Search entries
-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Texas Chili: What it is, What it Isn't & Why I'm Obsessed With the State's Favorite Dish - Special Event Wishes on Chili (‘chilli’) in Springfield
- Texas Chili: What it is, What it Isn't & Why I'm Obsessed With the State's Favorite Dish - Houston Food Finder on Chili (‘chilli’) in Springfield
- Frederick Williston wright on Cantrall: First church, first marriage
- editor on ‘Cocaine Alley’ (1899-1903)
- Elizabeth Rutherford on ‘Cocaine Alley’ (1899-1903)
Archives
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- July 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
Categories
- Abolitionism
- African Americans
- Agriculture
- Air travel
- Airport
- Amusements
- Animals
- Architecture
- Arts and letters
- Auto dealers
- Breweries
- Buildings
- Business
- Celebrations
- Children
- Churches
- Coal mines and mining
- Communications
- Communities
- Crime and vice
- Department stores
- Depression
- Disasters
- Early residents
- Education
- Environment
- Ethnic groups
- Family life
- Farming
- Fever River
- Fires
- First Citizens
- Germans
- Greeks
- Higher education
- Historic Sites
- Histories
- Hotels & taverns
- Illinois capital
- Illinois State Fair
- Illustrations
- Industry
- Irish
- Irish
- Italians
- Japanese
- Jewish
- John T. Stuart
- Journalism
- Labor unions
- Law enforcement
- Lincoln Home
- Lincoln Tomb
- Lincoln, Abraham
- Lindsay, Vachel
- Lithuanians
- Lithuanians
- Local government
- Maps
- Markers
- Media
- Medicine
- Military
- Mills
- Museums
- National Register
- Native Americans
- Oak Ridge signs
- Parks
- Photos and photosets
- Politics
- Portuguese
- Prehistory
- Presidential candidates
- Presidents
- Prominent figures
- Public health
- Race riot of 1908
- Railroads
- Resources
- Restaurants
- Route 66
- Sangamon County
- Sangamon River
- Schools and school districts
- Science
- Slovenians
- Social life
- Social services
- Soil
- Spanish
- Spectacles
- Sports and recreation
- Springfield
- Springfield Survey
- State government
- Swabians
- Theaters
- Transportation
- Uncategorized
- Videos
- Weather
- Women
Blogroll
Category Archives: Disasters
‘The Big O’ fire, 1908
The Olympic theater – better known as “the Big O” – advertised “strictly refined vaudeville.” But newspaper reporters and state regulators suspected patrons got a bit more for their 15 cents. So the Illinois State Journal saw some justice in … Continue reading
Posted in Amusements, Business, Crime and vice, Disasters, Fires, Hotels & taverns, Social life, Theaters
Leave a comment
Firefighter deaths on duty
At least 13* Springfield firefighters have died in the line of duty since the city created a professional fire department in the late 1860s. In order, they were: George Schevers (1860-Jan. 11, 1905). Schevers, fire chief at the time, was … Continue reading
Posted in Disasters, Local government, Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Elevator Milling Co. fire, 1927
As many as 5,000 people stood in pouring rain the evening of April 8, 1927, watching as a historic grain mill and elevator went up in flames across from the Third Street railroad station. The massive blaze destroyed 45,000 bushels … Continue reading
Posted in Auto dealers, Buildings, Business, Disasters, Fires, Industry, Mills, Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Former fire chief killed in World’s Fair blaze, 1893
Seventeen people died in a spectacular fire during the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. One was former Springfield Fire Marshal John H. Freeman. Following his second stint as fire marshal (today’s fire chief), Freeman enlisted with the World’s Fair fire company. … Continue reading
Posted in Disasters, Fires, Local government, Prominent figures
Leave a comment
Shot-firers, ‘windy shots’ and coal mine safety
The Illinois General Assemply approved a law in 1905 designed to safeguard coal miners from black-powder explosions. It didn’t work that way for John Stratton, Thomas Hiscock, William Wilson, Herman Kownatzky, Robinson Ridley and Loren Dunbar. The six men, all … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Coal mines and mining, Disasters, Industry, Labor unions
Leave a comment
Machinery Hall collapse, 1895
Two workmen died in the state’s rush to develop the new home of the Illinois State Fair in 1895. Springfield was named the permanent site of the fair in 1894, and the Exposition Building was constructed by September of that … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Architecture, Buildings, Disasters, Illinois State Fair
Leave a comment
COVID-19 in Sangamon County: The first year
Sangamon County recorded its first COVID-19 death on March 19, 2020. A 71-year-old woman travelling from Florida to Springfield passed away from virus complications at Memorial Medical Center. The death occurred during a period of national uncertainty about the COVID-19 … Continue reading
Posted in Disasters, Local government, Medicine, Public health, Sangamon County, Science
Leave a comment
First snowplow (1918)
Springfield’s first motorized snowplow arrived five days late. A massive blizzard, carrying heavy snow, powerful winds and temperatures as low as 20 below, struck the city on Friday, Jan. 11, 1918. Springfield already was under a blanket of snow, and … Continue reading
Posted in Disasters, Local government, Transportation, Weather
Leave a comment
Dick Sullivan, political ‘boss’
Dick Sullivan, reputed to be Sangamon County’s behind-the-scenes political master for the first two decades of the 20th century, died in a violent train collision in New York state in 1923. Richard M. Sullivan (1874-1923), his wife Clara (1875-1923), their … Continue reading
Covid-19: History in the making
At least three local institutions are documenting the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on individuals in Illinois as it happens. Representatives of all three gave presentations May 17, 2022, to the Sangamon County Historical Society. Results from two of the … Continue reading
Posted in Disasters, Medicine, Public health, Resources, Science
Leave a comment