This project was organized for the Bicentennial, and is now a very popular project with over 3,000 certificates being issued to descendants of Illinois pioneers. Three catagories of certificates are issued to descendants of pioneers who resided in Illinois (1) prior to statehood, (2) 1819-1850, and (3) 1851-1880. Documentation showing a date in Illinois is required. After eligibility has been determined there is a small fee for each certificate.
Please print the
If you write to the office for an application, please include a SASE (business size is fine).
Two books on the Illinois Prairie Pioneers have been published. For questions concerning the Prairie Pioneer Project, please e-mail Susan Pope.