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CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — President’s Day honors Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.
The holiday recently includes celebrating all the men who’ve been our Commander-in-Chief.
Several have made their way to Champaign-Urbana in recent history. President Clinton visited Champaign in 1998 and spoke at the State Farm Center. Unfortunately, Air Force One got stuck in the mud flying out of Willard in Savoy. President Obama was honored with the Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government by the U of I in 2018.
Presidents John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter also made stops in Champaign-Urbana during their presidential runs. U of I’s Reference Archivist Linda Stepp said the high stature of the university and great culture make Central Illinois a desired destination for presidents to visit.
“A lot of them were on their flight and on their flight path they would stop over here,” Stepp said. “Especially if they were campaigning, I think that would be a likely reason for them to come.”
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