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St. Joseph Parish on Springfield’s north end was the third Catholic parish established in the city. Its original elementary school existed from the 1870s until 1912, and the parish continued educating students until 2012. See Patrick Henry statue, St. Joseph … Continue reading →

Rev. Patrick O’Reilly, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Springfield, was the guiding force behind the statue of Patrick Henry that stood above the school entrance for more than 50 years.

George S. Connelly (1849-1918) built a retail and wholesale grocery company from a one-room store on East Monroe Street. See Butternut Bakery.

Melanie Bryant, hired in 1994, was Springfield’s first woman firefighter. See Harry Taylor, first black firefighter, police detective.

The Bel-Aire Manor Motel, 2636 S. Sixth St., opened about 1953 and was demolished in 2015. See Carl Rinnus, popular sculpture.

The 30-foot-tall fiberglass statue of Abraham Lincoln inside the Main Gate of the Illinois State Fairgrounds was created in 1967 by department store window designer Carl Rinnus. See Carl Rinnus, popular sculpture.

Sarah “Sadie” Smith Woodruff is considered the first woman to ride a bicycle, in 1888, in Springfield. See Brainerd Hill (West Lawrence Avenue).

The Capital City Cycling Club sponsored bicycle competitions, recreational rides and other activities from 1887 until the early 1920s. See Brainerd Hill (West Lawrence Avenue).