Adding to the honors conferred on them by the Illinois State Historical Society last year, Pekin and Tazewell County and their history again were the recipients of ISHS awards and recognition at the 2025 Illinois State Historical Society “Best of Illinois” Awards Luncheon, held Saturday, 26 April 2025 at The Inn at 835 in downtown Springfield, Illinois.
Following are the awards bestowed on Saturday that have a Pekin or Tazewell County connection, grouped by award category. Photographs are courtesy the Illinois State Historical Society and the Pekin Public Library.
Books, Other:
Pekin Bicentennial: Pekin, Illinois 200 Years, 1824-2024, City of Pekin, Pekin Bicentennial Committee, Jared Olar, Susan Rynerson. This certificate of excellence was bestowed in recognition of the Pekin Bicentennial Pictorial book which was funded by the Pekin City Council, planned by the Pekin Bicentennial Committee, and organized, written, laid out, and edited by a subcommittee staff consisting of Gary Gillis, Terri Gambetti, Jared Olar, Susan Rynerson, Tiffany White, Shannon Sandoval, and Baylee Gambetti. Receiving the award on behalf of the Pictorial staff, the Bicentennial Committee, and the Pekin City Council were Pekin Mayor Mary Burress, Bicentennial Committee Co-Chair Gary Gillis, and Pictorial staff members Jared Olar and Susan Rynerson. The book’s Foreward, which was written by Gillis, says, “This book could not have happened without the editing, layout, topic selection and majority of submissions by Jared Olar, Pekin Public Library’s Local History Program Coordinator, and Susan Rynerson, president of the Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society.”
The now-award-winning Bicentennial Pictorial, which was published by LimeLight Communications Inc. of Chillicothe, Illinois, remains on sale at the Pekin Public Library and the Pekin Municipal Building for $20 (cash, or check made out to “City of Pekin,” also by card at the Municipal Building).
Special Projects:
‘I Voted’ Sticker Series and Bicentennial Sticker Book, Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds. This award recognizes the sticker book and series of commemorative bicentennial “I Voted” stickers that the Office of the Tazewell County Clerk is providing to voters to help celebrate several bicentennials, including those of Pekin, Washington, Tazewell County, and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. Accepting the award was Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds John C. Ackerman.
‘Tazewell County Historic Shadow Box’, Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds, Pekin Community High School, Kayden Maquet, Chase Benson. The shadow box, which displays a Civil War Medal of Honor won by Pvt. Thomas Murphy of Tazewell County, was built from interior beams of the historic Arcade Building that was destroyed by the Tazewell County Board in 2023 to make way for a planned new county courthouse to be built facing the county’s historic 1916 courthouse. Pvt. Murphy’s medal and the shadow box are on display at the County Clerk’s Office. Receiving the award on behalf of the high school students was John Ackerman.
‘Joint Celebration of the 185th Birthday of Medal of Honor Recipient Pvt. William Reed’, Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds, Veterans Assistance Commission, Veterans Affairs Office. Accepting this award was John Ackerman.
‘Tazewell County Medal of Honor Recipients Video, Tazewell County Clerk and Record of Deeds. Accepting this award was Tazewell County Chief Deputy Clerk Dan Sullivan.
‘Honoring the Veterans of Tazewell County’, Pekin Community High School. Accepting the award on behalf of the high school and the students who participated in the project was Pekin Mayor Mary Burress.
Tazewell County ‘Celebrating the Last of the Greatest Generation’, Tazewell County Clerk and Record of Deeds, Tazewell County Veterans Assistance Commission, and Morton High School. This very well-attended May 2024 event organized by the Veterans Assistance Commission, Morton High School, and the Tazewell County Clerk, and held at the high school in Morton, honored all of the surviving World War II veterans of Tazewell County. Accepting the award on behalf of the high school and the other event organizers was Morton High School Principal Kirk Edwards.
