Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 816 S. Hennepin Ave., Dixon, Illinois |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1891 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002580 |
| Added to NRHP | March 26, 1982 |
The Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home is a special house in Dixon, Illinois. It's where Ronald Reagan, who later became the 40th President of the United States, lived when he was a boy. He lived here starting in 1920. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. You can visit the home from April to October each year.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
How the House Began
This house in Dixon, Illinois, was built in 1891. Its design was very common for American homes at that time. The first owners were William and Susan Thompson. They sold the house in 1917.
The most important time for the house was between 1920 and 1923. This is when the Reagan family lived there. Later, in August 1980, a group of people from Dixon bought the home. They called themselves the Reagan Home Preservation and Restoration Committee. They wanted to save the house.
Becoming a Historic Site
Today, the Young America's Foundation runs the home. It is open for people to visit. In 2002, a law was passed. This law allowed the United States Secretary of the Interior to buy the house. The goal was to make it a U.S. National Historic Site. This means it would be managed by the National Park Service (NPS).
The foundation liked to say they didn't take money from the government. This was like Ronald Reagan's idea that "government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem." However, fewer people visited over time. In 2020, the Young America's Foundation decided to protect the property. They wanted to keep Reagan's ideas alive for future generations. They also protect Ronald Reagan’s Rancho del Cielo in California.
House Design and Style
The house was built in 1891. It shows the popular Queen Anne style. It has two floors and sits on a strong stone base. The roof is a gable roof. It was first covered with cedar shingles.
Why This Home Is Important
A President's Childhood Home
The Reagan Boyhood Home is very important because it was where Ronald Reagan lived. He and his family lived here from late 1920 until 1923. Ronald was nine years old and in grade school at the time. Even though they moved from this house, the Reagan family stayed in Dixon for many years.
Because of its connection to Ronald Reagan and its role in politics, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on March 26, 1982.
Reagan's Time at the House
Ronald Reagan himself said this house was important for his childhood memories. However, his brother Neil once said it wasn't the main house where Ronald had his most important memories of Dixon. The Reagan family moved often, and they only lived in this house for about two years.
While living here, Ronald and his brother Neil shared a bedroom on the second floor. This was even though the house had three bedrooms. Their mother used the third bedroom as a workspace. The brothers used a small building outside for things like raising rabbits. In the side yard, Ronald and Neil would play pick-up football games.
See also
- Birthplace of Ronald Reagan
- H. C. Pitney Variety Store Building
- Tampico Main Street Historic District
- Ronald Reagan Trail
