History | Thursday, November 12,2009

Springfield’s own Rosie the Riveter

“All the day long, Whether rain or shine, She’s a part of the assembly line. She’s making history, Working for victory, Rosie the Riveter…” -from

History | Thursday, October 15,2009

When the railroad first came to Springfield

By Tara McClellan McAndrew

In the 1830s, when people traveled by foot, horse, stagecoach or boat, Illinois developed a railroad. It was ahead of its time.

History | Thursday, August 13,2009

A fair start, 156 years in the making

By Amanda Robert

The Illinois State Fair began in 1853 as a salute to agriculture.The founders of the newly-created Illinois State Agricultural Society wanted to give farmers an arena to discuss and advance their prof

History | Thursday, August 13,2009

A 19th century pop star finds Springfield bad news

By Tara McClellan McAndrew

It’s never easy being a star, but if you believe a superstar concert pianist from that time, it was especially difficult in Springfield in the 1860s. The New Orleans-born Louis Moreau Gottschalk

History | Wednesday, July 15,2009

An Illinois artist’s amazing life after death

The sad story begins with rotten childhood in a Lincoln asylum

By Tara McClellan McAndrew

“Too late now,” said Henry Darger, an 80-something retired janitor and former central Illinois resident, as he waited for death at a Chicago charitable institution i

History | Wednesday, July 1,2009

Korean War National Museum comes to downtown Springfield

Temporary exhibit and gift shop open in anticipation of permanent site

By Zach Baliva

Springfield resident Larry Benson served in the Korean War, working first as a radarman and then for a chaplain. Last Friday, Benson joined dozens of other veterans from central Illinois

History | Wednesday, June 17,2009

Civil War POW protests monument to a ‘monster’

By Tara McClellan McAndrew

The Confederate prison known as “Andersonville” in Georgia is often considered the worst of all the Civil War’s prisons. Its horrible reputation still provokes

History | Wednesday, May 27,2009

When a media mogul bought a cow pasture that was New Salem

By Tara McClellan McAndrew

If it had not been for media mogul William Randolph Hearst, New Salem State Historic Site might still be a cow pasture. In 1906 Hearst was a wealthy New York congressman who owned several newspape

History | Wednesday, May 13,2009

How is Mary like Rod?

By Tara McClellan McAndrew

Here’s a conversation starter for you: What do Rod Blagojevich and Mary Lincoln have in common? (It’s not good hair.) The two are an incongruous pairing: an impeached former gover

History | Wednesday, April 29,2009

The raucous office of Lincoln and Herndon

By Tara McClellan McAndrew

The Lincoln-Herndon law offices must have been like the “fun cabin” at summer camp: always messy, rarely dull and the best place to hear something interesting. William Hernd