Author Archives: editor

114th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment

Posted on June 12, 2014 by editor

The 114th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, made up of men from Sangamon Cass and Menard counties, was known as the “Sangamo,” “Sangamon” or even “Lincoln’s Home” regiment during its Civil War service. The 114th was formed in the summer of … Continue reading →

Posted in Military | 9 Comments

Meredith Rhule

Posted on June 8, 2014 by editor

Meredith Rhule (1910-74), a Springfield native, led Burmese and Chinese guerrillas, often behind Japanese lines, during World War II. He won election as Sangamon County sheriff in 1946, but served only one term after newspaper investigations found he had ignored … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Law enforcement, Military, Prominent figures | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Hawthorne Place

Posted on June 5, 2014 by editor

The developers of the Hawthorne Place subdivision were ahead of their time. Its construction, starting in 1902, triggered Springfield’s suburban growth and created new ways of living for residents of the city. Hawthorne Place, which takes in Whittier, Lowell and … Continue reading →

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Gambling and the Sangamon County underworld,1948

Posted on June 4, 2014 by editor

The 1948 slaying of a dice game “stickman” helped expose a Sangamon County underworld that featured wide-open gambling and, allegedly, systematic bribery of state, county and city officials. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch at the time had a team of reporters … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Journalism, Law enforcement, Local government, Media, Politics, Prominent figures | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Robbery of Rochester State Bank, 1930

Posted on May 29, 2014 by editor

The Nov. 26, 1930, robbery of the Rochester State Bank quickly became a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style affair, complete with a car chase in which the robbers’ car was riddled by shots from a police officer’s submachine gun.  “Four bandits are nabbed on … Continue reading →

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West End Brewery

Posted on May 26, 2014 by editor

Henry Long operated a brewery near present-day Fayette and Feldkamp streets in the late 1860s and early 1870s Long paid $2,500 for a 14-acre tract of land from Peter and George Miller on Sept. 22, 1865. The land, at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Breweries, Business | 1 Comment

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum controversies

Posted on May 26, 2014 by editor

Design and construction of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum took years and involved a variety of political squabbles and maneuvering. If politics could have been put aside, the facility would have been completed much sooner. Of course, since … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts and letters, Buildings, Historic Sites, Illinois capital, Lincoln, Abraham, Local government, Museums, Politics, Presidential candidates, Presidents, Prominent figures, State government | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Springfield Ceramics and Crafts Club

Posted on May 22, 2014 by editor

The Springfield Ceramics and Crafts Club was founded on May 21, 1924, as the Springfield Ceramics Club. The charter membership was made up of 12 women, and the first president was Mrs. Lewis Minor, who had inspired the startup at … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts and letters, Prominent figures, Transportation | 1 Comment

Orange Judd buildings, Rochester

Posted on May 22, 2014 by editor

Buildings pictured in a 1918 collection, the Orange Judd Farmer Pictorial Community Album of Rochester Township and Village, are part of a walking tour created under sponsorship of the Rochester Historical Preservation Society. The Orange Judd Publishing Co. produced a … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Architecture, Buildings, Communities, Historic Sites, Histories, National Register, Prominent figures | Tagged | Leave a comment

Daniel Leib Ambrose

Posted on May 16, 2014 by editor

Daniel Leib Ambrose was a Springfield newsman in the 1870s and 1880s. He is best known for his collection of essays, Under the Gas-Light: Or Lights and Shadows in the State Capital of Illinois, this index.

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