer Grove and Yorktown in our Tampico Centennial Book. A historical record commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the incorporation of the Village of Tampico. With Festivities Program for July 13-19, 1975! Includes bios on area families, businesses and churches.

Objectives: The purposes for which this Society is organized are exclusively for charitable, educational, religious or scientific purposes as well as to promote research, exploration and discovery into and of the history of the villages of Tampico, Deer Grove and Yorktown, IL and of the early inhabitants of the land upon which the villages are located and to educate the citizens and future generations of this area of this history.

Background TAMPICO was incorporated as a village February 26, 1875. It is located on land owned by J.W. GLASSBURN. Tampico Main Street Historic District was named to the National Register of Historic Places, Washington, D.C. on June 2, 1982. The District was given recognition because it is a good intact representation of late 1800 small town main street America. The District includes the building in which RONALD REAGAN, 40th President of the United States was born, February 6, 1911. The National Register of Historic Places serves to give special recognition to sites which have important national significance by helping to preserve and protect the area. RONALD REAGAN BIRTHPLACE - Built in 1895 by Fred Harvey SEYMOUR and later known as the Graham building. The upstairs apartment was rented by Jack Reagan September 1906. Both Reagan sons were born there. John Neil Reagan on September 16, 1908 and Ronald Wilson Reagan on February 6, 1911. The downstairs was a bakery and/or resaurant. The First National Bank moved into the downstairs in 1919 and Stockholders of the First National Bank purchased the property in 1920. Assets were sold to Tampico State Bank in 1931. R.F. WOODS was made trustee. In 1948 he became sole owner of the building. R.S. Woods purchased the building from his father's estate in 1956. Mr. & Mrs. Paul NICELY purchased the building in 1968. Tours of the Reagan apartment are available.

Welcome to Tampico, IL Pronounced TAM-pico TAMPICO is noted for the number of Amish-Mennonite families who have settled in the area and contributed to its agricultual enterprises. Their school and church are located south of Tampico on State Route 172. For outdoor entertainment, the Hennepin Canal provides over 50 miles of excellent trails for snowmobiles, hiking, camping, fishing and wild life observation.

The Hennepin Canal was built in 1890 as a commercial vehicle for agricultural products. The Tampico Feeder, which is located 1 1/2 miles east of Tampico was built in 1900 and was dedicated in 1909.

 Carloads of families drive through Tampico annually between Thanksgiving and New Year's to View the many lighted Christmas displays in the village and surrounding countryside.

TAMPICO AREA NATIVES INCLUDE: Ronald Reagan, President of the United States; Neil Reagan, Ronald's brother; Rear Admiral Reeves, Commander-in-Chief U.S. Fleet 1934-1936, Distinguished Service Medal WWII; The Shaheen Family: John (deceased)- former OSS member during WWII, newspaper and oil man; Attorney Raymond Shaheen, Chicago; Richard Shaheen (deceased); Mrs. Hugh (Ruth) Downs; Nels L. Pierson (deceased) Chairman of the Board & President Chicago Motor Club - AAA 1979-1994; William B. Grahan, Chairman of the Board, Baxter/Travenol Laboratories; Kenneth Martin, Career Counseslor, State Department, Washington, D.C., former Peace Corp Volunteer

Tampico Time Line 1856-1967

1856 - First School Built 1856 - First religious service in township, held in Aldrich School. Officiating Wesleyan minister was Mr. Pinkney, followed soon after by William Gray, a Protestant Methodist.

 1858 - J. W. Glassburn bought 160 acres on site of Tampico.

1862 - Sloughs were piked.

1863/64 - First County Ditch dug.

1870 - In the fall, Fisher, Thompson & Bryant put up scales and an office and started to buy grain.

 1871 - No platted community prior to arrival of train in 1871

1871 - Community acquired a post office, Sept. 1, 1871. J.S. Kimball was first postmaster.

1871 - First Fire occurred

1871 - Methodist Episcopal Society organized.

1874 - First Grade School

1874 - January 5th, second fire occurred.

1874 - Tornado on June 6th.

1874 - Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church organized and in 1875 built a church

 1875 - Tampico incorporated as a village, February 26, 1875

 1875 - St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church organized.

 1876 - TAMPICO TORNADO NEWSPAPER established May 4, 1876 (Last issue, Dec. 1966)

1877 - Tampico BAPTSIST CHURCH organized. They rented the SWEDISH LUTHERAN CHURCH and purchaserd it in 1880.

 1877 - Hook & Ladder Co. formed May 24, 1877.

1881 - ST. MARY'S CHURCH bought land for a cemetery.

1882 - Cemetery Assoc. formed in July.

1882 - First Bank organized on May 28.

1885 - THERE WERE 5 SCHOOLS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

1887 - In May the TAMPICO ELEVATOR burned.

1895 - TELEPHONE installed in Tampico.

 1897 - YORKTOWN MASONS' LODGE moved to Tampico.

 1897 - ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT BUILT.

 1897 - Order of Eastern Star organized, Nov. 23

1900 - CHURCH OF CHRIST organized Oct. 21.

1903 In fall of 1903 rural mail carriers started to make deliveries.

1907 - In Sept. a memorial to Civil and Spanish-American War veterans erected.

1908 - First spike driven for "The Dummy" - The Hooppole, Yorktown and Tampico Railroad.

1912 - Group of men organized the Tampico Farmers Elevator.

1912 - L.E. Chapin erected a new building and opened a Cream & Poultry station.

 1913 - Illinois Northern Utilities acquired the electric light system.

1915 - ALL NIGHT ELECTRIC SERVICE ESTABLISHED.

1915 - Village voted to organize a VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

1921 - Original part of new High School built

1921 - AMERICAN LEGION orgnized Aug. 10,

 1921. Auxiliary organized at same time.

 1921 - Home coming held.

 1932 - Christian Science Society purchased a home and remodeled it for a meeting place.

1933 - Spur built to connect Tampico with highway.

1933 - Chapin's started to manufacture cheese.

1935 - Reorganized two routes for rural delivery.

1935 - Free cheese sandwiches given at Homecoming.

 1936 - Dr. L.C. Johnson, Tampico's last doctor, came to town.

 1936 - Former Admiral J. Mason Reeves, a native of Tampico, was guest Homecoming.

1940 - New brick Grade School building erected (W. 2nd Street). An addition was built in 1953.

1950 - Ronald Reagan, Tampico native, honored at Homecoming.

1951 - Addition built on high school.

1952 - ST. MARY'S PARISH HALL built.

1955 - Tampico FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT organized.

 1947 - Tampico National Bank organized.

 1960 - Second addition built on High School.

1962 - The present Fire Station built.

1966 - Tampico girl was Miss Black Hawk.

1966 - Chapin's Creamery closed due to lack of milk.

1966 - The Kolbs printed the last copy of the TAMPICO TORNADO.

 1967 - Amish School established.

 1967 - Continental Telephone Company bought Tampico Farmer's Telephone Co.