Monthly Archives: September 2024

Milk dumping protest, 1938

With negotiations at a standstill in November 1938, militant farmers ambushed four dairy delivery trucks and dumped thousands of gallons of milk on Sangamon County highways. The protest lasted only a day, squelched by court action and lack of support … Continue reading

Posted in Business, Farming | Leave a comment

Sangamon County sheriffs, 1821-2024

This entry has been updated. Here is a list of people who have served as sheriff of Sangamon County since the county was established on Jan. 30, 1821. Dates indicate when the sheriffs were commissioned unless noted. John Taylor: 1821, … Continue reading

Posted in Law enforcement, Local government, Politics, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

Kresge shootout, 1933

A wild shootout erupted when police detectives interrupted a stickup at the Kresge store in downtown Springfield the day after Christmas 1933. As bullets flew, the robbers jumped into a waiting car and drove away. One officer  followed in a … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and vice, Department stores, Law enforcement | Leave a comment

‘Patty Reed’s doll’ (Donner Party artifact)

Like the Donner Party itself, the best-known relic of that pioneer tragedy hails from Sangamon County. The Donner Party, of course, is remembered primarily because some of the emigrants, snowbound in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains in 1846-47, reportedly resorted to … Continue reading

Posted in Children, Disasters, Early residents, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

Transient shelters, 1934-35

When a jobless migrant – a “hobo” or “tramp” – wandered into Springfield during the Great Depression, he might have been in for a surprise: a well-stocked shelter offering meals, a bed, work opportunities and even recreation. Springfield’s transient-aid program … Continue reading

Posted in Depression, Hotels & taverns, Social services, Uncategorized | Leave a comment