Search Results for: St. Joseph

Rev. Patrick O’Reilly (Catholic pastor)

Posted on September 29, 2017 by editor

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.

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First Christmas parade (1914)

Posted on December 22, 2016 by editor

Thousands of people turned out to see Santa Claus parade through Springfield on Christmas Eve 1914, but the parade, which was part of a much larger communitywide holiday celebration, wasn’t repeated for another 15 years. Children – “urchins,” as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Amusements, Celebrations, Spectacles | Leave a comment

Joe Yucas (‘King of the Lithuanians’)

Posted on January 16, 2016 by editor

This entry has been retitled and greatly expanded. Joe Yucas (1874-1926) was a Springfield bar owner and political operative who the Illinois State Register once called “the King of the Lithuanians.” According to his obituary, Yucas immigrated to the U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Crime and vice, Ethnic groups, Hotels & taverns, Lithuanians, Prominent figures | 1 Comment

Index P-Z

Posted on June 19, 2015 by editor

P-51D Aircraft (National Register) Palace Hotel Palace Theatre ‘A Palatial Barroom’, 1898 Palmer Hotel  Dr. George T. Palmer (public health expert) Palmer Tuberculosis Sanitarium  Park Sherman Company The Pasfield House (Springfield historic site) Pasfield Family (1830s to 1930) Pasfield Park … Continue reading →

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Benedictine University at Springfield

Posted on September 30, 2014 by editor

Note: This entry has been updated to reflect the 2018 announcement that the entire campus was to be shut down.  Benedictine University at Springfield, which began as Springfield Junior College in 1929, abruptly announced the closure of its undergraduate programs … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Higher education | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

First Citizens (through 2024)

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

The First Citizen program was created in 1963 as the Copley First Citizen program by Springfield’s Copley-owned newspapers, the Illinois State Journal and Illinois State Register. The name was changed after Copley sold the merged State Journal-Register in 2007. The … Continue reading →

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Wabash Railroad Employees Hospital

Posted on October 5, 2013 by editor

Wabash Railroad employees injured on the job were brought to Springfield for treatment from 1884 to 1902 at a hospital dedicated to them. The infirmary was established in the former James Conkling mansion at Sixth Street and Lawrence Avenue.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in Public health, Railroads | Tagged , | 3 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 →

Posted in Churches, Education, Prominent figures | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

First wedding (1820)

Posted on April 30, 2024 by editor

The first marriage ever performed in Sangamon County took place in a log cabin near Cantrall on Nov. 2, 1820. In a pioneer community, the event required some improvisation, including a legless piano and a fake wedding cake. The happy … Continue reading →

Posted in Celebrations, Early residents, Family life, Social life, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Early movie theaters in Springfield

Posted on December 10, 2023 by editor

Motion picture exhibition in Springfield began in earnest around 1905. That year, four local theaters were screening short silent films in addition to presenting live vaudeville acts. Nickelodeon theaters, where movies were the prime attraction instead of a sideshow, became popular … Continue reading →

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