News Archive

The Spring 2022 issue of the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society is now available. The Journal, the scholarly publication of the ISHS, is published quarterly and is a benefit of membership in the Illinois State Historical Society. Each issue includes articles, essays, book reviews, and documents about history, literature, art technology, law, and other subjects related to Illinois and the Midwest. Visit our Membership page for membership options and information. Click on the “Read More” button to see a list of articles and reviews included in this issue.

Are you or is someone you know interested in serving on the Illinois State Historical Society's Advisory Board? We're always looking for talented, committed people to join the ISHS Board and Advisory Board to help us meet our goal to "foster awareness, understanding, research, preservation, and recognition of history in Illinois."

SAVE THE DATE for March 2–4, 2023 for the annual RootsTech by FamilySearch event!

Featured videos from Lawrence and Vermillion Counties

Videos from: Lawrenceville, St. Francisville, Batestown and Rossville Illinois.

The Crete Area Historical Society announced it has recently purchased the historic Crete Congregational Church. The building is located at 550 W. Exchange St. on the west side of the railroad tracks in Crete.

The Fall/Winter 2021 issue of the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society is now available. The Journal, the scholarly publication of the ISHS, is published quarterly and is a benefit of membership in the Illinois State Historical Society. Each issue includes articles, essays, book reviews, and documents about history, literature, art technology, law, and other subjects related to Illinois and the Midwest. Visit our Membership page for membership options and information. Click on the “Read More” button to see a list of articles and reviews included in this issue.

Our July-August issue is full of articles to cool you off, starting with “Mythic Mississippi,” a fascinating look at how the “Father of Waters” has made Illinois a destination for people seeking new beginnings for centuries. In this issue we also continue our commemorative look at Ulysses S. Grant on the 200th anniversary of his birth, showcasing how the general and future 18th president was perceived by Illinois Civil War soldiers in the field. We also include a portrait of Julia Dent Grant, the remarkable and steadfast woman who helped him achieve greatness. Linda Ruholl introduces us to two poets and physicians named James Newton Matthews of Effingham County, who left footprints and verses throughout southeastern Illinois. And Richard Stickann provides us with a portrait of John Locke Scripps, the newspaperman from Rushville who penned the first biography of Abraham Lincoln, a book that helped secure Lincoln’s rise to the presidency. 

Dear Friends of Illinois history,

I write to ask your help in securing the future of the Illinois State Historical Society. For the last 21 years it has been my job, and that of the Society's board of directors, to find the money it takes to operate a small, state-wide not-for-profit organization committed to fostering “awareness, understanding, research, preservation, and recognition of history in Illinois.”

Dear Friends:

We continue to receive inquiries about the status of the Journal and, particularly, its publication schedule. While I’ve shared information on this issue before but perhaps this will be helpful if you are questioned by individuals or institutions.

Care about Illinois history enough to make a solid (bronze) commitment to the Illinois State Historical Society? Donors of $2500 or more will receive "The Conversation," a limited (25 total made) edition casting of a new statuette by renowned Lincoln sculptor John McClarey.