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Justin Blandford named Governor’s Mansion Curator

information provided by the Office of the Governor

SPRINGFIELD (June 18, 2018) – Justin A. Blandford has been named Curator of the newly renovated Illinois Governor’s Mansion. His appointment was announced on Friday by Governor Bruce Rauner.

In his new position, Blandford will be responsible for creating and implementing the Mansion’s new strategic vision, which includes a greater focus on history, education, creative arts, and visitor experiences. As Curator, he will be the Mansion’s liaison with the Springfield historical community and ensure the Mansion’s place among the city’s historic sites.

Blandford will lead the development of events and marketing programs to attract visitors to the Mansion, which is the third oldest Governor’s mansion in use today. In addition, he will manage day-to-day Mansion operations, oversee maintenance of the grounds and the facility, and manage the Mansion’s workforce and volunteers.

“Justin’s background is a great fit for the reimagined Mansion,” said Gov. Rauner. “He’s been part of the renovation project, so he understands the mission. The Mansion is now ‘The People’s House’ to enjoy and learn from, and his entire career has been focused on bringing people in closer touch with history and historic preservation.”

Blandford has been a Historic Site Superintendent in the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) since 2004. Most recently he directed operations at six nationally significant state-owned historic sites: Lincoln Tomb, Veterans Memorials, Old State Capitol, Lincoln Law Office, Vachel Lindsay Home, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Dana House. The sites attract 325,000 visitors each year.

“As a museum manager and historian, I’m honored to serve as the curator of the newly restored Illinois Governor’s Mansion, with its expanded educational offerings,” Blandford said.

“During our bicentennial year, it is fitting that we are restoring this landmark as a symbol of leadership, as a relevant and meaningful history education experience, and as a place to inspire civic responsibility. We are looking forward to building partnerships and creating a world class portfolio of programs.”

The new Curator began his career in public service as a Dunn Fellow/Policy Assistant in 1999 following his graduation from Webster University in St. Louis. He worked at the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency before joining DNR. He obtained his Masters in History this year from the University of Illinois in Springfield.

Blandford will report to the Governor’s Chief of Staff and his appointment is effective June 18, 2018.

 

Melanie Jongsma
Melanie Jongsma
Melanie Jongsma grew up in Lansing, Illinois, and believes The Lansing Journal has an important role to play in building community through trustworthy information.