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Illinois Historic Preservation Division facts for kids

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The Illinois Historic Preservation Division is a part of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. It helps take care of special historic places owned by the state of Illinois. Their main job is to make sure these places are fun and educational for everyone who visits them, either in person or online. They also help decide which important places in Illinois should be added to the National Register of Historic Places, which is a list of places important to the history of the whole country.

Discovering Illinois' Past: A Look at Its History Keepers

How the Agency Started

The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) was officially created by state law in July 1985. But its roots go back much further! The oldest part of the agency, the Illinois State Historical Library, started way back in 1889. You could even say the state's work in preserving history began in 1865. That's when Illinois first got involved in building and caring for the Lincoln Tomb in Springfield.

Important Historic Places in Illinois

Throughout the 1900s, Illinois bought and restored many historic properties. One very important place is Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site in Menard County. This site is a rebuilt village where Abraham Lincoln lived in the 1830s. It was first set up in the 1930s.

The agency also looks after the Cahokia World Heritage Site. This amazing place has the largest ancient structures built by Native Americans in North America, north of Mexico. It's a truly special historical treasure!

Lincoln's Legacy and the Presidential Library

The IHPA continued to grow after 1985. A big reason for this was the continued interest in Abraham Lincoln. His 200th birthday was in 2009, and people wanted to learn more about him.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) opened in Springfield, Illinois, in 2005. It's a unique place because, unlike most presidential libraries, this one is owned by the state of Illinois.

Changes Over Time: Keeping History Alive

In 2016, there was a plan to change the agency. The idea was to move its duties to another department. However, many people felt that the other department wouldn't have the right skills or interest to care for these important historic sites.

Then, in 2017, the agency was split. The job of preserving historic sites and managing them went to a new division. This division became part of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. This department already manages state parks and other natural areas. The Lincoln Library (ALPLM) became its own separate agency.

Explore Illinois: A List of State Historic Sites

Here is an alphabetical list of more than 50 Illinois State Historic Sites. These are all managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Division:

Other historic sites in Illinois are managed by different state agencies, like the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). These include:

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