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Posted by Barton Lorimor
Today’s question is inspired by the latest push by a coalition at the University of Hawaii to win the Obama Presidential Library…
A Hawaii delegation is to leave Sunday for Washington to meet with the head of the presidential library division of the National Archives. The group will also travel to Little Rock, Ark., to meet with the director of the Clinton Presidential Center and the Clinton Foundation.
Question: If Illinois is chosen to be home of the Obama Library, what would be the most appropriate location? Please be more specific than “Chicago” or “Springfield.”
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 4:47 am
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It should be part of the U of Chicago complex or on whatever we call Meigs FIeld these days
Comment by Reddbyrd Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 6:03 am
Somewhere on the south side of Chicago. No room in Hyde Park but the University of Chicago has been buying up land on 55th St (Garfield Blvd) just east of the Dan Ryan. Another place to consider is Pullman.
UofC started buying this land in 2007. Were they that prescient -
http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=27661
This would have more long term development benefits than the Olympics ever would. The Clinto library is on a 30 acre site. That is about 4.5 city blocks square. The only place in Chicago with that much open land is on the south side.
Comment by Martin Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 6:41 am
It would be a great anchor for the redeveloped South Works site, which would keep it in striking distance of Hyde Park, the Obama’s home, while drawing tourists and scholars to the far South Side of Chicago.
Comment by Zora Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 6:48 am
i pick somewhere in illinois with over 10% unemployment.
Comment by colt 45 Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 7:14 am
If it’s in Springfield, next door to Bentoh.
Comment by Excessively Rabid Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 7:22 am
Comisky Park
Comment by Techboy Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 7:32 am
Univ of Narobi, Kenya.
I keed. UofC.
Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 8:13 am
University of Chicago. without question…
Comment by bored now Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 8:35 am
Some area in need of redevelopment on the South Side around Hyde Park/Kenwood.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 8:38 am
Hyde Park at the U of C
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 8:45 am
In the same neighborhood as where Bill Ayers lives.
Comment by Segatari Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 8:51 am
The University of Chicago, or Bill Ayers’s living room.
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 8:56 am
Galesburg at Knox College. Site of Lincoln-Douglas debate, President gave commencement speech there while he was Senator, mentioned Galesburg in his State of the Union, President makes references to laid off Maytag workers frequently and the town’s struggling economy, can be accessed by Amtrak on a cross-country line, and the head of his transition, John Podesta, went to school there.
Comment by TTL, III Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 9:10 am
A bit snarky, but ultimately serious:
Altgeld Gardens
It’s the place where Obama started his public career as a “community organizer” in the 80’s. He wasn’t able to do much to substantially improve the quality of life in that community, a fact that he admits and cites as his inspiration to run for office, where he could make real changes. During his tenure as a State Senator he still wasn’t able to affect much change for the Gardens. As a US Senator representing Illinois, more of the same. Now, as President, we can forgive him for being focused on other, more important things. Still, it would be nice to see his ‘final act’ (perhaps not chronologically, but in terms of legacy) of public service be the development of his library in or near this community - the economic boost it would provide finally achieving the goal that got him started so many years ago.
Comment by grand old partisan Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 9:23 am
Definitely not Springfield - it would get swallowed up in all the Lincoln memorabilia. I think the Southside of Chicago, closer to where he got started organizing and basically lived his life in Chicago would be fitting (and a good attraction for a neighborhood that could use the jobs/income). Plus, I suspect his center will be more like Clinton/Carter, with direct outreach projects, etc. rather than a static repository/museum location, so an urban location makes more sense.
Comment by Berkeley Bear Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 9:25 am
If it has to be here, Hyde Park, obviously — his residence, his constituency when State Sen, and location of his and his wife’s employer U of C.
Comment by Conservative Republican Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 9:29 am
Bush put his at his wife’s alma mater as a thank you to her with a center like clinton focused on continuing his legacy (for clinton it was public policy for bush it was democracy promotion). The most sense makes somewhere on the southside connected to university of chicago with a component dedicated to community organizing maybe health care and something else.
If I were a state democrat politician from the south side I would right now have a full court press on for putting the library there and talking up benefits to the community.
It beats talking about other things.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 9:30 am
Kenwood, and operated by the University of Chicago library system.
Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 9:46 am
As contemporary Presidential libraries are often associated with universities, the University of Chicago in Hyde Park is the most logical destination for the forthcoming Obama library. The President previously taught there, and the University would be an invaluable partner in promoting Presidential scholarship.
Comment by GoldCoastConservative Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 9:48 am
It should be in Hyde Park, housed at the U of C. It is the natural fit for it. I don’t know how you make a strong case that trumps that location.
Comment by Montrose Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 9:50 am
Hyde Park has some nice vacant store fronts waiting to be leveled near Obama’s house.
Comment by chiefilliniwek Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 9:53 am
I believe Presidential Libraries should be affiliated with a university. And, unless I am mistaken, the only university in which Obama has any real connection is the University of Chicago, where he was once a law professor. So, if that is indeed the case, I would say that Hyde Park is the most sensible location.
