History

In 1831, Abraham Lincoln arrived in New Salem as a penniless young laborer who took on a variety of odd jobs, including manual labor, to support himself. His experience in the village gave him the confidence, social connections, and work experience necessary to climb out of poverty and become a successful, professional gentleman. Just over […]

“You, as individuals, are very significant to the success of a project like this,” said Floyd Mansberger of Fever River Research, addressing a group at Union Baptist Church Sept. 18. The project being discussed was an architectural survey to create a record of the African-American experience in the Springfield area beginning with the city’s initial […]

“By the time we got off the train in Mattoon, we had agreed to write. I would keep him abreast of the antiwar movement at home and he would tell me what Vietnam was really like.” Twenty-nine years ago in these pages, I shared letters from Tom, a soldier reluctantly serving in Vietnam. The 1988 […]

This Sunday, Sept. 10, the Council of Lake Springfield Clubs celebrates its 60th anniversary with food, drinks and music from noon to 6 p.m. at the Aqua Sports Club. The public is invited and admission is free. “We’ll have a welcome and proclamation by Mayor Jim Langfelder for the 60th anniversary at the beginning,” says […]

Barkers called out their wares and vaudeville actors entertained spectators while carriages pulled by horses rolled down the street. Then when it was dark enough, balloons attached to small lights were released into the sky. This was the nightly scene along Adams Street and the grounds of the Old State Capitol during the early years […]

One of the first people to photograph Abraham Lincoln with a beard was Christopher S. German, who set up a daguerreotype studio in Springfield in early 1861. Before President-elect Lincoln left for Washington, he sat for German twice: once on Jan. 13, and once on Feb. 9. If Lincoln asked German about himself, he would […]

What do Grape Nuts and Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate have in common? They were both created by members of the famous Post family who were born right here in Springfield. Charles W. Post was born on Oct. 26, 1854. His father, Charles Rollin Post, was a friend of Abraham Lincoln; in 1865, the elder Post […]

This article is reprinted with permission from Illinois Issues, where it first was published last October. Illinois Issues is produced by NPR Illinois in Springfield. Because Illinois is a northern state and the former home of Abraham Lincoln, it isn’t typically associated with slavery. But there was slavery in Illinois for more than 100 years. […]

On Jan. 4, 1843, a throng of curious spectators packed the federal courtroom on the second floor of the Tinsley building in Springfield. Dozens of people – reportedly including newlywed Mary Lincoln – had turned out to catch a glimpse of the man at the center of the trial that day: Joseph Smith, the handsome, […]

A discovery of long-forgotten articles in the Blackburn College archives has solved a lingering, and surprisingly controversial, mystery of the school’s history. The story involves a one-armed baseball player at Blackburn from a century ago. In recent years, debates have erupted over his identity. One popular belief was that the player was Pete Gray, who […]

Throughout his “Swing Around the Circle Speaking Tour” Andrew Johnson was treated coldly while crowds cheered for General U. S. Grant and Admiral David Farragut. Both images from Swinging Round the Circle, or, Andy’s Trip to the West by When receiving word that the Chief Magistrate is planning a visit, the hosting city is usually […]

The recreation of the Lincoln funeral procession on May 2-3, 2015, a triumph of research, manpower, coordination and attention to detail, is thoughtfully documented in a newly released video produced by the City of Springfield in conjunction with the Cent PHOTO COURTESY STUDIO G PRODUCTIONS On Sunday, May 3, 2015 – a year ago – […]