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Photo: Joan Johnson in restored First National Bank, Tampico, Illinois.
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*HOURS OF OPERATION
Open 7 days a week April-Oct. Monday through Saturday, 10:00 - 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
OR OPEN BY APPOINTMENT: Call birthplace phone 815-438-2130 or Joan Johnson 815-622-8705 .
VISIT US ON FACEBOOK!
~ Large groups need to call in advance to schedule your visit & get pricing information. Thank You~
RONALD REAGAN BIRTHPLACE & MUSEUM
111 - 113 S. Main Street
P. O. Box 344 (Mailing address)
Tampico, IL 61283
Birthplace phone: 815-622-8705
Joan Johnson, Curator/Mgr.: 815-622-8705 email Joan
Birthplace email: reaganbirthplace@thewisp.net or garyjoan@thewisp.net
Become a volunteer! If you have a few hours any day of the week that you would like an opportunity to meet interesting people from all over the world, or would just like to help out in a historic place, possibly see some old friends or make some new ones, please consider becoming a volunteer at the Birthplace. Contact: Joan Johnson at reaganbirthplace@thewisp.net, or call: 815-622-8705
RONALD REAGAN HISTORY IN TAMPICO, IL
by Joan Johnson
Curator & Mgr. of Reagan Birthplace & Museum
Ronald Reagan - 40th President of the United States – Only President born in Illinois
President Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico on Feb. 6, 1911 in an apartment above a bakery. The bakery was purchased by the First National Bank in 1919 and continued as a Bank until the 1930's. The apartment where he was born has been refinished to look as it did when he was born there. The bank has been restored to again look like a working bank of the early 1900's. The store located to the South of the Bank originally was a grocery store and now houses the gift shop for the Reagan Museum.
When Ronald was 4 months old, the family moved from the apartment to a house on Glassburn Street. The house is located across the street from Reagan Park (originally known as Railroad or Depot Park). Ronald and Neil played on a cannon in the park as young children. He referred to the park and the cannon in several of his stories. When he was 4 years old, the Pitney Store, where his father, Jack Reagan worked, was sold and the Reagans moved to Chicago where Mr. Reagan worked for a short time at the Fair Department Store. The family then moved to Galesburg, where Mr. Reagan was employed as a store clerk. While there, Ronald learned to read at the age of 5, before starting to school. He attended Silas Willard School in Galesburg and skipped grade 2. The family then moved to Monmouth for a short time. They were called back to Tampico for Mr. Reagan to again work for Mr. Pitney, who had acquired his old store back. The family lived above the Pitney Store until moving to Dixon in December of 1920.
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