advertisement

Illinois bicentennial countdown begins in Kaskaskia

Kaskaskia church bells proclaimed the beginning of the Illinois bicentennial 100-day countdown at 9 a.m. on Aug. 26.

There was a military salute and re-enactment of the signing of the Illinois 1818 Constitution. Kaskaskia was the first capitol of Illinois, which was recognized as a state on Dec. 3, 1818. The actual bicentennial celebration will be during 2018.

Approximately 60 Illinois DAR members were part of the crowd attending the celebration, including Michael Hillegas daughters.

Addressing a large audience at the Liberty Bell of the West memorial, Gov. Bruce Rauner thanked the Daughters of the American Revolution for "keeping the flame burning for America's values" and highlighting the events of the bicentennial celebration.

"We are here today to honor and remember all the great things about Illinois and celebrate our future, how we can learn from our past 200 years and make the next 200 years even better," Rauner said.

The re-enactment of the Illinois Constitution signing allowed individuals to sign for the 33 original signees. Original signees from the area were Michael Jones, Leonard White and Adolphus Frederick Hubbard from Gallatin County; Hezekia West and William McFatridge from Johnson County; and Samuel O'Melvney and Hamlet Ferguson from Pope County.</group><group id="C0C4D7BE-DC86-4DF8-95E0-5BF0EBEB69A8" type="seoLabels"><seoLabels>