In 1906, when it was no longer dangerous to talk about those who helped enslaved people seek freedom, Jacksonville resident Julia Carter, whose family were local abolitionists, gave a speech about the town’s extensive Underground Railroad (UGRR). This was the network of helpers and “safe houses” freedom seekers used to reach safe locations, such as […]
Special Issues
Posted inSummerguide
Sensory walks cultivate curiosity and calm
The joy of unplugged time with a child is easy for some caregivers. They start conversations during stroller walks, grocery shopping and meals in the high chair and never stop sharing stories and songs from the bedroom to the backyard and beyond. They listen together for life’s soundscape and watch for weather. For others, it […]
Posted inSummerguide
Cruise Route 66 to Pontiac
Plenty of photo ops, pedestrian attractions and a new plaza make Pontiac a must-see site for anyone celebrating the 100th birthday of Route 66. You will not be alone, if predictions for a record year hold. Liz Vincent, Pontiac’s community enrichment and tourism director, says the town’s Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum typically […]
Posted inSummerguide
Drama, comedy and family fun await
Theatre in the Park (TIP) in Petersburg has another unique and exciting season planned for summer. If you’re considering a return trip to be surrounded by history and nature or planning a first-time visit to this well-kept secret for performers and audience members alike, here’s a glimpse into what’s in store. I Remember Mama May […]
Posted inSummerguide
Inspiring people to take action
Most people train all year to run a marathon. Tomasz Sobania runs one every day. Since May 10, the Polish endurance runner began a quest to run 26 miles – the official length of a marathon – every day. But wait, there’s more: he’s doing it in a new state every day. Sobania started the […]
Posted inBooks
Abraham Lincoln as party boss
Matthew Pinsker, Boss Lincoln: The Partisan Life of Abraham Lincoln. W.W. Norton, 2026; 564 pp., notes, index, illustrations. $39.99. Many of the thousands of books about Abraham Lincoln are specialized to some degree, rather than full biographies. Topics may be very narrow or quite broad, but still are focused on some specific aspect of Lincoln’s […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Peoria’s America 250 Exhibition with Ken Burns
There are two stories about an exhibit at the Peoria Riverfront Museum (PRM), which honors America’s history from before Europeans arrived through the Civil Rights era. One is how a museum in central Illinois got renowned American history filmmaker Ken Burns to be a guest curator – his first time doing so anywhere. The other […]
Posted inCapital City Parent
Best Buddies comes to Springfield
Southeast High School students filled the commons area during their lunch break on April 1. The Southeast drum line kicked off the festive gathering; students ate their lunches, purchased T-shirts and snacks, and took part in face painting and other activities. It wasn’t an April Fool’s Day celebration but the kickoff of the Best Buddies […]
Posted inCapital City Parent
Postpone the smartphone
“Let kids be kids a little longer” is a motto of Wait Until 8th, an organization that encourages parents to delay giving their children smartphones until the end of eighth grade. With the advent of the iPhone in 2007 and the rise of YouTube and TikTok, our children have slowly become the “anxious generation,” a […]
Posted inCapital City Parent
Teach children citizenship
How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It’s Up to You to Do It) by Lindsey Cormack. Jossey-Bass, publisher, 2024. $15.80. “A well-informed citizenry is the backbone of a healthy democracy,” writes Lindsey Cormack in her 2024 book How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It’s Up to You to Do It). She contends that raising engaged […]
Posted inCapital City Parent
Summer meal prep
As another summer begins, it’s time to dust off those no-cook or low-cook summer recipes. Since spare time in the kitchen can be scattered during the summer, planning ahead and pre-preparing snacks and meals can be useful, as can planning for dishes that can be made in stages instead of all at once. Read on […]
Posted inCapital City Parent
Family event calendar
ONGOING “The Road to Adventure: Exploring Route 66” Wednesdays-Sundays, 9am-4pm. Through Dec. 31. This hands-on exhibit brings the magic of the historic Mother Road to life – and it’s fun for the whole family. kidzeum.org. $5-$12. Kidzeum of Health and Science, 412 E. Adams St., 217-679-2123. Kids Fare Garden Club Mondays, 4-5pm. Through May 25. […]