Comment by Knome Sane Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 9:56 am
Bill Ayers’s living-room, of course.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 10:04 am
University of Chicago in Hyde Park, where Obama taught at the law school, where his daughters attended the U of C Lab School and where the Obamas lived uninterrupted from the time they were newlyweds through the time they went to the White House.
Comment by Scott Fawell's Cellmate Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 10:15 am
They should build it on the proposed site of the Olympic stadium. Seems to sum up his legacy pretty well.
Comment by We Todd Did Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 10:17 am
On that little strip of property he bought from Rezko.
Comment by Joe from Joliet Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 10:35 am
The flagship campus - UIUC
Comment by Champaign Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 10:47 am
The Grant Park Children’s Museum debate will probably still be unsettled…maybe the objectors will be more okay with an Obama Presidential Library
Comment by COPN Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 11:15 am
In Washington Park on the western edge of Hyde Park near, but not necessarily right adjacent to, the DuSable Museum of African American History. The Obama Presidential Library at this site would have more enduring value to the neighborhood and visitors than the previously proposed Olympic stadium.
Comment by KeepSmiling Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 11:36 am
south shore cultural center, Chicago IL
great location. right on the lake front
Comment by anon Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 11:55 am
MrJM said,
“Bill Ayers’s living-room, of course.”
I said exactly that (along with the serious suggestion of the University of Chicago) as the first post on this thread and had my post pulled.
Good Luck!
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:10 pm
MrJM,
Nevermind, flushing browser cache made everything okay.
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:16 pm
Why not Honolulu….Hawaii needs more reasons for tourists to go there.
Comment by Vote Quimby! Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:16 pm
Maybe there should be a Lincoln-Grant-Reagan-Obama presidential library complex in Springfield.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:38 pm
333 W. 35th St.
Or, brush aside all the Emil Jones paraphenalia and put it in his favorite university.
Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 12:42 pm
Pot, that’s a very interesting idea.
Reagan has his own library, of course. Grant’s papers are scattered, although both SIU and, of all places, Mississippi State U., have been collectors.
It’s remarkable to me that there’s not a statue of Grant or Reagan at the State Capitol. You’d think the state and county GOP would have pushed that through long ago.
Also, it’s not too early to plan the 200th anniversary of Illinois’ admission to the Union. I’d highly recommended that those interested visit the Tennessee Bicentennial Plaza in Nashville. A beautiful park that celebrates the states history, people and regions in an imaginative, educational design.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 1:09 pm
==Comisky Park==
You mean Kaminsky Field
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 1:39 pm
For starters, not all presidential libraries are affilliated with or located at universities. So the notion that it belongs at (or will even go to) the UChicago is a bit short sighted.
Also, universities that are home to the libraries, have all named their schools of government/public policy/etc. after the president whose library they host. It’s highly unlikely that UChicago would be renaming its Harris School of Public Policy Studies.
So, the question becomes, if it’s setup in Illinois and at a university - which ones have naming opportunities available? That would narrow the list of likely candidates to one of the University of Illinois campuses or Northwestern.
Comment by QRBNST Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 1:39 pm
I like the idea of a Springfield ‘multiplex’ though.
Comment by QRBNST Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 1:51 pm
WS, the Grant/Miss State connection makes sense when you consider the history of MSU as a historically African American school and the central role Mississippi (and western Tennessee) played in Grant’s Civil War efforts.
It is interesting that MLK has a statue but not St. Ronald. Grant has a fair number of markers around town and a middle school, all with a focus on his Civil War career , so that might have something to do with the lack of any sense there needs to be more. That, and the overwhelming amount of Lincoln memorabilia.
Comment by Berkeley Bear Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 2:33 pm
BB, I found the Miss. State U. connection interesting simply because of Grant’s activities after he went south from Cairo and especially in and around the environs of Vicksburg. He has a history in the state, no doubt.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 3:54 pm
Rich’s father’s Cadillac.
Comment by Suburban Republican Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 5:23 pm
Adjacent to the ALPLM, since the candidacy was declared in Springfield, as well as Joe Biden introduced as the VP. Pairing the library with the ALPLM will benefit both for research and scholarship.
Comment by In the Sticks Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 5:49 pm
Does anyone believe that the library AND museum (which is what these places are - visit one, a great experience) will be built anywhere other than the south side of Chicago, within a few miles of the University of Chicago? Hyde Park is out. There is no land available. But you can be close.
Comment by gmp Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 6:42 pm
Quite honestly, why do we need an Obama Presidential Library? The country is in a recession, no matter what they try to tell us. Can’t this wait and spend the money on education? We certainly need money for other things in Illinois. What will be in this library? The truth about Obama, I don’t want to see it ( I mean really) Bad things about Obama (Let’s get over it and move forward). There may be a time in history when this is warrented, but come on, he is only 2 years into a Presidency that has been harsh, at best.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Sep 1, 10 @ 8:31 pm
In Springfield, same reason as In the Sticks. Move Near North Village to the Medical district and put it on the block between 4th and 5th St and Jefferson and Madison so people can walk from the Lincoln Presidential Library over. Would be another great draw for Springfield and its historic based tourism.
Comment by Magicman72 Thursday, Sep 16, 10 @ 5:54 pm