The purpose of the Forgotonia movement was, first and foremost, to bring attention to the much neglected region of Western Illinois. Much more than ever being a secessionist movement, Forgotonia was a political stunt concocted by the Macomb Chamber of Commerce and executed by a bright, energetic theater student. The Chamber of Commerce members generally tried to remain anonymous throughout the process, and did not make a point of talking about the movement as their brainchild. This was done presumably for political reasons, for they would not want to have been directly linked to this humorous movement that some more stodgy fellows might label “unprofessional.” Rather, Gamm was willing and able to bear whatever criticism was tossed his way as a result of his being the figurehead, doing so with grace and patience. But, save for the mayors of Quincy and Canton, who did reserve harsh criticism for the movement, deeming it to be unbefitting of a way to create political change, Forgotonia was generally well-accepted. It signified any kind of progress towards achieving necessary political goals, which gave people hope. Furthermore, it was a way to do so while still finding humor in life and the state of things. Governor Gamm stated himself in multiple speeches that the movement was successful beyond his wildest dreams. The movement itself attracted the attention of political officials from all around the state of Illinois, Congressional representatives and senators in Washington D.C., and was reported in major news papers from New York to the LA and everywhere in between.
It may be hard to believe that such an odd, witty, satirical political stunt would have found such a large audience, but that is what Forgotonia did. In many ways that humor was likely why it was so popular. Reaching far beyond the intended audience of Governer Walker and other legislators of Illinois, Gamm spoke to a large, listening body of people who felt the government had forgotten them as well. Forgotonia’s problems were pressing, yet not entirely unique. While the state of the roads was particularly horrid, and there was no public access educational media or a properly funded university, Gamm’s message reached rural communities around the country, and especially in the midwest, that could identify with the feeling of the movement. As a secessionist plot, Forgotonia failed horribly. But, despite Gamm labeling it a secessionist movement, he never really intended it to be one, particularly after finding out secession was treasonous. Gamm orchestrated a perfectly fictitious war, waging it without telling Washington and surrendering without doing so either. The immediate foreign aid was not expected, rather, the hope was for infrastructural investment. The movement lived on for years afterward, bringing attention, revenue, and interest to the region, rendering the Forgotonia movement itself, by most accounts, a success.
By the turn of the twenty-first century, Forgotonia was flush with new roads, new rail lines, and new funding. The Central Illinois Expressway, Interstate 72, began construction in 1978, connecting parts of Forgotonia, such as Quincy, to the state. [1] Furthermore, Illinois 336 is another major road serving western Illinois, although it is still finishing construction. Proposed in the 90’s, it too stemmed from the seeds of the Forgottonia movement. It is also called the Maccomb Bypass, and Senator Durbin said it, “is a prime example of how federal funding for transportation projects can leverage increased investments in regional infrastructure priorities and create good-paying, local jobs.” [2] As evidenced by the amount of road construction that has and is taking place in western Illinois, it is clear that infrastructural funding is not entirely lacking. The above examples are not the only two roads built since then, which is to to say there are concrete pieces of evidence to make the argument that the Forgotonia movement impacted Illinois policy.
Also worth noting is Amtrak service running from Quincy to Chicago, and Western Illinois University ceasing to be the least funded public university in the state; to the displeasure of many, Eastern Illinois surpassed Western during the recent infamous budget crisis. Though these measures seem like basic infrastructural improvements, the key point is just that; Forgotonia’s tax dollars are being spent for the betterment of the area far more than they were in Gamm’s time.
[1] Wes Smith, “It was a long, hard built road out of Forgotonia,” Chicago Tribune, February 21st, 1993.
[2] Richard Durbin, “Governor Quinn Announces Major Investment to Continue Work on Macomb Bypass,” Office of the Governor of Illinois, Oct. 10, 2014.