No Move for Mumford House

Help us save Mumford House, the oldest building on the UIUC campus, on its original site. At the January 22, 2009 Public Meeting, convened by the University of Illinois according to state statute, over 75 people were in attendance and about 20 people spoke. No high-ranking administrator from the University was in attendance. Not one speaker from the audience, was in favor of moving the house to the proposed location and many had ideas for its reuse on site.

The Public Meeting is only the first step. The campaign to keep Mumford House in place must continue. We are now focusing our attention on the UI Board of Trustees and state representatives, who are not aware of the relocation plan nor of the wide-spread public opposition to the move. Not only is the plan to move the oldest building on campus unnecessary but, in these dire economic times, it makes no economic sense. The following web sites have Mumford House information.

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/theskyline/

http://landmarks.org

http://vincemichael.wordpress.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UIUC_Main_Campus/

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has included the Mumford House issue in one of its weekly e-letters and on its website, through Take-Action. They have tracked over 200 hits and will provide this information to Landmarks Illinois and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The site includes a very easy way to contribute a response either through e-mail or a letter.

http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/advocacy-center/action-alerts/mumford-house.html/

Please take a few minutes of your valuable time to write or e-mail the Board of Trustees. Copies should be sent to President White, Chancellor Herman, and Anne Haaker, IHPA. A copy to your state representative and senator would also be appreciated.

Thank you very much for taking the time to do this. Grassroots campaigns can succeed, but they take the efforts of everyone.

Board of Trustees

University of Illinois

506 S Wright St.

Urbana, IL 61801

uibot@uillinois.edu

Pres. B. Joseph White

University of Illinois

506 S. Wright St.

Urbana, IL 61801

bjwhite@uillinois.edu

Chancellor Richard Herman