Category Archives: Historic Sites

Lincoln Home neighborhood in 1971 (Nelson Howarth)

Posted on February 11, 2015 by editor

Nelson Howarth, with only a week to go in his third and final term as mayor of Springfield, testified in April 1971 before the U.S. House Subcommittee on National Parks and Recreation in support of designating the Lincoln Home neighborhood … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Historic Sites, Lincoln Home, Lincoln, Abraham, Local government, Museums, National Register, Parks, Presidents, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

Executive Mansion demolition plan, 1963

Posted on February 10, 2015 by editor

Postponed maintenance, repair crises and general dilapidation have been recurring problems at the Illinois Executive Mansion – most recently in 2014 and 2015, when a leaky roof and mold in the basement helped create a need for more than $5 … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Buildings, Historic Sites, Illinois capital, State government | 1 Comment

The Historic Preservation Association of Springfield

Posted on December 19, 2014 by editor

Note: This post has been revised by the author. By the middle 1980s, the preservation of historically and architecturally significant buildings had become the subject of growing attention in Springfield. This attention reflected national trends, as well as regret over … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Historic Sites, Local government, National Register, Springfield | 3 Comments

Lincoln Tomb statuary (original)

Posted on November 18, 2014 by editor

This entry is a lightly edited version of a presentation given by Mark Johnson, historian for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, to the 2014 volunteer dinner hosted by the now-defunct Lincoln Monument Association, a non-profit support group for the Lincoln … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Arts and letters, Historic Sites, Lincoln Tomb, Lincoln, Abraham, Military, National Register | 3 Comments

National Lincoln Monument Association directors, 1865

Posted on November 15, 2014 by editor

The National Lincoln Monument Association, officially organized on May 11, 1865, oversaw fundraising for and construction of Abraham Lincoln’s tomb. Although members originally planned to build the structure on land that now is the site of the Illinois Statehouse, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic Sites, Illinois capital, John T. Stuart, Journalism, Lincoln Tomb, Lincoln, Abraham, Local government, Media, Politics, Prominent figures | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Lincoln Tomb ‘Battle of the Gravesite’

Posted on October 25, 2014 by editor

Today, we take for granted that Lincoln is buried here. But we must remember that the journey from that terrible April day when Lincoln died to the day when he was placed in Oak Ridge’s receiving tomb was a tumultuous … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic Sites, Lincoln Tomb, Presidents, Prominent figures | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Mary Lincoln letters about Lincoln Tomb site

Posted on October 25, 2014 by editor

Below is the text of letters written by Mary Lincoln during a dispute in June 1865 with the National Lincoln Monument Association. The NLMA wanted to build Springfield’s monument to President Abraham Lincoln (and his tomb) on what was called the Mather … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic Sites, Lincoln Tomb, Lincoln, Abraham, Prominent figures | Tagged | 2 Comments

Chatham railroad history

Posted on October 5, 2014 by editor

In the early 1800s, like many other places on what was then “the frontier,” lack of reliable transportation was an impediment to the growth of Sangamon County. The Sangamon River was an outlet to the Illinois River, but was too … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Communities, Historic Sites, Museums, Railroads, Transportation | Tagged | 5 Comments

The Pasfield House

Posted on September 28, 2014 by editor

In 1896, at age 26, George Pasfield Jr., the third in a line of George Pasfields who played major roles in the growth and development of Springfield, began construction of a new residence at Jackson and Pasfield streets. The home … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Historic Sites, Hotels & taverns | 2 Comments

The Pasfield family (1830s to 1930)

Posted on September 28, 2014 by editor

Three men named George Pasfield — father, son and grandson, usually distinguished as “the first George Pasfield,” “Dr. George Pasfield” and “George Pasfield Jr.” — played major roles in the growth of Springfield over nearly a century. 1830s George Pasfield … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Business, Early residents, First Citizens, Historic Sites, Hotels & taverns, Illinois capital, Industry, Local government, Parks, Prominent figures | 3 Comments