Monthly Archives: December 2025

James Wickersham, legendary Alaskan

Posted on December 21, 2025 by editor

James L. Wickersham spent only six years, from about 1877 to 1883, in Sangamon County. He came to Springfield as assistant, office boy and general dogsbody to former Gov. John M. Palmer. He left the city as a fledgling lawyer, … Continue reading →

Posted in Prominent figures | 1 Comment

Rochester’s Alaskan mountain

Posted on December 13, 2025 by editor

A photo caption below has been corrected. Unlikely though it seems, Rochester, Illinois, elevation 570 feet, has a legitimate claim to a mountain in Alaska. But you have to drive 3,800 miles to see it. Mount Deborah, 12,339 feet above … Continue reading →

Posted in Prominent figures, Uncategorized, Women | 3 Comments

Santa surrenders sleigh to snowballs (1950 Christmas parade)

Posted on December 3, 2025 by editor

Santa Claus, of all people, should have felt right at home when a four-inch snowfall greeted Springfield’s 1950 Christmas parade. But Santa couldn’t overcome a barrage of snowballs. The parade, which stepped off from Fifth Street and Lawrence Avenue the … Continue reading →

Posted in Amusements, Celebrations, Children, Spectacles | Leave a comment