Reagan birthday celebration fills Dixon’s Northwest Territory Historic Center

DIXON – Decked out with red, white and blue balloons and American flags, the Northwest Territory Historic Center was the site of a birthday celebration and presentation honoring President Ronald Reagan on the anniversary of his birth Feb. 6, 1911.

Historian Tom Wadsworth of Dixon presented “The Reagan Brothers’ Story,” a close-up look at Reagan and his brother Neil’s relationship throughout their lifetimes. More than 100 people attended the celebration, which also marked Reagan’s Feb. 6, 1984, visit to Dixon, his hometown.

Ronald and Neil, who was older by three years, were born in Tampico. Ronald Reagan was a broadcaster-turned-movie-star who twice was elected governor of California, serving from 1966 to 1975. A Republican, he went on to be elected president in 1980 and was reelected four years later.

Neil, who had great success in the advertising industry, was a powerful force driving his younger brother to the presidency.

Using newspaper articles, photos and TV and movie clips, Wadsworth told several stories about how Neil, who went by the nickname Moon, helped to shape his brother into becoming the 40th president of the U.S. Ronald Reagan died June 5, 2004, eight years after Neil died.

About half the crowd raised their hands when asked if they had attended Reagan’s 1984 visit to Dixon and the parade that happened in freezing temperatures that day. Jelly beans, which were known to be a favorite of Reagan’s when he was in the White House, also were handed out to the crowd.

A Q&A session in which Wadsworth fielded audience members’ questions followed.

The Reagan Boyhood Home and NTHC, which housed Reagan’s boyhood school, partnered to offer the celebration.