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Category Archives: Amusements
The Mill, tavern and restaurant
The Mill, 906 N. 15th St., was one of Springfield’s most popular dining spots for nearly 40 years. Brothers Herman (1897-1980) and Louis Cohen (1893-1962) opened the tavern and restaurant in May 1933 on the same corner where they had … Continue reading
Posted in Amusements, Fires, Hotels & taverns, Restaurants, Social life, Uncategorized
2 Comments
‘The rink,’ 1868-71
This entry has been revised — ed. Springfield’s first ice rink hosted skating contests, floral exhibits, masked balls and the “Knights of the Skate” during its brief existence at Walnut and Monroe streets. “The rink,” as it was simply known, … Continue reading
Posted in Amusements, Buildings, Social life, Sports and recreation, Uncategorized
3 Comments
Springfield park names
Parks in the Springfield Park District have taken their names from U.S. presidents, local pioneers, subdivisions, donors and others. Here is a list of parks and their name derivations as of summer 2017. Bergen. 2900 Clear Lake Ave. The Springfield … Continue reading
Tree-sitting fad, 1930
Endurance tree-sitting – climbing trees and staying in them as long as possible – captivated Springfield youngsters, and amused newspaper readers, for several weeks in mid-1930. The local tree-sitters were part of a brief nationwide craze for the stunt. “Long … Continue reading
Posted in Amusements, Children, Spectacles
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Johnston-Hatcher fires, 1907 & 1913
The Johnston-Hatcher Co. sold home furnishings of all kinds from 1899 to 1949 in downtown Springfield. The store, however, fell victim to two of the city’s most devastating early 20th-century fires. Johnston-Hatcher was the creation of two sets of brothers … Continue reading
‘The Bunion Derby’ (1928)
Football star Red Grange received an unfriendly welcome when he accompanied the 1928 Trans-Continental Foot Race to Springfield in 1928. The race, better known as the “Bunion Derby,” was the brainchild of Grange’s agent, C.C. “Cash and Carry” Pyle (1882-1939). … Continue reading
Posted in Amusements, Sports and recreation
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Women’s bathing suit controversy, 1916
Springfield women’s rights activist Harriett Reid made fun of the Springfield Park Board’s 1916 directive that women’s swimsuits at the new Bunn Park Beach include skirts. The park board had voted 5-1 to impose the restriction, which was sponsored by … Continue reading
Posted in African Americans, Amusements, Local government, Parks, Women
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Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, 1933
“The Greatest Show on Earth” might have been at the height of its glory when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus arrived in Springfield on Aug. 28, 1933. The traveling Big Top promised 100 clowns and 800 “arenic … Continue reading
Posted in Amusements, Spectacles
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First Christmas parade (1914)
Thousands of people turned out to see Santa Claus parade through Springfield on Christmas Eve 1914, but the parade, which was part of a much larger communitywide holiday celebration, wasn’t repeated for another 15 years. Children – “urchins,” as the … Continue reading
Posted in Amusements, Celebrations, Spectacles
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Corn husking competitions
Nearly 4,000 “farmers, farmers’ wives and children” jammed the grounds of the F.I. Taylor farm near New Berlin on Nov. 21, 1924, for the first annual Illinois State Corn Husking contest. The competition, sponsored by Prairie Farmer magazine, continued into … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Amusements, Farming
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