Political Quotes

“Sunday is the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Ronald Reagan. When Ronald Reagan was born, his father Jack looked at his new son and exclaimed, "He looks like a fat little Dutchman but who knows, he might grow up to be President some day." In fact, Ronald Reagan grew up to become not just a President but one of America's most memorable Presidents. As we mark the 100th anniversary of his birth, much is being said and written about Ronald Reagan's White House years, and understandably so. But in my State of Illinois, people are also remembering an earlier time in the life of this iconic American. Ronald Wilson Reagan is the only American President born in Illinois. He entered this world on Feb. 6, 1911, in the little town of Tampico, IL, in an apartment above a bakery on Main Street. His father Jack sold shoes to support his wife and two sons. Over the first 9 years of his life, the Reagan family moved four times, from Tampico to Galesburg, to Monmouth, and the south side of Chicago before finally settling in Dixon, IL, population 10,000. Today, the white frame house at 810 South Hennepin Street in Dixon, the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home, draws visitors from around the world. It was in Dixon that the shy boy would begin to discover self-confidence and the talents that would serve him so well in life.”