In 1972 - 1973 Mrs. William C. Limacher was named chairman of Bicentennial Committees by both Will County Board Chairman Roy Hassert and Joliet Mayor Berlinsky. Having seen the problems separate county and city committees had presented during the State Sesquicentennial in 1968, she decided to accept both appointments as chairman "so at least I would know what both committees were doing." When both committees agreed that they wanted to have a lasting memorial to our great nation's 200th birthday, a county wide survey, led by The Joliet Herald News, was conducted. It was decided that this five and one-third acres along the waterway that had been Joliet's first street should be saved for a park that would contain a theatre and bandshell for the performing arts. The committees were combined and a not-for-profit corporation, the Will-Joliet Bicentennial Park, Inc., was formed. Judge Michael Orenic assigned Herman Hasse, later Chief Judge of Will County, to process the legal documents to enable the combined committees to form a not-for profit corporation. This was the first such corporation formed in the United States from a Bicentennial Committee.   Next