Since February marks the birthday of two prominent US presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, Presidents' Day falls on the 3rd Monday. So now is a good time to remember other presidents with Illinois ties. Ulysses S. Grant (#29) lived in Galena before and after the Sectional War of the 1860's, and moved from there to Washington, D.C., upon his election as President. Visitors can still tour his home in Galena (#29), like my family and I have. The main roadway in the Galena area is US Federal Route 20, so, appropriately, the portion of US 20 in Illinois is designated as the U.S. Grant Memorial Highway (#30). I drive on a segment of it along LaGrange Road each workday while commuting to the Orland Park Public Library.
Ronald Reagan (#31) was born in Tampico (#32), and later moved to Dixon (#33) with his family. He graduated from Eureka College (#34).
As for the right-hand people, Charles Gates Dawes was living in the Chicago suburb of Evanston (#35) when he was elected Vice President upon the election of President Calvin Coolidge in 1924. The Dawes House is now home to the Evanston History Center (#36), and people can tour the home to learn more about Mr. Dawes and Evanston as well, as I did a few years ago.
Adlai Stevenson I (#37) also served as Vice President. And his son Adlai Stevenson II (#38) ran two times unsuccessfully against Dwight Eisenhower. The home/farm of Mr. Stevenson II (#39) is now on property of the Lake County Forest Preserve District and is open for tours, which is something else I've done, getting there by enjoying a fine drive along the Des Plaines River corridor (#40) up to Mettawa (#41). Mr. Stevenson II was governor of Illinois, and his son Adlai Stevenson III (#42) was a US Senator for Illinois.
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