Category Archives: Churches

Billy Sunday revival (1909)

Posted on October 6, 2013 by editor

Evangelist Billy Sunday’s six-week-long revival meeting in Springfield in 1909 is remembered chiefly because of a spectacular attack on Sunday the very first night of the revival. Sunday’s revivals were typically held in open-air “tabernacles” specially constructed for the evangelist. … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches, Social services | Tagged | 4 Comments

Temple B’rith Sholom

Posted on October 5, 2013 by editor

Temple B’rith Sholom, Springfield’s Reform synagogue, began with 19 members in 1858. Originally called the Springfield Jewish Congregation, the group first met in a third-floor room at 216 S. Sixth St. It later moved to Hart’s Hall at 221 S. … Continue reading →

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Temple Israel

Posted on October 5, 2013 by editor

Temple Israel, 1140 W. Governor St., traces its history to Eastern European Jewish immigrants’ arrival in Springfield in the 1880s. They established an Orthodox synagogue, B’Nai Abraham, at  Seventh and Mason streets. The temple’s longtime rabbi, Rabbi Barry Marks, wrote … Continue reading →

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church

Posted on October 5, 2013 by editor

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was created when Springfield’s Evangelical Lutheran congregation, organized in 1841 in the home of the Rev. Francis Springer, split into German and English wings in 1854. In 1854, the trustees of the Evangelical Lutheran Church were … Continue reading →

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Erastus Wright

Posted on October 3, 2013 by editor

Erastus Wright (1779-1870) was a teacher, businessman, public official and farmer in a varied career spent mostly in central Illinois. He also was an early Springfield abolitionist and was one of Abraham Lincoln’s pallbearers. Wright was born in Massachusetts and traveled with … Continue reading →

Posted in Abolitionism, Churches, Early residents, Education, Lincoln, Abraham, Prominent figures, Railroads | Tagged | 2 Comments

Zion Missionary Baptist Church

Posted on October 3, 2013 by editor

Founded in 1838 as the Colored Baptist Church, Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1601 E. Laurel St., is the third oldest black church in Illinois. “It was a sad period in history for the African American population,” Zion Missionary’s website says … Continue reading →

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Bullard & Bullard: Leading architects

Posted on April 23, 2013 by editor

The architectural Bullard family, founded by Samuel A. Bullard (1853-1926), designed many of Springfield’s most prominent late 19th-century churches, schools, and public buildings. It and the firm of Helmle & Helmle are considered the most successful and most accomplished of … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Churches, Historic Sites, Local government, Prominent figures | Tagged , | 17 Comments

Cantrall: First church, first marriage

Posted on April 22, 2013 by editor

Founded and named: The village of Cantrall was originally named Antioch, but the name was changed to honor the Cantrall family, who were among the first European settlers of the area. In unusually precise fashion, the Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches, Disasters, Early residents | Tagged | 11 Comments

Ursuline Sisters: Pioneer educators

Posted on April 21, 2013 by editor

The Ursuline order of Catholic nuns played an important role in educating Springfield’s young from the mid-1800s through most of the 20th century, founding Ursuline Academy, a high school originally for girls only and Springfield Junior College, for decades Springfield’s … Continue reading →

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Pleasant Plains

Posted on April 21, 2013 by editor

The first Europeans settled near what is now Pleasant Plains about 1819, and a “Mr. Spillars” was operating a horse-powered grist mill by almost the same time. From the 1830s to the 1850s, a stagecoach line connected Springfield to Beardstown, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Churches, Communities, Early residents, Historic Sites, Prominent figures | Tagged , | 2 Comments