Peoria Standard

Rep. Tim Butler (R-Sangamon) recently presented a resolution to the staff of Illinois State Archives to celebrate its 100th anniversary. 

On Dec. 15, Butler presented the resolution to Archives Director David Joens and archives staff, according to the representative’s website. 

“Thank you to the staff of the Illinois State Archives for all the work you do as the keepers of the documents of Illinois government,” Butler said in a Facebook post. “Congratulations on your centennial year in 2021!”

Butler sponsored House Resolution 390 to honor the Illinois State Archives. The resolution was adopted in September, according to ILGA. 

Margaret Cross Norton was the first director of the Illinois State Archive. The archive holds the public records of Illinois state and local governmental agencies which possess permanent administrative, legal, or historical research values. Its collections do not include manuscript, newspaper or other nonfictional sources, according to ILSOS. 

“Under its first director, Margaret Cross Norton, the Illinois State Archives became an internationally recognized leader for archival work,” Butler said, according to his website. “That tradition has carried on to this day thanks to the dedication the Archives’ staff has brought to preserving the history and records of our State. It was my honor to carry HR 390 in the House and thank the Archives for their work.”

The Congressman’s website states that the Illinois State Archives currently operates as a separate department under the Office of the Secretary of State. 

“It is responsible for preserving and making accessible the permanent records of the State, overseeing records management programs of state agencies and units of local government, providing microfilming, scanning and records storage services to state government agencies, and operating a regional archives depository system for local government records,” the website said.