Category Archives: Uncategorized

George Hoffmann was a lawyer and civic leader who led a decade-long effort to expand higher education in Springfield. He received the Copley First Citizen award in 1969. See Lincoln Land Community College founding.

The Caldwell School in Thayer, like that in Chatham, was named after the school’s major benefactor, U.S. Rep. Ben F. Caldwell. Both schools also had an unfortunate history of fires. For more on the Thayer school, see Edith Martin, teacher … Continue reading →

The Caldwell State Bank, founded by Ben F. Caldwell, operated in Chatham from 1879 until the early 1930s. See Ben F. Caldwell: politician, farmer banker.

The Caldwell Mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in the 1870s for Ben F. Caldwell. See Ben F. Caldwell: politician, farmer, banker.

Caldwell School was at Main and Walnut streets in Chatham from 1895 to 1964. See Ben F. Caldwell: politician, farmer, banker.

Football great Red Grange faced an unpleasant welcome to Springfield when he accompanied runners to the city during the 1928 Transcontinental Foot Race.

The Bunn Park Beach, Springfield’s first public beach, operated from 1916 until 1928. See Women’s bathing suit controversy, 1916.

Harriett Reid was a suffragist, progressive and labor and civic activist in Springfield during the 1910s. Her application to become an workers’ compensation arbitrator with the Illinois Industrial Commission established the precedent that women could not be discriminated against in … Continue reading →

William Yates Sr. (1908-74) was the Sangamon County Republican Party chairman from 1942 to 1950. He also was the primary co-founder of the former Lincoln Center and Ann Rutledge Pancake House at Monument and Sangamon avenues. Read more about Yates, … Continue reading →

Lincoln Center is a strip shopping center at Monument and North Grand Avenues, a few blocks south of Oak Ridge Cemetery and Lincoln’s Tomb. Founded by the Yates and Adams families, the center originally took advantage of its location by … Continue reading →