Author Archives: editor

Capital City Band (‘Professor Blood’s Band’)

Posted on July 27, 2015 by editor

The Capital City Band was one of two bands that were merged to form the Springfield Municipal Band in 1933. See Louis Lehmann (band director).

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Illinois Watch Factory Band

Posted on July 27, 2015 by editor

The Illinois Watch Factory Band, founded in 1881, was one of two bands that were merged to form the Springfield Municipal Band in 1933. See Louis Lehmann (band director).

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Springfield Municipal Band

Posted on July 27, 2015 by editor

See Louis Lehmann (band director).

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Louis Lehmann (band director)

Posted on July 27, 2015 by editor

Professor Louis Lehmann (1851-1923) led the Illinois Watch Factory Band for 42 years, until he collapsed and died at a band rehearsal. William Dodd Chenery described the scene in 1933: For forty-two years, almost to a day, he carried on, … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Amusements, Local government, Prominent figures, Social life | Leave a comment

Assembly Ball, 1889 (photo)

Posted on July 25, 2015 by editor

This obviously staged photograph was taken by William Patton in the lobby of the Leland Hotel, Sixth Street and Capitol Avenue, in 1889. The photo was later printed in the lllinois State Journal. The caption said, in part: Here in … Continue reading →

Posted in Amusements, Celebrations, Hotels & taverns, Photos and photosets, Social life | Leave a comment

Frisina theaters

Posted on July 22, 2015 by editor

Theaters owned by the Taylorville-based Frisina Amusement Corp. competed with those operated by Springfield’s own Kerasotes Theaters for most of the 20th century. For more information, see Esquire theater.

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Esquire theater

Posted on July 22, 2015 by editor

Springfield’s Esquire theater opened in late 1937 via an unusual alliance between two central Illinois  movie chains. Kerasotes Theaters of Springfield and Frisina Amusement Corp., founded in Taylorville, had almost simultaneously announced plans to build separate “suburban” theaters within a … Continue reading →

Posted in Amusements, Buildings, Social life, Theaters | Leave a comment

Charles E. Planck (killer of Lincoln family dog)

Posted on July 19, 2015 by editor

Charles E. Planck (1842-1917) may have been mistreated by history. See The death of Fido, the Lincoln family dog.

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The death of Fido, the Lincoln family dog

Posted on July 19, 2015 by editor

Fido, a yellow mongrel dog the Abraham Lincoln family adopted about 1855, stayed behind when the Lincolns moved to Washington, D.C., in 1861 and was stabbed to death sometime in 1866. The man who killed Fido has gone down in … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Crime and vice, Lincoln, Abraham | 15 Comments

Paul Powell shoebox scandal

Posted on July 15, 2015 by editor

The discovery of hundreds of thousands of dollars stuffed in suitcases, an attache case, loose envelopes and, of course, a shoebox within days after the October 1970 death of Illinois Secretary of State Paul Powell remains clouded by confusion and … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Illinois capital, Politics, Prominent figures, State government | 2 Comments