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  • Welcome to our Forgottonia Project webpage! Our purpose is to examine the rich history and culture of the communities in western Illinois that are known collectively as Forgottonia.

     

  • The name Forgottonia refers to a tongue-in-cheek movement during the 1970s that felt policymakers ignored our region (check out our podcast about one of Forgottonia’s founders, Neil Gamm).

  • Although many communities within Forgottonia have endured an exodus of people and industries, Western Illinois is a spectacular place to live.  In addition to a number of notable figures who hail from this region, Forgottonia has its own rich culture and history (Check out our Forgottonia Profiles page to become more familiar with each county).
  • Our hope is that by examining our rich history and culture, we will inspire people to participate in helping make our communities an even better place to live.  A foundation of our project is IL Social Science Inquiry Standard #9 which seeks to apply democratic strategies & procedures to address local, regional, or global concerns as well as take action in or out of school.
  • Download our podcast by searching ¨Forgottonia Project¨ on iTunes or wherever you find podcasts.

  • Check out our ABOUT page for more information regarding who we are and why we think this stuff is pretty important. Connect with us and continue conversations online by visiting our contact page and leaving a comment.