Despite local opposition, in 1929 Henry Ford bought and dismantled the courthouse in Postville and had it set up again at his Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Mich. The courthouse became more valuable to the community when they learned they were going to lose it, says Shirley Bartelmay, coordinator of the Postville Courthouse State Historic Site […]
Special Issues
Posted inSpecial Issues
Fall… in love
By now, your summer fling is either nearing an end, you’re thinking about taking the relationship to the next level, or the thought of spending the holiday season alone is depressing the heck out of you. Luckily, Springfield and central Illinois host an array of autumn activities and locales that are perfect for one last […]
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Pick your pleasure
Many days, Mother Nature locks you indoors and keeps you there with her sweltering heat or bone-chilling cold, soul-sapping humidity or ear-warping wind, rain, snow, sleet, thunder, lightning or hail. This time of year, though, she seems to lay down her weapons and summon us outdoors with her most alluring talents – temperatures that are […]
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Remembering Everett Dirksen
The colorful and raspy-voiced U. S. Sen. Everett McKinley Dirksen died in 1969, but his memory lives on at the Dirksen Congressional Center in Pekin, near Peoria. This is a research center, but a museum, too. The first thing that catches one’s eye is Sen. Everett Dirksen’s desk from his Capitol office. Dirksen, called the […]
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Home for heroes
Untitled Document Do you have a little one who loves to tie on a cape and play Superman? If so, head south to Metropolis for the 30th annual Superman Celebration, which will be held June 12-15 in this otherwise sleepy southern-Illinois town near the Ohio River. The superhero fans in your household will enjoy the […]
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Walking with ghosts
Untitled Document “We soon found ourselves on the grand prairies of Illinois, under a burning sun and without shade from one camp to another. They are vast as the ocean, and the eye seeks in vain for a tree. Not a drop of water can be found there — it was a veritable torture for […]
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Double the pleasure
Untitled Document Champaign-Urbana, just about an hour-and-a-half away, has added or upgraded some new attractions that make the twin college towns a great day or weekend trip this summer. • Snack — In fall 2007, a little breakfast diner got a facelift and was transformed into one of Champaign’s most interesting eateries. The only recognizable […]
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Visiting outdoor Chicago
Untitled Document Once the school bell has rung for the last time, parents are ready to schedule a little summer fun for the family. Try a weekend in Chicago, where it’s easy to plan loads of outdoor fun activities that will thrill and amaze. With gas nearing $4 per gallon, the train may be the […]
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The trails of Madison County
Untitled Document Having two sons, I’ve done my share of driving around the state on weekends — attending swim meets, soccer games, or cross-country meets over the years. As a spectator rather than a participant at these sporting events limited my cardiovascular activities. Other than carrying the lawn chairs and coolers from the car to […]
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Burning up the screen
Untitled Document Some of the big sequel guns (Indiana Jones, Narnia) had their releases in May, but plenty of action is left for the more traditional summer months. Release dates are subject to change. JUNE 6 Kung Fu PandaThe title tells the story in this very high concept animated feature from DreamWorks. Jack Black voices […]
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Hot time in the city
Untitled Document Music fans don’t want to hear this reporter wax ecstatic about Loretta Lynn’s classic coo (she’s scheduled to play Sangamon Auditorium on June 28) or the return to the summer stage of Springfield favorite the Micah Walk Band (performing at the SOHO Music Festival on June 7). No, capital-city rockers, Illinois Times knows what […]
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It’s cool to be in school
Untitled Document It’s funny how we spend our youths feverishly anticipating the end of the school year — and the completion of our educational careers — so we can go on road trips with our friends, laze around on sandy shores, and start earning a living. Then suddenly we become adults and realize that life […]
