Illinois Bicentennial

Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect who designed more than 1,000 structures. Wright was best known for his design Falling Water, finished in 1935, along with the Dana-Thomas House in Springfield.

Betty Ford, born on April 8, 1918 in Chicago, served as First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of Gerald Ford. As First Lady, she was very active in social policy and created precedents as a politically active presidential wife.

Irene McCoy Gaines was an American social worker and civil rights activist who fought against segregation throughout her adult life. She passed away on April 7, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois.

Following his honorable discharge in 1864, Stephenson began practicing medicine in Springfield, Illinois, and soon began plans for a national association of Union veterans. He named the new organization the Grand Army of the Republic, wrote the GAR's constitution, and adopted the GAR motto "Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty". The organization would be open to all Union soldiers and sailors who were honorably discharged. Stephenson found a lack of enthusiasm for the GAR among Springfield veterans, so he chose nearby Decatur to establish Post No. 1, Decatur, Department of Illinois, Grand Army of the Republic, on April 6, 1866.

St. Anthony's Hospital fire was a disaster that occurred on April 4, 1949 in Effingham, Illinois. The disaster killed 74 people at the 100-bed hospital. It is used as a prime example of possible fire hazards in hospitals.

Don Dickson was a chiropractor and discovered the burial mounds on his family farm in Lewistown. Instead of removing the bones, he only removed the dirt. He covered his excavation with a tent. He later replaced his tent with a building and set up a private museum, which after much controversy closed to the public in 1992.

Buddy Ebsen was born on April 2, 1908 in Belleville, Illinois and was best known for his role as Jed Clamplett on 'The Beverly Hillbillies'.

Cheap Trick formed in Rockford, Illinois in 1974. The band would not achieve mainstream popularity in the United States until 1979 with their breakthrough album Cheap Trick at Budokan with their biggest hit "I Want You To Want Me".

Red Norvo was one of jazz's early vibraphonists, known as "Mr. Swing". He helped establish the xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone as jazz instruments.

On March 30, 1819, the first General Assembly of the State passed what was known as the "Black Laws."

Oscar Ferdinand Mayer was a German American who founded the processed-meat firm Oscar Mayer that bears his name.

The Charleston riot occurred on March 28, 1864, in Charleston, Illinois, after Union soldiers and local Republicans clashed with local insurgents known as Copperheads.

Along with Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius and Frank Lloyd Wright, he is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modernist architecture.

Bob Woodward was born on March 26, 1943, in Geneva, Illinois. Woodward along with Carl Bernstein would help bring down President Richard Nixon with their reporting in The Washington Post.

In the Centralia Mine Disaster on March 25, 1947, the Centralia No. 5 coal mine exploded near the town of Centralia, Illinois, killing 111 people.

John Wesley Powell was a U.S. soldier, geologist, explorer of the American West, professor at Illinois Wesleyan University, and director of major scientific and cultural institutions.

On March 23, 1963, O'Hare International Airport was dedicated by President John F. Kennedy.

With just 98 students, Hebron was the smallest high school to win Illinois' single-class championship in 1952.