Author Archives: editor

Willis J. Spaulding

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

“Next to Lincoln, Willis Spaulding was our greatest citizen,” then-Mayor Nelson Howarth said upon Spaulding’s death in 1965. “… His leadership in the fight for public utilities resulted in Lake Springfield, pure water, low electric rates and acres of recreational … Continue reading →

Posted in Local government, Prominent figures, Springfield, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Rev. Francis Springer

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

The Rev. Francis Springer (1810-92) is considered the father of Lutheranism in Springfield. A service he held in his home in 1841 led to the founding of the first Lutheran congregation in the city. That church later evolved into both … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches, Education, Lincoln, Abraham, Prominent figures, Social services | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Barack Obama in Springfield

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

President Barack Obama was an Illinois state senator, representing a Chicago district in Springfield, from 1997 to 2004. As a U.S. senator from 2005 to 2009, he also visited Springfield several times. Notably, he was one of the speakers, with … Continue reading →

Posted in Illinois capital, Presidents, Prominent figures, State government | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Adlai Stevenson II in Springfield

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

As Robert Howard pointed out in his Illinois: History of the Prairie State, most biographers of Adlai Stevenson II (1900-65) “concentrate on the presidential campaigns and United Nations career,” not Stevenson’s single term as Illinois governor. Stevenson, who grew up … Continue reading →

Posted in Presidential candidates, Prominent figures, State government | 3 Comments

U.S. Grant in Springfield

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

Ulysses S. Grant’s rise to commander of U.S. forces in the Civil War began at dinner in a now-anonymous Springfield hotel. Because of his earlier military career, Grant had agreed to accompany a company of Union volunteers from Galena to … Continue reading →

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Springfield Boiler Co.

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

The Springfield Boiler Co., established in 1890, operated for 73 years in the 1900 block of East Capitol Avenue. The firm, originally named Springfield Boiler and Manufacturing Co., produced a variety of steam boilers for power plants, breweries and manufacturers … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Industry, Sports and recreation | Tagged | 6 Comments

Busher Brewery (Springfield Brewery)

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

The earliest recorded brewery in Springfield was started in 1840 by James Busher. Busher and his brother John emigrated from their native England and settled in Springfield in 1839. The brothers were tanners by trade, or at least worked in … Continue reading →

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Springfield city flag

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

Springfield’s city flag was adopted in 1917. Local resident S.T. Wallace won a contest to design the flag, taking a $100 prize in the process.  Poet Vachel Lindsay both proposed the contest and donated the cash award. The 20 stars … Continue reading →

Posted in Lindsay, Vachel, Local government, Springfield | 2 Comments

City jail ‘bullpen,’ 1914 (Springfield Survey photo)

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

The Springfield Survey was a massive study of local schools, prisons, and other institutions undertaken in 1914 by the Russell Sage Foundation with the help of hundreds of local volunteers. Topics covered included schools, care of “mental defectives, the insane … Continue reading →

Posted in Law enforcement, Social services, Springfield Survey | Leave a comment

1925 Springfield City Plan (The West Plan)

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

The 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago inspired the so-called City Beautiful movement that dominated urban planning in the U.S. and abroad until well into the 1920s. One of the more successful City Beautiful planners in the Midwest was Myron … Continue reading →

Posted in Local government, Public health, Sangamon River, Social services | Tagged | Leave a comment