The Morrison Historic Preservation Commission (MHPC) has announced that the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, has recognized and listed the community’s “Main Street Historic District” on the National Register of Historic Places.
Shown at left is the 100 block of E. Main Street, Morrison, IL, looking east.
When the news broke, Mayor Everett Pannier said, “What an honor this is for our town! Recognizing the inherent value of our commercial buildings and their history is a harbinger of many good things to come. We can now build on an attraction that has gained National recognition. This is an exciting time.”
MHPC Chair, Tim Slavin, observed that “The entire town should be thrilled. It has been a long road to arrive at this goal, but it was well worth the effort. My fellow Commissioners, Sharon Moore, Lon Rice, Bill Shirk, and Bob Vaughn deserve the credit for many hours of dedication and faith in this project. This opens the door for marketing opportunities and financial rewards for our Main Street merchants and Morrisonites as a whole.”
“Our group will now put together initiatives to assist individual building owners, the Chamber of Commerce, and the community at large, to make use of the beneficial prospects now lying before them.”
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a National program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.