The Illinois State Historical Society’s 2009 Centennial Awards Program seeks corporations and not-for-profit organizations that have conducted business in Illinois for 100 years or more.

Successful applicants must show continuous operation for a century or more and have been incorporated in the state. Previous Centennial Award recipients are encouraged to apply for 125-, 150-, and 175-year awards, which will be presented at 1:00 pm on Saturday, October 3, 2009, at a special reception at the Executive Mansion in Springfield. This year’s deadline is July 31.

To qualify, centennial corporations must provide evidence of continuous operation for 100 years or more. Acceptable documentation includes copies of original charters and minutes to corporate meetings, as well as newspapers articles and city directories published contemporaneously with the business’s founding.

The Centennial Awards Program, established in 1984, has honored more than 1,100 businesses around the state. Award recipients receive a plaque inscribed with the names of the standing Illinois governor and president of the Society, use of the Society’s Centennial Awards logo on their business letterhead, a year’s membership in the Society, and statewide recognition. For more information about the Centennial Awards Program, call 217-525-2781. The Centennial Awards application is available on-line at www.historyillinois.org.

Illinois State Historical Society * P.O. Box 1800, Springfield, IL 62705-1800 * 217-525-2781*Webmaster: Terri Cameron tcameron@historyillinois.org