The Illinois State Museum is collaborating with the National Park Service, the New Philadelphia Association and the Springfield state historic sites to host Free Frank Freedom Day on Sunday, Sept. 13. The event commemorates the freedom of Frank McWorter, entrepreneur, freedom seeker and founder of New Philadelphia in Pike County. New Philadelphia was the first […]
Local History
Posted inLocal History
Beer, Brats & Beginnings to highlight brewery’s connection to medical district
The closure of Reisch Brewery in 1966 ultimately helped facilitate the creation of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine a few years later, an unusual connection that will be highlighted at a Beer, Brats & Beginnings event on Thursday, Sept. 10. The Reisch Brewery opened in 1849 and for 117 years operated on the exact […]
Posted inLocal History
“Three Hot Days in August”
Springfield is the home of Abraham Lincoln, known as the Great Emancipator. We should be proud of that. Yet, we must acknowledge that it was here, in his hometown, that a disturbing event occurred in 1908 – the race riot that lynched two innocent Black men, destroyed people’s homes and left a scar on our […]
Posted inLocal History
A historic undertaking
Springfield resident John Oxford once restored a 1,500-square-foot house built in 1903. He has now taken on a much bigger project as the new owner of the 8,600-square-foot red brick, Italianate mansion at Eighth and Cook streets, which was built in 1865. “This will be a much larger undertaking,” he said. “I’m newly married, […]
Posted inJuneteenth
“Battling the fires of racism”
New large mahogany doors and all-yellow brickwork on the façade of the Black Firehouse at 1310 E. Adams St. are the latest renovations expected to be completed by the end of August on this historic structure. The building, owned by the Central Lodge #3 Prince Hall Masons, was once Firehouse No. 5, known as the […]
Posted inHistory
Springfield’s Ted Eck and the golden age of U.S. soccer
With FIFA World Cup matches set to be played on American soil June 11-July 19, it is the perfect time to revisit the United States Men’s Team return to World Cup play 36 years ago. After a 40-year hiatus, Springfield native Ted Eck helped make U.S. soccer history. Eck grew up as the youngest member […]
Posted inLocal History
Historic properties for sale
Historic buildings in downtown Springfield have been put on the market. Several properties along South Second, as well as on Capitol Avenue and Seventh Street, are ready for new owners, while two others have recently changed hands. Court and Karen Conn of Conn’s Hospitality Group are known for their outstanding historic preservation work, owning many […]
Posted inCommunity & Lifestyle
“The finest thing ever done in Springfield”
The news last month about the sale of BUNN brings to mind stories about the Bunn family’s influence on Springfield’s development, dating back to since Abraham Lincoln lived here. It is only coincidental that 100 years ago, in 1926, four children of Jacob Bunn Sr. followed what he believed to be a moral obligation to […]
Posted inNews
The 1842 Condell House
Sitting back from Fourth Street in Springfield, tucked next to the Mansion View Inn, sits a house with a long history. The home of John S. Condell for 55 years, it had several owners since his death, then sat empty for over 30 years, came close to demolition, was listed as one of Illinois’ most […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Art from the former Pillsbury site
The current exhibition at the Springfield Art Association is nontraditional in many ways. In contrast to a juried exhibition, Pillsburied: Multiple Resurrections is the result of an open invitation for any artist to create a work of art using objects from the Pillsbury site or inspired by the ruins of the Pillsbury Mills plant. No […]
