Illinois Executive Mansion
Encyclopedia
The Illinois Executive Mansion is the official residence
of the Governor of Illinois
. It is located at 410 E. Jackson Street in Springfield, Illinois
and is open to tours on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, free of charge. The Georgian style Mansion was designed by Chicago
architect John M. Van Osdel
. It recently underwent a three million dollar renovation. The Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
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 the oldest historic residence in the state of Illinois and one of the three oldest continuously-occupied governor's mansions in the United States
.
During the Christmas
season the mansion is decorated lavishly with Christmas decorations, including over a dozen Christmas tree
s.
Although sometimes used for state functions such as state dinner
s and the like, the mansion proper is, for the most part, a historic site
. The libraries, bedrooms, parlors, sitting rooms, etc. are maintained as they may have looked in the 19th century. The governor and his family are not expected to actually reside in the mansion itself. Rather, a 7-room private apartment behind the mansion is provided for the governor and his family.
Former Illinois Governor George Ryan
and First Lady
Lura Lynn Ryan
refurbished much of the mansion's furniture during their tenure using private donations.
In 2009, newly-elevated Governor Pat Quinn
announced that he was looking forward to living in the mansion, calling it "the people's house."
Official residence
An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...
of the Governor of Illinois
Governor of Illinois
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State 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....
. It is located at 410 E. Jackson Street in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
and is open to tours on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, free of charge. The Georgian style Mansion was designed by Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
architect John M. Van Osdel
John M. Van Osdel
John Mills Van Osdel was an American architect who is considered the first Chicago architect. He is considered a peer of the most prominent architects in the history of Chicago...
. It recently underwent a three million dollar renovation. The Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The 16-room manor was completed in 1855 and was first occupied by governor Joel Matteson
Joel Aldrich Matteson
Joel Aldrich Matteson was the tenth Governor of Illinois, serving from 1853 to 1857. In 1855, he became the first governor to reside in the Illinois Executive Mansion. After his term as governor ended he was for many years the president of the Chicago and Alton Railroad...
, who held the official grand opening on January 10, 1856. It is the oldest historic residence in the state of Illinois and one of the three oldest continuously-occupied governor's mansions in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
During the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
season the mansion is decorated lavishly with Christmas decorations, including over a dozen Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
s.
Although sometimes used for state functions such as state dinner
State dinner
A state dinner is a dinner or banquet paid by a government and hosted by a head of state in his or her official residence in order to renew and celebrate diplomatic ties between the host country and the country of a foreign head of state or head of government who was issued an invitation. In many...
s and the like, the mansion proper is, for the most part, a historic site
Historic site
A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have recognized with the official national historic site status...
. The libraries, bedrooms, parlors, sitting rooms, etc. are maintained as they may have looked in the 19th century. The governor and his family are not expected to actually reside in the mansion itself. Rather, a 7-room private apartment behind the mansion is provided for the governor and his family.
Former Illinois Governor George Ryan
George Ryan
George Homer Ryan, Sr. was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. Ryan became nationally known when in 2000 he imposed a moratorium on executions and "raised the national debate on capital punishment"...
and First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
Lura Lynn Ryan
Lura Lynn Ryan
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.-Early life:...
refurbished much of the mansion's furniture during their tenure using private donations.
In 2009, newly-elevated Governor Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (politician)
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Quinn III is the 41st and current Governor of Illinois. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Previously elected three times to statewide office, Quinn was the sitting lieutenant governor and became governor on January 29, 2009, when the previous governor, Rod Blagojevich,...
announced that he was looking forward to living in the mansion, calling it "the people's house."