The Mayor of Grantham, UK and the Mayor of Tampico, Illinois unveiled a plaque at the Ronald Reagan birthplace this week, to mark the creation of the pairing between their two historic towns.
Around 200 people, including schoolchildren, residents, local politicians and state broadcasters were present at the unveiling.
Last month it was announced that Grantham, – the birthplace of the late UK Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher and Tampico, Illinois – the birthplace of the late President Ronald Reagan – would establish a pairing relationship.
The Grantham Museum and the Birthplace Museum of Ronald Reagan are the first two organisations to develop ties.
The Mayor of Grantham, Cllr Graham Jeal – who has travelled to the United States at his own expense, will stay in the area for two days where he will visit the Boyhood Home of Ronald Reagan in the City of Dixon and address a number of community groups in the area.
Mayor Jeal said “There is a lot that we can learn from Tampico and the surrounding area. They are keen to
develop links with Grantham to improve tourism and create relationships between civic groups. This is not a part of Illinois I have been to before but I feel that there are very many things this area has in common with the people of Grantham and South Lincolnshire. I look forward to building on these transatlantic friendships.
Mr Jeal, who is also a trustee of the Grantham Community Heritage Association, presented Joan Johnson
and Sean Sandrock who work at the Ronald Reagan Birthplace with a gift from the Grantham Museum.
Margaret Thatcher (nee Roberts) was born and raised in Grantham and attended Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, before gaining a scholarship to study at Oxford University.
Her father Alfred, a grocer, was Mayor from 1945 to 1946. His daughter was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and was the United Kingdom’s longest serving Prime Minister of the 20th century.
She entered the House of Lords in 1992.
Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Iliinois, in an apartment above a bakery on February 6th 1911, graduating from Eureka College in 1932. He served as the Governor of California from 1967–1975 after a successful career in Hollywood, and was the 40th President of the United States of America from 1981–1989.
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