Jacksonville now has its own Instagrammable landmark and selfie spot.
The 8-foot tall structure was unveiled on Thursday at the corner of Main and College. The structure represents a silhouette of the State of Illinois, embedded with the city’s distinct brand icon and accompanied by the city’s hashtag.
The monument was a collaboration between the Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Jacksonville.
Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Brittany Henry says that Jacksonville Main Street began working on a selfie station idea a few years ago, but the idea didn’t click on how it would work for Jacksonville until she attended a conference this past year: “I went to our Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism last year. They had an exhibitor set up that did an Enjoy Illinois selfie spot. Everybody was so excited about it. We were taking our photos. Immediately I had to snap that photo and do a little bit of research, because I thought it was something that could really tie into Jacksonville and maybe even stem something later on into something that has several sites. Who knows? I was talking with Mayor Andy Ezard about it. We sought out the spot that it’s currently in on the corner of College & Main. That is such a beautiful area. When we were looking at it, it was so pretty. There is a lot of activity happening on that corner and it also is kind of what greets you when you go into Downtown Jacksonville for visitors and locals alike.”
Henry says Jacksonville is now on a short list of other towns throughout Illinois who have a similar spot.
She says she’s excited by the community’s enthusiasm for the piece so far, and the community pride it already is exhibiting. She says community members are the best ambassadors when they travel abroad from Jacksonville to other parts of the world.
Henry says the spot ultimately serves as a commitment to contemporary revitalization happening in Jacksonville, while still paying homage to the city’s past as a historical destination.