Rather Ashamed of Myself

The state of Illinois has a rather tragic budget situation right now, which is probably not unique. The budget is being cut right and left. One of the more alarming things was in Health and Human Services - which makes me wonder how many abused children will be lost in the system over the next few years.

Sadly, a whole bunch of our state landmarks are closing - including Carl Sandberg's birthplace and one of the Frank Lloyd Wright houses downstate. I am ashamed of myself for two reasons:

First, the article in the Travel section of USA Today was the first I have heard of these closings. And second, I do not recall having ever visited a single one of those historic sites. Although the Lincoln Log cabin might have been part of our 7th grade capitol trip.

This is the List, and the towns that will lose the tourist traffic:

PARKS CLOSING:

_Castle Rock State Park, Oregon
_Lowden State Park, Oregon
_Illini State Park, Marseilles
_Hidden Springs State Forrest, Strasburg
_Moraine View State Park, Leroy
_Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton
_Wolf Creek State Park, Windsor

HISTORIC SITES CLOSING:

_Dana-Thomas House, Springfield
_Lincoln log cabin near Charleston
_Fort de Chartres, Randolph County
_Vandalia statehouse
_State center at Bishop Hill, Henry County
_Carl Sandburg birthplace, Galesburg
_Cahokia courthouse
_Hauberg Indian Museum, Rock Island County, but the adjacent natural area will stay open.
_Jubilee College, near Peoria
_Apple River Fort, Elizabeth
_Fort Kaskaskia, Randolph County
_Pierre Menard home, Randolph County

You can read the full text of the article here.