Grants to Enhance Tourism and Educational Opportunities in Central Illinois
SPRINGFIELD – Continuing to deliver on his commitment to expanding the tourism industry in Central Illinois and honoring an important period in the state’s history, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich announced today a $75,000 Tourism Attraction Development Grant for the Morgan County Historical Society to assist in the restoration and preservation of Woodlawn Farm. The Underground Railroad Committee is working to return the Woodlawn Farm into a hands-on, living history museum - showing life on a farm in the 1850's as recreated in the original buildings and farmland acreage, as well as telling its story as an Underground Railroad station during this significant period of our nation’s history. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s (DCEO) Bureau of Tourism is administering the grant. Illinois Bureau of Tourism Deputy Director Jan Kostner made the official announcement today with various local officials at Woodlawn Farm, which is near Jacksonville.
“This investment in Woodlawn Farm is a giant step towards helping us preserve this important destination, while educating people about one of the most honorable and brave movements for human rights in American history,” said Gov. Blagojevich. “We are committed to expanding the tourism industry in a way that not only creates good jobs, but drives visitors to both large and small communities to showcase the important contributions made throughout Central Illinois that have dramatically impacted our country.”
The Illinois Bureau of Tourism (IBOT) had previously provided $72,000 towards a comprehensive architectural and archaeological study of Woodlawn Farms by a Sangamon County research team. The study, done under the guidance of the Illinois State Museum, pointed out the structural issues that are being addressed by the latest grant. The findings also were instrumental in the decision earlier this year to add Woodlawn Farm to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Morgan County Historical Society acquired the 19th century farm home and six acres of adjacent property in 2003. The Underground Railroad Committee’s goal is to make Woodlawn Farm the centerpiece of Jacksonville's plans to celebrate its heritage as a focal point of Underground Railroad activity during the 1830’s and 1840’s. Documents collected by local researchers indicate that Woodlawn Farm served as a station for freedom-seekers who sought shelter along the network during their perilous journey north to Canada.
As part of other state efforts on the Underground Railroad (UGRR), IBOT is working on a Web site to launch in the fall that will discuss the history of the UGRR in Illinois and provide several different trip itineraries to sites that are currently visitor ready. In addition, IBOT is actively working with other UGRR sites to determine how to get them visitor ready and make them a tourism and historical destination.
“Through these grants, Gov. Blagojevich and I hope to bring the national focus of the Underground Railroad story to Jacksonville. We are not only making an important impact on the Central Illinois economy, but we are educating people from far and wide about our state’s important contributions to this chapter of our nation’s history at the same time,” said State Senator Deanna Demuzio (D-Carlinville).
"The Underground Railroad Committee is both celebrating these two wonderful gifts and expressing our profound gratitude to Governor Blagojevich and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Bureau of Tourism," UGRR Committee of the Morgan County Historical Society co-chair Jim Murphy said. "We believe their show of confidence by awarding us nearly $150,000 to advance the development of Woodlawn Farm as a state and national Underground Railroad site and living history museum is extremely gratifying.”
"These grants will have a significant impact upon how we share and celebrate the story of the Underground Railroad in Central Illinois," UGRR Committee of the Morgan County Historical Society Co-Chair Loreli Steuer said. “We are proud to be the driving force behind the project being announced today.”
"The Underground Railroad Committee has been and continues to be an asset to the growing number of educational and economic development opportunities taking place across downstate Illinois," Jacksonville Mayor Ron Tendick said. "Its work is helping to identify Jacksonville as a center for the study of this important period in our state's history."
“Gov. Blagojevich will continue making these kinds of important investments that are making a difference in Central Illinois, adding more revenue to the local economy and helping create more good jobs,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said. “Preserving and restoring Woodlawn Farm has far-reaching implications, and the benefits will be felt by students, scholars, tourists and the local population.”
“Gov. Blagojevich has made a commitment to helping communities across the state create new and better jobs through the tourism industry, and the enhancements to this historical site will bring new visitors and put more people to work throughout Central Illinois,” said Illinois Bureau of Tourism Deputy Director Jan Kostner.
The Governor recently announced that in 2006 visitors to twelve Central Illinois counties generated nearly $679 million in local economic impact. The economic impact of tourism from each of the counties in Central Illinois includes: Cass - $6.1 million, an increase of 7.4 percent from 2005 levels; Christian - $15.3 million, up 4.4 percent; Greene - $11 million, up 5.1 percent; Logan - $27.9 million, up 2 percent; Macon - $95.8 million, up 4.6 percent; Macoupin - $41 million, up 1.3 percent; Menard - $5.6 million, up 10 percent; Montgomery - $67.5 million, up 5.5 percent; Morgan - $32.7 million, up 4.5 percent; Sangamon - $337.3 million, up 5.1 percent; Scott - $3.6 million, up 4.9 percent; and Shelby - $34.9 million, up 8.5 percent, according to the Travel Industry Association of America.
Illinois hosted 91 million domestic visitors in 2006, which is a 6.4 percent increase over 2005, and is the state's highest level ever, according to data from D.K. Shifflet & Associates. The domestic economic impact of tourism increased by more than $2 billion in 2006 to a record setting nearly $27 billion, which was an 8.3 percent increase from 2005, according to the Travel Industry Association of America.