Springfield has joined communities around the state in hoisting a new Bicentennial flag to mark Illinois’s upcoming 200th birthday.
It’s just one part of how the celebration will play out locally. There is a local Bicentennial committee in Springfield planning town hall meetings and other events, despite having almost no budget to work with.
One local history buff, Tony Leone, says he wishes more were being done to capitalize on the milestone… but says there is still time over the next year to seize the opportunity.