Community & Lifestyle

Robert Mazrim is doing it again – turning what some see as simply old, abandoned buildings and spaces into a medium for art and a window to the lives of people who once lived and worked there. This time he is partnering with Leah Wilson and the Kidzeum, installing a contemporary art exhibit at 414 […]

Initially a boarding/rooming house, the Cliff House/Cliff Hotel operated between ca. 1910 and 1960 and by 1965 was abandoned. Florence and George Atkinson were the longest-serving proprietors, operating the hotel between 1915 and 1949. (George died in 1923.) Architect Bruce Ferry acquired the building in 2006. He restored the façade and cleaned the interior, preserving […]

NOVEMBER Edwards Place Guided Tours Tuesdays-Saturdays, 1, 2pm. Through Dec. 21. A guided tour through the newly restored areas. See the authentic Lincoln courting couch from the parlor of the Ninian Edwards home where Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd were married. Springfieldart.org. Adults $5, children 10 and younger free. Edwards Place, Springfield Art Association, 700 […]

Stepping onto a glass floor with hundreds of red poppies below, winding through exhibits of artillery and getting a feel for life in the trenches are part of what makes the National WWI Museum and Memorial a powerful experience and a must-see stop in Kansas City, Missouri. So are museums dedicated to art, jazz, Negro […]

The sidewalks of downtown Springfield will be busy again when the excitement of the holiday season returns with a whirlwind of activities and shopping during the Old Capitol Holiday Walks. The festivities begin on Saturday, Nov. 30, during Small Business Saturday. You’ll find downtown storefronts of locally owned businesses, restaurants and bars beautifully decorated in […]

On Dec. 20, 1900, then-Illinois Gov. John Tanner granted clemency to seven prisoners. Five were boys; four had stolen chickens and one had “attempted criminal assault.” Two were adult male murderers. One was a cop who killed a colleague while arguing about the Spanish-American War over after-work drinks. The other was a laborer who admitted […]

Winter’s cold and dark days are upon us. All of a sudden, we are temporarily stuck indoors, and kids are complaining of boredom. Before you turn on the television and download yet another streaming subscription service, have you considered breaking out a board game? Board games offer opportunities to teach turn-taking, communication skills, strategy and […]

The twinkling of lights, snowflakes lightly falling outside or paper snowflakes taped to windows, the smells of fresh gingerbread baking, adorning presents with ribbons and bows, invitations to celebrations of the season – for some, these are beloved parts of the holiday season. For others, this time of year can bring up trauma, exacerbate mental […]