Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home gets attention as it ages
DIXON, Ill. (AP) - The Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home in northwestern Illinois is getting more upgrades.
Nearly 50 projects have been completed at the home in Dixon, including fresh paint on rails and porches and new floor at the visitors center entrance, the Sauk Valley (http://bit.ly/2t9L1aO ) reported. The home will also be repainted.
"The place is really starting to come together. It really is," executive director Pat Gorman said.
About a dozen Dixon firefighters recently volunteered to help with projects.
Recent upgrades include grounding out stumps, putting down mulch, repairing the parking lot and installing new brick walkways. Roofs on the home and visitors center also need to be replaced at a cost of $15,000 to $20,000 each.
The home has also received a high-tech makeover as its website has been updated with video and a virtual tour.
There's still more work to be done. Gorman said the goal is to reverse the home's aging. Reagan lived in the house from 1920 to 1924.
"We're trying to make the place look presidential again," he said. "I want the place to look like a million bucks."
Since being hired, Gorman has started a fundraising campaign and a maintenance fund. He says $15,000 has been raised, but donations have slowed down.