Reagan sites that I have visited:
Reagan birthplace and boyhood homes Tampico, IL
Reagan boyhood home Dixon, IL
Reagan shooting site Washington Hilton Washington DC
The Reagans home where Ronald Reagan died Bel Air, CA
Reagan Library, Museum and gravesite Simi Valley, CA
I, personally am a big Ronald Reagan fan. So when we took some time to see the sites connected with his early life in Northwestern IL. during our March 2011 western trip, I really enjoyed it! Above is the picture of his birthplace in Tampico, IL. He was born in an upstairs apartment above the bank to the left of the photo. The bank is restored to how it looked when the Reagans lived here. And the area to the right is now a museum and visitors center.
When we visited the Reagan birthplace the tour guide told us about the Reagan window. There where 3 windows along the side wall of the Reagans upstairs apartment. The windows where there because the section of the building that the Reagans lived in was added at some point, and the original windows to the outside were never removed. There was another family living in the apartment on the other side of the windows. They were good friends of the Reagans. Whenever Reagans mother would have to run errands she would open the window and her 2 boys would pass through the window into the neighbors apartment so that the neighbors could babysit until she got back. In 1992 Ronald Reagan visited his birthplace. When the 81 year old former President took the tour of his own birthplace he came to the window and passed through it again just as he did as a kid. In the last couple of years both of Reagan's sons Micheal and Ron have visited the birthplace and passed through the window. When I visited I couldn't resist asking if I could go through the window. As the picture proves our kind older lady tour guide let me open the window and pass through.
We actually stopped in Dixon before we went to Tampico. Dixon is a bigger town. This is where Reagan spent his teen years. The house is open to the public, but they were closed the day we stopped by.
I didn't really plan for it to happen but 2011 became a big year for me as far as Presidential Libraries go. In March I toured Truman and Hoover. We went to the Eisenhower Center also but were exhausted and decided to skip the Library and Museum part. Which I deeply regret now. Anyways in June I toured the LBJ Library and Bush 41 Library. Then in October I toured the Nixon and Reagan Libraries. For me, my favorite one so far is Reagan. In no small part I'm sure because Reagan is my favorite of the modern Presidents.
Ronald Reagan was a radio personality and actor as a young man. He was President of the Screen Actors Guild and eventually Governor of California before being elected President in 1980.
Today most people on the left look to John F. Kennedy as a recent figure head of their way of thinking. In the same way, people on the right look to Ronald Reagan. Probably his biggest achievement is ending the Cold War. "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" is one of his best known sayings. He said it in a speech at the Berlin War.
"Government is not the solution, Government is the problem." was another Reagan quote and it pretty much sums up his domestic policy. He cut taxes and beefed up the military.
He survived an assassination attempt in 1981, which some say broke the Tecumseh curse. The story goes that when Tecumseh is killed in battle by forces led by William Henry Harrison, that Tecumseh's brother 'the Prophet' put a curse on Harrison. When Harrison died one month after taking office it seemed to start a pattern that every President elected every 20 years starting with Harrison would die in office or be assassinated. So it goes: W. H. Harrison elected 1840, died 1841. Lincoln elected 1860, assassinated 1865. Garfield elected 1880, assassinated 1881. McKinley re elected 1900, assassinated 1901. Harding elected 1920, died 1923. FDR re elected 1940, died 1945. JFK elected 1960, assassinated 1963. I'm not saying there is anything to it but it is a strange coincidence.
Reagan was the oldest President at the time, taking office just a few weeks before his 70th birthday. Donald Trump has since taken office at the age of 70, beating Reagan by a few months. He served 2 full terms. He cut taxes and beefed up the military. Just a few years after he left office he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He died in 2004 at the age of 93.
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| Ronald Reagan birthplace Tampico, IL |
I, personally am a big Ronald Reagan fan. So when we took some time to see the sites connected with his early life in Northwestern IL. during our March 2011 western trip, I really enjoyed it! Above is the picture of his birthplace in Tampico, IL. He was born in an upstairs apartment above the bank to the left of the photo. The bank is restored to how it looked when the Reagans lived here. And the area to the right is now a museum and visitors center.
