Illinois Memorial Restoration

Project Overview

Dedicated in 1906, the Illinois Memorial is modeled after the Pantheon in Rome and features 60 bronze tablets listing over 36,000 names of Illinois soldiers who fought in the Civil War. Over years the memorial developed biological growth, black lichen, efflorescence, and suffered gold-leaf loss—all of which diminish both the visual and structural integrity. Restoration will clean and treat surfaces, repatinate bronze, and prevent spalling caused by salt crystal expansion within the stone.

During the project, there will be no pedestrian access to the memorial itself, however the Tour Road will be open and there will be partial access to Tour Stop 2, including to the neighboring Shirley House.

Current Status

On September 16, 2025 the memorial closed for public access and will be closed for up to one year. The Tour Road and Tour Stop 2 will remain open.

Updated September 23, 2025

Installation and assembly of scaffolding is in progress

Restoration work will include:

• Clean and treat surfaces

• Re-patinate bronze

• Prevent spalling caused by salt crystal expansion within the stone.

Timeline:

September 16, 2025: Memorial closed for access and work is currently in progress.

The contractors period of performace is one year: August 2025-August 2026. The restoration work will be completed within that one year period of performance.