Discover the Only President Born in Illinois

There have been forty-five men who have become President of the United States. All of them have been different in their way, coming from different backgrounds and even different states throughout the country. Richard Nixon was the only one born in California, but Martin Van Buren was one of five born in New York. When it comes to Illinois, Ronald Reagan is the one president born in the Prairie State. Let’s explore the only president born in Illinois and where he was raised. We’ll also include some facts about President Reagan and the places in Illinois where he lived.

The Only President Born in Illinois

There are a whopping seven presidents born in Ohio, but just two were born in Texas. And when it comes to Illinois, only one president was born in the Prairie State. Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in Tampico, IL, on February 6, 1911. Reagan served as the 40th President from 1981 to 1989. He lived in Tampico on and off for nine years before settling in Dixon, IL in 1920 when he was nine years old.

About Tampico, IL

The birthplace of Ronald Reagan is a tiny village called Tampico, located in Whiteside County, IL. In 1852, the first white settlers arrived in the area and created a community that was eventually established in 1861. There was a rails road service that began in 1871, however, it no longer existed by the early 1980s. Today, Tampico has a population of about 800 people.

Other Places Where Reagan Lived

Ronald Reagan lived in several places around the country. Let’s take a look at each of those places.

• Tampico, IL: Reagan was born here and lived here on and off between Chicago, Galesburg, and Monmouth.
• Dixon, IL: Settled here in 1920, where Reagan went to school and graduated from Dixon High School.
• Eureka, IL: Attended Eureka College, graduating with a degree in economics and sociology in 1932.
• Davenport, IA: Worked as a sports broadcaster from 1932 to 1936.
• Los Angeles, CA: Started his career as an actor in Hollywood in 1937, remaining in LA for the rest of his life, except his time in the military, as Governor, and as President.
• Sacramento, CA: Lived here when he was Governor from 1967-1975.
• Washington DC: Lived here when he was President from 1981-1989.

About Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan lived in Tampico and other cities around the area, including Chicago, for several years before settling with his family in Dixon, IL. That is where he went to school and graduated from high school. Eventually, he went to Eureka College, and from there, he held several odd jobs. He arrived in Hollywood in 1937 and immediately started working as an actor. His first stint in politics was as President of the Screen Actors Guild, a post in which he served from 1947 to 1952 and again from 1959 to 1960. He ran for governor of California in 1966 and served from 1967 to 1975. Reagan ran unsuccessfully for president in 1976. However, he was successful in 1980, when he won handily and eventually served two terms.

Reagan Presidency’s Highlighting Acts

Throughout his presidency, Ronald Reagan enacted legislation that impacted many people throughout the country. Let’s take a look at President Reagan’s highlighting legislation during his presidency.

• Enacted trickle-down economics, also known as “Reaganomics,” which cut taxes to the wealthy and cut government spending.
• Invaded Grenada in 1983
• Ignored the AIDS epidemic and eventually acted years later after tens of thousands had died.
• Participated in a secret, illegal arms sale with Iran to ensure the Contras had arms, which is now known as the Iran-Contra Scandal.
• Ensured the Cold War in the late 1980s, in talks with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev.

Ronald Reagan Post-Presidency

Upon retiring from the presidency, Ronald Reagan lived in Bel Air, as well as his ranch called Rancho del Cielo in Santa Barbara. He opened the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in 1991 and continued to be somewhat active in politics throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. Unbeknownst to him and the public at large, his last public speech was in February 1994 when he was the man of honor at an event. Six months later, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Over time, the Azheimer’s grew more intense, and by 1997, he did not recognize many people from his past. It was reported that in 2003, he no longer recognized anyone, with the possible exception of his wife, Nancy Reagan. Ronald Reagan died on June 5, 2004, in Los Angeles, CA, aged 93.

Conclusion

And there you have it, the only president ever born in Illinois was Ronald Reagan. The so-called creator of trickle-down economics has been faired by historians in recent years much lower than in previous decades. As time goes by, his legacy will be known for several things, from ignoring the AIDS epidemic in its first years of crisis, welcoming extreme religiosity into Republican politics, and his conservative stance on economic policies, among other things.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Mio Buono/Shutterstock.com