Illinois Governor's Mansion

Last updated
Executive Mansion
Executive Mansion.JPG
Mansion in 2012
USA Illinois location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location410 E. Jackson Street,
Springfield, IL
Coordinates 39°47′47″N89°39′0.6″W / 39.79639°N 89.650167°W / 39.79639; -89.650167
Built1855
ArchitectJohn Murray Van Osdel
Architectural styleItalianate
NRHP reference No. 76000728 [1]
Added to NRHPJuly 19, 1976

The Illinois Governor's Mansion (formerly, Illinois Executive Mansion) is the official residence of the governor of Illinois. It is located in the state capital of Springfield, Illinois, near the Illinois State Capitol building, and the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. The Italianate-style Mansion was designed by Chicago architect John M. Van Osdel with a modified I-shaped configuration with a long central section stretching front to back. The 16-room manor was completed in 1855 and was first occupied by governor Joel Matteson, who held the official grand opening on January 10, 1856. It is one of the oldest historic residences in the state of Illinois and one of the three oldest continuously occupied governor's mansions in the United States. In 1898 alterations to the exterior added neoclassical elements. In 1972, the Illinois Governor's Mansion Association was founded as a charitable corporation to assist in the maintenance and programming at the mansion. [2] The Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

During the Christmas season the mansion is decorated lavishly with Christmas decorations, including over a dozen Christmas trees. While used for state functions such as state dinners and meetings, the mansion is also a house museum open to the public. The public libraries, bedrooms, parlors, sitting rooms, etc. are maintained as they may have looked in the 19th century. The governor and his family are not required to reside in the mansion, although a 7-room private apartment on the second floor of the mansion is provided for the governor and his family.

Governor George Ryan and First Lady Lura Lynn Ryan refurbished much of the mansion's furniture during their 1999 - 2003 tenure using private donations. [3] In 2011, a multimillion-dollar renovation was planned because the last repairs to the mansion were in 1971. [4]

The 2014 polar vortex led to significant water damage to the mansion, and Governor Pat Quinn, who chose to live in the mansion part-time, allocated about $40,000 in emergency repairs. [5] Shortly after his election as governor, Bruce Rauner announced that he and his wife would invest some of their money into repairing the mansion so they could live in it during his term. [5] On July 18, 2016, Illinois First Lady Diana Rauner announced a $15 million renovation project for the mansion, with the funding being raised privately. [6] [7] The work was completed for the Illinois bicentennial in 2018. [6]

Governor Rauner signed an executive order renaming the Executive Mansion, the Illinois Governor's Mansion, which became effective July 1, 2018. [8] The renovated mansion includes a new visitor's center, and made the mansion compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. [9]

Governor J. B. Pritzker resides in the governor's mansion full-time while his family commutes between Chicago and Springfield. [10] Again using private funds, additional renovations to guest rooms, fixtures, and plumbing were done in fall 2019. [11] In 2023, First Lady M.K. Pritzker, with the help of designer Michael S. Smith, completed an updated refurbishment of the interior and they published a book with Rizzoli, A House That Made History: The Illinois Governor's Mansion. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of Illinois</span> Chief executive office of the U.S. state of Illinois

The governor of Illinois is the head of government of Illinois, and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state. The governor is responsible for enacting laws passed by the Illinois General Assembly. Illinois is one of 13 states that does not have a gubernatorial term-limit along with Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, Vermont, New Hampshire and Puerto Rico. The governor is commander-in-chief of the state's land, air and sea forces when they are in state service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher G. Kennedy</span> American businessman, politician, and Chair of Joseph P. Kennedy Enterprises, Inc

Christopher George Kennedy is an American businessman, politician, and Chair of Joseph P. Kennedy Enterprises, Inc. He is a son of former U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, a member of the Kennedy family. Kennedy served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the University of Illinois from 2009 to 2015. Until April 2012, he was also president of Merchandise Mart Properties, a commercial property management firm based in Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum</span> Presidential library and museum for U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, located in Springfield, Illinois

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum documents the life of the 16th U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln, and the course of the American Civil War. Combining traditional scholarship with 21st-century showmanship techniques, the museum ranks as one of the most visited presidential libraries. Its library, in addition to housing an extensive collection on Lincoln, also houses the collection of the Illinois State Historical Library, founded by the state in 1889. The library and museum is located in the state capital of Springfield, Illinois, and is overseen as an agency of state government. It is not affiliated with the U.S. National Archives and its system of libraries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond Poe</span> American politician

Raymond Poe is an American politician and former Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) administers public education in the state of Illinois. The State Board consists of nine members who are appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate. Board members serve four-year terms, with State Board membership limited to two consecutive terms. The board sets educational policies and guidelines for public and private schools, preschool through grade 12. It analyzes the aims, needs and requirements of education and recommends legislation to the Illinois General Assembly and Governor for the benefit of the more than 2 million school children in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Republican Party</span> Illinois affiliate of the Republican Party

The Illinois Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party in the U.S. state of Illinois founded on May 29, 1856. It is run by the Illinois Republican State Central Committee, which consists of 18 members, one representing each of the state's congressional districts. Once the dominant party in Illinois, the state GOP has become a minority party within the last few decades, holding little power in the state. The current chairman is Don Tracy, who has served since 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. B. Pritzker</span> Governor of Illinois since 2019

Jay Robert Pritzker is an American businessman, philanthropist, attorney, venture capitalist, and politician serving as the 43rd governor of Illinois since 2019. A member of the wealthy Pritzker family, which owns the worldwide hotel chain Hyatt, Pritzker is based in Chicago. He has started several venture capital and investment startups such as the Pritzker Group, where he is a managing partner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lura Lynn Ryan</span>

Lura Lynn Ryan was the First Lady of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 to 2003. She was the wife of former Illinois Governor George Ryan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Mitchell</span> American politician

Christian Mitchell is the incoming Vice President for Civic Engagement at the University of Chicago. He currently serves as Deputy Governor for Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s administration. Prior to assuming that role, Mitchell represented the 26th District of Illinois as state representative from 2013 to 2019. He also served as the executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois during the 2018 election cycle, becoming the first African-American to hold the position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Rauner</span> Governor of Illinois from 2015 to 2019

Bruce Vincent Rauner is an American businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as the 42nd governor of Illinois from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the chairman of R8 Capital Partners and chairman of the Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR.

