Tampico, Illinois

We are headed for Springfield, Illinois to photograph the State Capitol building.  Naturally, I am easily diverted when something interesting comes up.  Now even though the Tourist Information Center at the border was closed, the Town of Tampico managed to put a brochure near the state maps that alerted us to the fact that we were pretty darned close to the birthplace of president Ronald Reagan.  We never miss a presidential birthplace, childhood home or presidential library.

As we approached Tampico an hour or so later, a sign showed that we were in the right place.


Tampico is one of several Illinois locations on the Reagan presidential trail.  I had no idea.  Did you?


We soon located the Reagan birthplace.  (1911)  He was born in an apartment above either a bakery or a tavern, depending on who is telling the story.  Apparently, the building housed a bakery, a tavern and a bank on the bottom floor at various times.  I kind of prefer the "saloon" version myself.  Bank certainly has presidential stature, but something tells me that the gipper would go for "saloon."


And the mural.


And the boyhood home. (1911-1914)


Well, that put us a bit behind schedule.  That meant that we didn't get to Springfield yet.  So we stopped in Peoria for the night.  But in between Tampico and Peoria, we got to see a beautiful sunset.  And I decided that it was time for one more windmill picture.  I think they look better in the sunset, don't you agree?