Author Archives: editor

Robin Roberts

Posted on October 12, 2013 by editor

Springfield native Robin Roberts (1926-2010)was the best pitcher in major league baseball from 1950 to 1955, winning 20 games for the Philadelphia Phillies for six consecutive seasons. Following his active career, he played a major role in the hiring of … Continue reading →

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Robin Roberts Stadium

Posted on October 12, 2013 by editor

This entry has been updated. Robin Roberts Stadium, then named Reservoir Park, opened on May 12, 1925. About 12,000 people watched a Three-I League baseball game between the Springfield Senators and the Terre Haute Hottentots. (The Senators lost, 6-4.) The … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Sports and recreation | Tagged | 1 Comment

Julius Rosenwald

Posted on October 12, 2013 by editor

This entry has been revised in light of new efforts to recognize Julius Rosenwald’s charitable and other contributions on both the local and national levels. Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932), a Springfield native, teamed with Richard Sears to build Sears, Roebuck & … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Education, Historic Sites, Lincoln, Abraham, Prominent figures, Schools and school districts, Social services | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Route 66

Posted on October 12, 2013 by editor

  Historic U.S. Route 66, which ran from Chicago to California beginning in the 1920s, went through Sangamon County. Traveling north to south, Route 66 entered the county near Williamsville and traveled through Sherman to Springfield. The highway then took … Continue reading →

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Rudolph Opera House

Posted on October 12, 2013 by editor

See Robert Rudolph.

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Sangamo Electric Co.

Posted on October 9, 2013 by editor

Editor’s note to readers: We regularly receive technical questions about old Sangamo Electric meters — they obviously were so well made that they practically last forever. Luckily, two readers have responded to some of those questions. (See comments below.) We greatly … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Industry, Prominent figures | Tagged , , , , | 119 Comments

Sangamo Town

Posted on October 9, 2013 by editor

Sangamo Town was a settlement on the Sangamon River that for a time rivaled Springfield as a commercial center, but after only 20 years or so was abandoned and all but forgotten. The man behind Sangamo Town was Moses Broadwell (1764-1827). Born … Continue reading →

Posted in Communities, Early residents, Lincoln, Abraham, Local government, Maps, Prominent figures, Sangamon County, Sangamon River, Transportation | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Sangamo Township

Posted on October 9, 2013 by editor

Before Sangamon County was created in January 1821, its territory was divided between Madison and Bond counties (mostly in Madison). Between the arrival of the first settler in 1817 and the ultimate formation of the county in 1821, a significant … Continue reading →

Posted in Early residents, Local government, Native Americans, Prehistory, Resources, Sangamon County, Springfield | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sangamon country, 1819 (Ferdinand Ernst)

Posted on October 9, 2013 by editor

Ferdinand Ernst (1784?-1822) was a wealthy German farmer who led more than 100 Germans to the United States and founded a short-lived colony in Vandalia. He ventured to the Sangamon country in 1819. This excerpt comes from the Transactions of … Continue reading →

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Sangamon County centennial marker dedication, 1921

Posted on October 9, 2013 by editor

Ten children were the ceremonial participants a century ago, when the Springfield Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution organized a 100th-anniversary commemoration of the founding of Sangamon County. The DAR sponsored the installation of a plaque, mounted on a granite … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Early residents, Historic Sites, Local government, Markers, Sangamon County | Tagged , | Leave a comment