Tag Archives: Fires

Stephen A. Douglas’ missing finger

Before he was Abraham Lincoln’s foil in the 1858 contest for U.S. Senate in Illinois and then for the presidency in 1860, Stephen A. Douglas was a regular presence and sometime resident in Springfield. Douglas also was, briefly, Lincoln’s rival … Continue reading

Posted in Buildings, Early residents, Historic Sites, Illinois capital, Lincoln, Abraham, Politics, Presidential candidates, Prominent figures, State government | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Illinois State Armory

The Illinois State Armory at 107-11 E. Monroe St. in Springfield was built in 1936 to replace the State Arsenal, which previously stood on the site but had been destroyed in an arson fire. The new Armory was equipped with what was … Continue reading

Posted in Buildings, Historic Sites, Illinois capital, State government | Tagged | 17 Comments

Auburn

Auburn was founded twice. The first time was in 1835 by the Eastman family – George and Asa, along with their sister Hannah, who chose “Auburn” as the name of the fledgling community. (An 1896 Illinois State Journal article hypothesized that … Continue reading

Posted in Coal mines and mining, Communities, Disasters, Prominent figures, Sports and recreation | Tagged | 1 Comment