Kay Smith is a historical artist, who specializes in using watercolors and depicting landscapes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Illinois Comptroller special election</span>

A special election for Illinois Comptroller took place on November 8, 2016. After comptroller Judy Baar Topinka died shortly after her reelection in 2014, Republican Governor Bruce Rauner appointed Leslie Munger, a former business executive and unsuccessful 2014 nominee for the Illinois House of Representatives, to fill her seat at the beginning of his term in 2015. Per Illinois state law, a special election was held to elect a comptroller to finish Topinka's term. Munger ran as the Republican nominee against Democratic Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza. State Senator Daniel Biss ran for the Democratic nomination, but dropped out in November 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diana Rauner</span> American philanthropist

Diana Mendley Rauner is an American businesswoman and president of Start Early, a non-profit in Chicago. She served as the First Lady of Illinois from 2015 to 2019 as her husband, Bruce, served as governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Illinois gubernatorial election</span> Election of J. B. Pritzker as governor of Illinois

The 2018 Illinois gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor of Illinois, concurrently with the 2018 Illinois general election and other midterm elections. Incumbent Republican Governor Bruce Rauner ran for re-election to a second term in office, but was defeated by Democratic nominee J. B. Pritzker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juliana Stratton</span> American politician (born 1965)

Juliana Stratton is an American lawyer and politician, serving as the 48th lieutenant governor of Illinois since 2019. She previously served as a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019. She is the first African-American woman to become Illinois' lieutenant governor, and the state's fourth woman lieutenant governor overall, after Corinne Wood, Sheila Simon, and Evelyn Sanguinetti.

Start Early, formerly known as The Ounce of Prevention Fund, is a nonprofit organization in Chicago that promotes early childhood development in underserved communities across Illinois. Their programs include Educare Chicago, the Educare Learning Network, and Home Visits for Homeless Families. They base their programs off of early childhood development research.

Steve McClure is an American Republican politician who is currently a member of the Illinois Senate. He represents the 54th district and serves as the Floor Leader and as an Assistant Leader for the Senate Republican Caucus. The 54th district, located in Central Illinois, includes all or parts of Christian, Cumberland, Effingham, Macon, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery, Moultrie, Sangamon, and Shelby counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Policy Institute</span> Libertarian think tank

The Illinois Policy Institute(IPI) conservative nonprofit think tank with offices in Chicago and Springfield. Founded in 2002, it is active in the areas of education policy, pension policy, and state budget issues. IPI advocates for smaller government and lower taxes. It has an affiliated lobbying arm and legal arm. IPI is a member of the State Policy Network, a consortium of free-market think tanks in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Illinois gubernatorial election</span> Election for Governor of Illinois

The 2022 Illinois gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Illinois, concurrently with the 2022 Illinois general election. Gubernatorial candidates ran on tickets with candidates for lieutenant governor. The incumbent governor and lieutenant governor, first-term Democrats J. B. Pritzker and Juliana Stratton, sought re-election together against Republican nominees Illinois State Senator Darren Bailey and his running mate Stephanie Trussell.

Don Tracy is an American lawyer and Republican Party politician who serves as the Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party. He was elected to succeed Tim Schneider as Party Chairman in February 2021. He was a candidate for Lieutenant governor of Illinois in 2010. He finished in third place out of six candidates.

References

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. ↑ "About Us". Illinois Governor's Mansion Association. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  3. ↑ Angelo, Phil (2011-06-29). "Lura Lynn Ryan: State's former first lady was 'June Cleaver without the pearls". Daily Journal (Illinois) . Archived from the original on 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
  4. ↑ Ross Weidner (16 February 2011). "Quinn plans multimillion-dollar mansion renovation". ABC 7 Chicago News website. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  5. 1 2 Wilson, Caitlin (November 28, 2014) - "Rauner Says He Will Contribute Some of His Own Money to Repair Illinois Governor’s Mansion at Thanksgiving Dinner with Veterans" Archived May 1, 2016, at the Wayback Machine . Reboot Illinois. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Kamin, Blair (July 18, 2016). "Illinois' First Lady Unveils $15 Million Plan to Renovate Crumbling Executive Mansion". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Private Funds to Cover Executive Mansion Repairs". Rock River Times. July 21, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Rauner Renames Illinois' Executive Mansion". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  9. ↑ Mackey, Brian. "Look Inside The Renovated Governor's Mansion". NPR Illinois. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  10. ↑ Donovan, Lisa. "Pritzker: I'm moving to Springfield". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  11. ↑ "Pritzker spends $850K of his money to fix Governor's Mansion". 2019-10-06. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  12. ↑ Taylor, Elise (2023-10-06). "From Mary Todd Lincoln's China to New Work by Theaster Gates: Inside the Artful Redecoration of the Illinois Governor's Mansion". Vogue. Condé Nast.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.