Illinois Heritage

This issue of Illinois Heritage is full of fascinating stories about Illinoisans who have made a difference in Illinois and Midwestern history, starting with Robert Preston Taylor, a lawyer and scientist who worked at the Illinois State Museum; William Edgar Brotherton, WWI aviator who flew with famed pilot Eddie Rickenbacker; and the unveiling of a new ISHS public history initiative, “The Land and the People Hold Memories,” an opportunity for post WWII citizens to write about their experiences between 1946-1975.

The Heritage is published six times per year and is available as a benefit of membership in the Illinois State Historical Society. Individual editions can also be purchased by contacting our office directly. Visit our Membership section for membership options and information.

Click on the “Read More” button to see this issue’s Editor's Comments, Table of Contents, and sample articles.

Looking ahead to the new year, the 2023 calendar is filling fast, with historical happenings popping up across Illinois like mushrooms on a warm spring day. We’re already planning historical marker unveilings in East St. Louis, Peoria, Decatur, Secor, Bloomington, Mt. Vernon, and several other cities, thanks to a grant from the WilliamG. Pomeroy Foundation of Syracuse, New York, and the dedicated volunteers who promote local history in their communities. We’re also getting ready for the annual “Best of Illinois History” awards, which takes place in April and honors historians, archivists, exhibitors, museum curators, writers, and the lifetime achievements of individuals whose passion for local history has changed lives, attitudes, and neighbor- hoods. Watch for details in Illinois Heritage and make your reservations early to join us for the celebration in Springfield.

There is so much history in the November-December issue of Illinois Heritage, and our list of contributors continues to grow. Bucky Halker’s portrait of Woody Guthrie in Illinois is a fascinating look at a 20th century icon not generally associated with the Prairie State, and Dave Joens’ “Breaking up is Hard to Do,” a  discussion of Illinois’s contentious sectionalism, explores the many aborted paths to secession in our 204-year history. Chris Suerdieck’s “The First Burger King” tells us about a mom-and-pop hamburger joint in Mattoon that made headlines simply by sticking to a winning recipe, and we say goodbye to Dr. G. Cullom Davis, a friend and colleague who changed the way we do history.

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. 

This issue of Illinois Heritage offers a snapshot of the “Best of Illinois History” ceremony, where we gave out more than 35 awards, including three Lifetime Achievements awards, the Olive Foster Teacher of the Year award, and the new Russell L. Lewis Jr. Young Museum Professional award. We also take a look at Ulysses S. Grant, the soldier from Galena who led the Union Army to victory in the Civil War and became the nation’s 18th President. In this two-part retrospective, we see Grant through the eyes of the soldiers who served under him along the way.