Monthly Archives: November 2013

First Black high school graduate

Posted on November 5, 2013 by editor

The first African-American high school graduate in Springfield wanted to be a schoolteacher, but it would be 80 more years before the local public schools would employ a Black teacher. So Gertrude Wright (1861-1931) became a teacher in St. Louis, … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Education, Ethnic groups, Local government, Schools and school districts, Women | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Thornton Walker

Posted on November 4, 2013 by editor

Thornton Walker* (1912-45) was the Illinois State Journal’s part-time aviation columnist during the 1930s. A Flickr page set up by his son-in-law, Bill Strouse, contains many photos of Southwest Airport, along with reproductions of some of Walker’s columns for the Journal. … Continue reading →

Posted in Airport, Journalism, Military, Photos and photosets, Prominent figures, State government, Transportation | Tagged | Leave a comment

Women’s suffrage in Illinois

Posted on November 4, 2013 by editor

A carefully calibrated legislative strategy in Springfield led to Illinois becoming, in 1913, the first state east of the Mississippi to grant women the right to vote. On June 10, 1919, the state then became the first in the nation … Continue reading →

Posted in Illinois capital, Local government, Politics, Prominent figures, Schools and school districts, State government, Women | 5 Comments

Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co.

Posted on November 2, 2013 by editor

The Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. (later Fiat-Allis and Fiatallis) made heavy construction equipment from 1928 until 1985 at a 70-acre plant between Sixth and 11th streets and Stanford Avenue and Stevenson Drive. At its peak in the 1960s, A-C employed about … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Industry, Military | 81 Comments

Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport

Posted on November 2, 2013 by editor

Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport was dedicated, under its original name of Capital Airport, on Nov. 2, 1947. The ceremony culminated a nearly decade-long effort to build a new airport, an initiative sparked when the two airlines that previously served Springfield … Continue reading →

Posted in Airport, Journalism, Local government, Military, Prominent figures, Transportation | 2 Comments

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library site (Fever River)

Posted on November 2, 2013 by editor

The site of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential  Library and Museum is one of five areas of Springfield that Fever River Research has studied exhaustively.  The resulting reports  are extraordinarily informative historical and archaeological analyses. Fever River Research says it “specializes … Continue reading →

Posted in Early residents, Fever River, Histories, Lincoln, Abraham, Museums, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

Abrams Hotel (1828 pioneers)

Posted on November 2, 2013 by editor

The Abrams Hotel was described as “the principal hotel of the city” in John Todd Stuart’s later reminiscence of 1828 Springfield. It was near the southeast corner of First and Jefferson streets and is No. 5 on the reconstructed map … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Early residents, Hotels & taverns | Leave a comment

Ad Men’s Club

Posted on November 2, 2013 by editor

The Ad Men’s Club was formed in 1906. See Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce.

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Adams Wildlife Sanctuary

Posted on November 2, 2013 by editor

The Adams Wildlife Sanctuary in the 2300 block of Clear Lake Avenue was donated to the Illinois Audubon Society by Margery Adams, whose family had owned the property for more than 100 years. Margery Adams (1897-1983) lived in the home on … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Buildings, Farming, Lincoln, Abraham, Prominent figures | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Trip to Springfield, 1852 (letter)

Posted on November 2, 2013 by editor

Mark Bangs of Lacon, while on a business trip to Springfield in 1852, wrote a letter to his wife Nellie, describing his trip and giving his impressions of the elite American House Hotel, the largest in Illinois at the time. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hotels & taverns, Presidents, Prominent figures | Leave a comment