Field Trip - Ronald Reagan's 100th Birthday Party

Won't you come along on a field trip to celebrate Ronald Reagan's 100th Birthday?

On February 6th, my mom and I drove out to Tampico, Illinois, where Reagan was born in 1911. There were all kinds of celebrations that week, including a fancy fund raising dinner in Chicago and another in Reagan's boyhood town of Dixon. Unfortunately, the keynote speakers, Dennis Hastert and Newt Gingrich forgot to send me free tickets and I didn't have money for the $250 a plate event. Besides, I prefer the small town, home grown affair.

My mom and I attend every year. Last year she wasn't able to attend and I dragged the Farmer. Remember? We met Reagan's son Michael, who was in attendance.

The road to Tampico is the typical northern Illinois scene. It's flat and sparsely populated. Farmhouses in this area are spaced apart by many acres. The roads are straight and set up in a grid pattern. Think straight and flat.

Tampico is small, only 800 residents and I always say that must include pets and livestock. It's only a few blocks square.



We've arrived at the small storefront that houses the Historical Museum. This is not a museum devoted to Reagan, but a place where all the local history is housed. The Reagan Birthplace Museum is a few doors down.



Mom stands under the bunting.



They're open for the party and we're all invited to come in.



Sign the guest book. They've had vistors from as far away as Iceland. Lots of Germans have visited also and there's a large piece of the Berlin Wall displayed in nearby Dixon, Illinois.

The local history contained in this building includes class photos from the local schools.



There are lots of other interesting items including this barber's chair.



Many of the locals gather to celebrate and catch up on their lives.



The press is in attendance to get the story.



The press contingent includes this photographer from the Associated Press. Photographers hate to have their photos taken, so I see this as a coup! He was a very interesting person. He had the choice of staying in the city and covering the snow removal or driving out to Tampico to cover the birthday celebration. He chose birthday!



Three local schoolchildren were chosen and crowned king, queen and prince. Their task was to cut the cake.



The queen took her job very seriously.



The prince was a bit confused about why we were singing happy birthday to someone who'd died.



Lighting the candles.



Birthday cake!!



Thanks for coming along with us. I hope the drive was not too boring.

Grab some red, white and blue jelly beans on your way out.

Let's Go to Josie's

Today we're going to take a trip out to Josie's Antiques. Her place is between a nearby town and DeKalb, Illinois. It's a nice ride in the country. We visit Josie's every so often just to browse and have some quiet time. It's very quiet on her farm, except when her peacock is screaming. Yes, peacocks are incredibly loud and annoying.

The farmhouse and barns are quite a distance from the main highway.



She's got an historic 1839 barn that is filled to the brim.



There are also many interesting outbuildings that are likewise filled. When we park the car we see the small outhouse structure. There are a few antiques inside.



Her chickens are just to the left as we walk down the path.



And her ponies are wearing their warmest winter coats.



Let's go inside the main building. Josie bakes fresh chocolate cookies every day for her customers.



They are good.

This woodburning cookstove stood in her kitchen for thirty-some years and she did actually cook on it. It is notoriously difficult to maintain any kind of long term even heat and it's a nightmare to attempt a turkey in one of these. My sister recently took a seminar on how to cook on a woodburning stove that was offered through Old World Wisconsin.

I'm fascinated by these small sinks. Josie had many of them in the different buildings.



Here's another one. I'd love to find a spot for one.



I totally fell in love with this old card catalog.



Thanks for going along with me to Josie's! Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you how she helped me to solve a mystery.