BISHOP HILL, Ill. — A village in Henry County with more than 150 years of history has watched its buildings decay for decades.
On Wednesday, March 6, Bishop Hill area state legislators and several of its residents made their case for the state to include historic landmark restoration in its budget.
Joella Krause's family was among the original Swedish immigrants who founded the village in 1846.
"For more than 70 years, the state has been the steward for five of the 20-plus original properties in Bishop Hill," Krause said. "Over the years, state financial and preservation commitment has dramatically changed to be non-existent."
State Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Aledo) said Bishop Hill's neglect is unacceptable.
"As a state, we have a job to maintain our infrastructure," Anderson said, "and it's unfortunate that these historical buildings have been allowed to fall in such disarray."
Jeff Goard is a potter and owns The Potter's House in town. He said the village is a great place to raise a family, and wants it to stay that way with the help of state funding.
"I love Bishop Hill, you don't come out to a place like this and start a business if you don't like where you're going," Goard said. "I want to see it, you know, thrive and be successful."
It's not known yet if state lawmakers will add Bishop Hill restoration funds to their budget plans. The Illinois General Assembly needs to approve the state's Fiscal Year 2025 budget by July 1.
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