Tampico to celebrate sesquicentennial year with Feb. 22 kick-off ceremony

TAMPICO – Tampico, the birthplace of President Ronald Reagan, is set to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the village’s incorporation with a sesquicentennial kickoff on Saturday, Feb. 22.

The celebration begins at 2 p.m. at the Reagan Community Center, 202 W. Second St. Tampico Mayor Bruce Peltier, the Tampico Area Historical Society, and Elevate Tampico will host the event.

The Tampico Area Historical Society and Elevate Tampico will host a ceremony at 2 p.m. that day to kick off the festivities for the rest of 2025, leading up to the annual Tampico Days celebration July 17-20.

“Beginning Tampico’s 150th anniversary with such a fantastic sesquicentennial kickoff event will be the perfect start to a yearlong celebration in such a historic community,” Peltier said.

“We are beyond excited to share our local history and pride of Tampico and surrounding communities with everyone,” said Jenee Blackert of the Tampico Area Historical Society.

The ceremony will be at the Reagan Community Center in Tampico, with a proclamation by Mayor Bruce Peltier, an appearance by state Sen. Li Arellano, and the honoring of past village administrations.

This free event is open to the public and surrounding communities. The event will include a live auction with auctioneer Rob Young featuring a Traeger grill and many other items, multiple silent auction items, dessert auction items, a 50/50 raffle, as well as Tampico sesquicentennial merchandise and memorabilia for sale.

“Kicking off Tampico’s sesquicentennial with this event will send us into the Tampico Days celebrations in July with lots of energy,” said Mallory Wetzell of Elevate Tampico.

Sean Sandrock of the Ronald Reagan Birthplace and Museum said that Tampico, as the birthplace of Ronald Reagan, holds so much history.

“This kickoff event will be the perfect opportunity for our community to share their history and the town’s excitement for the annual celebrations,” Sandrock said.

The village of Tampico was founded by J.W. Glassburn on his farmland in the northeast corner of Tampico Township. Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico on Feb. 6, 1911, and was the 40th president of the United States from 1981–1989, the only president born in Illinois.

For information about Tampico go to www.tampicoil.com.