In next week’s installment of Dyspepsiana, I argue that a nice way to mark the State of Illinois’ 200th anniversary in 2018 would be to restore the memorial it built to celebrate the commonwealth’s first one hundred years — the Centennial Building, a.k.a. the Howlett Building, on Second Street.
Objections will be raised because of the cost. Very well, a Plan B exists just a block up the street.
The Illinois State Armory is in some way a perfect memorial to the
commonwealth’s second hundred years. The state government’s indifference to its
built heritage over that century has allowed the building to rot and official penny-pinching has stalled its
replacement, So there it stands, slowly collapsing, no longer suited to its
original purpose but managed by a government that lacks the wit to imagine a
new one. All we need to do it put a plaque on it.
Happy anniversary!
This article appears in Aug 25-31, 2016.