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| The restored bank. We were the only ones there. So it was like getting a private tour. |
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| The room in which Reagan was born |
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| The Reagan window at the birthplace in Tampico, IL |
When we visited the Reagan birthplace the tour guide told us about the Reagan window. There where 3 windows along the side wall of the Reagans upstairs apartment. The windows where there because the section of the building that the Reagans lived in was added at some point, and the original windows to the outside were never removed. There was another family living in the apartment on the other side of the windows. They were good friends of the Reagans. Whenever Reagans mother would have to run errands she would open the window and her 2 boys would pass through the window into the neighbors apartment so that the neighbors could babysit until she got back. In 1992 Ronald Reagan visited his birthplace. When the 81 year old former President took the tour of his own birthplace he came to the window and passed through it again just as he did as a kid. In the last couple of years both of Reagan's sons Micheal and Ron have visited the birthplace and passed through the window. When I visited I couldn't resist asking if I could go through the window. As the picture proves our kind older lady tour guide let me open the window and pass through.
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| Across the street from the birthplace is another upstairs apartment that the Reagans had lived in at one point. Tampico, IL |
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| Another Reagan boyhood home in Tampico, IL. This one is for sale. |
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| Me at Reagans boyhood home in Dixon, IL. |
We actually stopped in Dixon before we went to Tampico. Dixon is a bigger town. This is where Reagan spent his teen years. The house is open to the public, but they were closed the day we stopped by.
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| The school house that Reagan attended in Dixon |
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| The church where Reagan was baptized as a boy in Dixon |
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| A statue of Reagan in Dixon, IL |
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| This is the site where Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. Washington Hilton, Washington DC |
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| It was on this sidewalk that Reagan was walking on when John Hinkley Jr. opened fire at the President, wounding him. |
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| The Bel Air residence of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Ronald Reagan died here in 2004. The address was originally '666'. But Nancy had it changed to '668'. Bel Air, CA |
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| I was able to pass by the Bel Air residence of Ronald and Nancy Reagan during a Hollywood Bus tour. Since we couldn't get past the gate, here is an aerial view of the Reagans home that I found on Yahoo |
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| Entrance to the Reagan Library |
I didn't really plan for it to happen but 2011 became a big year for me as far as Presidential Libraries go. In March I toured Truman and Hoover. We went to the Eisenhower Center also but were exhausted and decided to skip the Library and Museum part. Which I deeply regret now. Anyways in June I toured the LBJ Library and Bush 41 Library. Then in October I toured the Nixon and Reagan Libraries. For me, my favorite one so far is Reagan. In no small part I'm sure because Reagan is my favorite of the modern Presidents.
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| The scenery is beautiful out at the Reagan Library |
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| My sister with the Reagan statue at the entrance to the Museum |
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| Reagans Oval office |
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| This Air Force One was used by every President from Nixon to Clinton. On display at the Reagan Library |
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| statues of Reagan and Gorbachev |
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| Ronald Reagans Tomb Simi Valley, CA |
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| Me at the Tomb of Ronald Reagan |
Ronald Reagan was a radio personality and actor as a young man. He was President of the Screen Actors Guild and eventually Governor of California before being elected President in 1980.
Today most people on the left look to John F. Kennedy as a recent figure head of their way of thinking. In the same way, people on the right look to Ronald Reagan. Probably his biggest achievement is ending the Cold War. "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" is one of his best known sayings. He said it in a speech at the Berlin War.
"Government is not the solution, Government is the problem." was another Reagan quote and it pretty much sums up his domestic policy. He cut taxes and beefed up the military.
He survived an assassination attempt in 1981, which some say broke the Tecumseh curse. The story goes that when Tecumseh is killed in battle by forces led by William Henry Harrison, that Tecumseh's brother 'the Prophet' put a curse on Harrison. When Harrison died one month after taking office it seemed to start a pattern that every President elected every 20 years starting with Harrison would die in office or be assassinated. So it goes: W. H. Harrison elected 1840, died 1841. Lincoln elected 1860, assassinated 1865. Garfield elected 1880, assassinated 1881. McKinley re elected 1900, assassinated 1901. Harding elected 1920, died 1923. FDR re elected 1940, died 1945. JFK elected 1960, assassinated 1963. I'm not saying there is anything to it but it is a strange coincidence.
Reagan was the oldest President at the time, taking office just a few weeks before his 70th birthday. Donald Trump has since taken office at the age of 70, beating Reagan by a few months. He served 2 full terms. He cut taxes and beefed up the military. Just a few years after he left office he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He died in 2004 at the age of 93.
