Introducing horse care and riding to traumatized children has been proven to be effective therapy. The Refuge Ranch in Rochester utilizes that strategy and will now be able to expand its work due to a generous donation from Glennon and Jan Paul of a seven-acre historic farm in Springfield. Refuge Ranch, started by Stephan and […]
Cinda Ackerman Klickna
Cinda Klickna is a former teacher from Springfield and past president of the Illinois Education Association.
Posted inSpecial Issues
Memories of Myers Brothers
When it was announced last month that Springfield’s iconic 98-year-old Myers Building would go up for auction, it sparked memories of the old Myers Brothers Department Store that brought many years of Christmas season bustle to downtown. Here is a remembrance of department store days gone by. For decades, downtown Springfield was a hustling, bustling […]
Posted inNews
Bringing global awareness to Springfield
In September over 100 people dined on Polish cuisine and then heard a fascinating presentation from former Polish ambassador Daniel Fried. In October another large group gathered, this time dining on selections from China, Afghanistan and Austria, and then listening to engaging stories and watching videos about music as a form of diplomacy. The program […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Parable of the Peacock
Brent Bohlen of Springfield has done it again. His third political satire has been released and is receiving glowing reviews. The blurb on the back cover reads, “The Parable of the Peacock Redux provides a satirical review of the past four years in the life of a sore loser…so many behavioral outrages that readers may […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Echoes of Yesteryear at Oak Ridge Cemetery
On Sept. 29, come to Oak Ridge Cemetery for the Sangamon County Historical Society’s annual cemetery walk. Hear about seven Springfield citizens who now rest in Oak Ridge’s beautiful grounds. Meet a blind woman, Springfield’s first rabbi, a Black civil rights activist, our State Capitol’s architect, a woman business entrepreneur, a swindler and a singer. […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
ISM closes for several months
Once again, the Illinois State Museum is closed, but this time only temporarily, unlike the shut-down implemented by former Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2015. This time much-needed plumbing work, as well as asbestos removal, has required ISM to close its doors. Currently, it is expected that the museum will be closed for three months. Staff […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
New life for a historic house
Vendors, food, music, interpreters, pies and even a bike ride will be part of the Historic Marbold Farmstead Association’s annual heritage festival Sept. 7 and 8. The association’s goal has been to restore the Marbold mansion located at the edge of Greenview, Illinois. A little more than a decade ago, the mansion was a rundown, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Adaptable homes
What if you could live in a home that is designed for a current physical health need – OR – for a need that might occur in the future? That is the premise behind Cathy Boerke’s new Springfield business, AdaptABILITY Homes. With the motto “Living Forward,” the business offers home construction, home assessments and digital […]
Posted inNews
Springfield connections to the underground railroad
Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield is the resting place of several underground railroad conductors. Honoring these brave men – both Black and white – has been a part of the work of the Sangamon County Historical Society. At a recent meeting of the SCHS, information about five conductors who hailed from Springfield was shared as […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Historical site
Want to know when Springfield got its first snowplow? Or find a reference to a relative? Maybe read about crimes and gambling dens in the early 1900s? Or learn more about the 1918 Spanish flu and the 1940s polio epidemic? You can find out about the last hanging in the county, the first person who […]
Posted inNews
Saving a historic round barn
There’s the old joke about a man who dies running around a round barn trying to find a corner to exit. But it isn’t a joke as to what is happening to a round barn located along Interstate 55 near Glenarm. The 60-foot diameter barn with a center silo is being restored by the family […]
Posted inNews
A Springfield view of immigration
An impressive group of speakers will headline two evening forums focused on immigration in Springfield. Sponsored by the Citizens Club of Springfield, the programs will be held Feb. 1 and Feb. 15 6-7:30 at St. John’s Hospital’s Dove Conference Center, 619 E. Mason. Citizens Club President John Kelker, Program Director Beverly Bunch, and lead organizers […]
