The agreement worked out to keep the David Davis Mansion open - at least through the holiday season and the celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birth - is a welcome one.

That's especially true for those who delight in seeing the former home of Lincoln's friend and former U.S. Supreme Court justice decorated in its Christmas finery. It's also good news for everyone planning festivities to mark the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth.

Under the agreement, the David Davis Mansion Foundation will provide $10,000 a month to the state to keep the site open with no employee layoffs.

This wouldn't have been possible without the existence of a strong private foundation and corps of volunteers, cooperation between the governor's office and the union representing state employees, and some behind-the-scenes efforts by state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington.

Brady talked with the Deputy Governor Bob Greenlee, encouraging the administration to work with the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees and address the union's opposition to privatization.

Brady said, "This shows good things can happen when you get bipartisan cooperation going."

But the long-term fate of the state historic site in Bloomington and 13 other historic sites across the state targeted for closure by the governor remains shaky.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich used his amendatory veto powers to remove $2.4 million that would have gone to historic sites from a bill passed by the Legislature to authorize fund sweeps for specific purposes.

Lawmakers could override that veto, but they are not scheduled to return to Springfield until mid-January. That's well after the planned closing date of Nov. 30.

It's time for the state and fans of these historic sites to look at a variety of options to keep them open.

Bloomington may be unique in having a well-established foundation that is able to provide stopgap funding because of the foundation's strong private financial support in a community that is weathering the brunt of the state's economic problems.

The state and the communities in which these sites are located should consider a variety of options for their continued existence. This might include the state selling or leasing the historic sites to private groups that are capable of taking them over.

It might also include enacting admission charges or fees for tours - even for school groups, although the fee for the latter should be nominal.

And the review should include a honest appraisal of whether all these sites need to remain open and/or whether they should be the responsibility of the state.

This review should include not only the sites targeted by the governor but all the 60 historic sites and memorials operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.