The Belvidere Board of REALTORS® (BBOR) has partnered with the Boone County Arts Council and the Boone County Museum of History on two projects in honor of the Illinois Bicentennial.

Mural honors architect originally from Belvidere

Last year, the BBOR donated $1,000 to the Boone County Arts Council to help defray the costs of creating and installing the Jeanne Gang mural during Belvidere’s Heritage Days celebration.

Gang founded Studio Gang Architects in 1997, an architecture and urban design firm based in Chicago and New York. Her projects include: Aqua Tower in Chicago, an 82-story mixed-use skyscraper; the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College; the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago and the Bengt Sjostrom Starlight Theatre at Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL.

“We chose to partner with the Boone County Arts Council because architecture and design are important in homes and communities,” said BBOR President Ron Taylor, who noted that former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar proclaimed Belvidere as ‘Illinois’ City of Murals’ in August 1997. “Murals are an important part of Belvidere’s heritage. Seeing the murals being made and restored during the Heritage Day festivities gives the community a sense of belonging and connectedness that comes from the heart.”

Read the Rockford Register Star story about the dedication of the Jeanne Gang Mural.

Museum program impacts elementary students

The contents of a sample Teacher Trunk from the Boone County Museum of History in Belvidere, Illinois.

Earlier this year, a donation by Belvidere REALTORS® helped the Boone County Historical Museum add to its Teacher Trunk program. The program loans trunks of artifacts to local elementary school teachers and their students.  Teachers choose trunks that revolve around a theme, such as state symbols, Native American life, World War II and more. A new trunk will include artifacts representing Victorian life in early Boone County and include everyday items used in the home and clothes worn during the time period. It also emphasizes the historic homes in Boone County.

“We chose to partner with the Boone County Museum and do a Teacher Trunk because it is an opportunity for students to learn about homes and life of earlier generations in Boone County,” said BBOR Association Executive Karen Thomas. “Homes are important to everyone. Many people have fond memories of their childhood homes. The Teacher Trunk also helps students learn that a home isn’t always a house, but if it is a house it can be different from the house right next door. Home is where the heart is.”

REALTORS® across the state are working with heart in their communities to complete projects like this to commemorate the Illinois Bicentennial. The Belvidere Board of REALTORS®’ project is one of 36 legacy projects supported by our 28 local REALTOR® associations.

Projects include fundraising for local historic home repairs and historical community murals or promoting local historical properties and societies. Illinois REALTORS® has donated land in downtown Springfield next to its headquarters to build Bicentennial Plaza – a REALTOR® Community Partnership, which is a signature project of the state bicentennial celebrations.

The association is an official endorsed partner with the Illinois Bicentennial Commission, which oversees the state’s plans for the milestone birthday.

This blog post is part of a series over the next several months covering Illinois REALTORS® local associations legacy projects leading up to the state of Illinois 200th Birthday. Learn more.