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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.
Current Status
The memorial closed for public access and will be closed for up to one year.
The short section of the Tour Road that provides access to the memorial, Tour Stop 2, and Tour Stop 3 will close for access on March 2, 2026 and will remain closed for the duration of the project.
Updated April 28 , 2026
Exterior tuckpointing operations and dutchman repairs are 80% complete.
A Dutchman repair is a traditional method of restoration. The weakened or damaged section of stone is removed and replaced with a piece of matching material.
Grand staircase has been cleaned twice and is complete.
All interior bronzes have been shipped off for restoration.
Exterior has been cleaned with D2 (a biological solution for removing harmful biological and air pollutant staining) and hot water wash once.
Stone eagles that line the exterior below the dome have been cleaned with D2 three times and hot water washed twice.
Restoration work will include:
Clean and treat surfaces
Re-patinate bronze
Prevent spalling caused by salt crystal expansion within the stone.
Map of the Illinois Memorial Restoration project area.
NPS Photo
Timeline:
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dedicated in 1906, the Illinois Memorial features 60 bronze tablets listing over 36,000 names of Illinois soldiers who fought in the Civil War. As an open outdoor structure it is prone to accelerated weathering and impacts from the natural environment. Modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, it is one of the most iconic memorials in the park and serves as a key stop on the tour road and is the most photographed memorial in the park.
Over years the memorial developed biological growth, black lichen, efflorescence (white powdery deposits) on its stone surfaces, and has also suffered from gold-leaf loss—all of which diminish its visual and structural integrity.
Restoration will clean and treat all exposed stone surfaces and will re-patinate bronze tablets and fixtures. Cleaning the stone will slow deterioration by removing efflorescence which is caused by the migration of soluble salts to the stone’s surface as moisture evaporates. These deposits pose a serious threat of spalling and damaging stone surfaces. Reapplication of gold leaf to engraved lettering will restore legibility and beauty to the stone-engraved text, and re-patination of the bronze plaques and other bronze elements will remove unsightly green corrosion and will reduce the risk of eventual loss of these important historic features.
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.
This is a full restoration of the memorial top to bottom, inside and out. The entire structure will be encapsulated in scaffolding. For the safety of visitors and conservators, the memorial will be closed.
On March 2, 2026,the National Park Service will close a short section of the Tour Road near the Illinois Memorial that provides access to Tour Stops 2 (Shirley House) and 3 (Third Louisiana Redan). This section will remain closed for the duration of the Illinois Memorial Restoration. The project is expected to be completed by September 2026.
Once on site, contractors required additional space to safely complete restoration work. The need for expanded storage areas and frequent equipment movement presents potential visitor safety concerns. To ensure the safety of both visitors and contractors, access to Tour Stops 2 and 3 will be temporarily closed. The closure point will be at the Shirley House. Visitors will still be able to continue north along Union Avenue and access the remainder of the Tour Road.
The period of performance to complete the work is for one year: August 2025-August 2026. The final completion date within that one year will depend on a variety of factors including weather conditions and any if any complexities arise with the work. Restoration work of a memorial of this size is singular and unique.
During the project, there will be no pedestrian access or vehicular access to the memorial itself which will be a construction area.
On March 2, 2026, the National Park Service will close a short section of the Tour Road near the Illinois Memorial that provides access to Tour Stops 2 (Shirley House) and 3 (Third Louisiana Redan). This section will remain closed for the duration of the Illinois Memorial Restoration. The project is expected to be completed by September 2026.Once on site, contractors required additional space to safely complete restoration work. The need for expanded storage areas and frequent equipment movement presents potential visitor safety concerns. To ensure the safety of both visitors and contractors, access to Tour Stops 2 and 3 will be temporarily closed. The closure point will be at the Shirley House. Visitors will still be able to continue north along Union Avenue and access the remainder of the Tour Road.
Benefits of the project will include a restored memorial to ensures its longevity. Restore memorial ensure it will continue honor the service and sacrifices of those from Illinois who served in the war. The project will improve the visitor experience by restoring the memorial to a more visually pleasing state and ensure its longevity.
The project helps protect significant cultural resources by rehabilitating and stabilizing the memorial, which is the largest of the state memorial in the park.
Throughout the project, National Park Service (NPS) resource protection experts and NPS managers will monitor the contractor's use of environmental protection methods to ensure the protection of these unique cultural resources and the environment surrounding them. Every project the NPS undertakes is conducted in compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and other regulations.
