Monthly Archives: March 2015

Senate Theater

See The potato matinee of 1925.

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Lincoln Theater

See The potato matinee of 1925.

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Vaudette Theater

See The potato matinee of 1925.

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Princess Theater

See The potato matinee of 1925.

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Gaiety Theater

See The potato matinee of 1925.

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Harry Thornton, theater manager

See The potato matinee of 1925.

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The potato matinee of 1925

The “potato matinee” of Christmas 1925 was the brainchild of longtime local theater manager Harry Thornton. It quickly went awry, the victim of its own success. Illinois State Journal editor/publisher J. Emil Smith, a friend of Thornton’s, heard the potato … Continue reading

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Willard Ice, ‘Mr. Revenue’

Willard Ice (1915-80) was an attorney and public servant at the Illinois Department of Revenue for more than 30 years, including a brief period as revenue director.  The Revenue Department’s headquarters in Springfield is named after Ice, commemorating his contributions … Continue reading

Posted in Buildings, Illinois capital, Prominent figures, State government | 6 Comments

Springfield Glove Co., 1912 (photo)

The Springfield Glove Co. employed about 15 people, most of them women, when this photo was taken for publication in Springfield: The Capital of the State of Illinois, published by the Springfield Commercial Association in 1912. Springfield Glove opened for … Continue reading

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Myers Brothers’ monkey

A monkey was a mainstay attraction of the second-floor boys’ shop at Myers Brothers Department Store in Springfield for much of the 1950s. Actually, there were at least two monkeys – “Weegee,” who went on display at Myers in 1952, … Continue reading

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