Illinois Heritage, September–October 2021
Volume 24, Number 5
To our readers:
Traveling around Illinois is my job and my joy. Last month I visited Oregon, Princeton, Carbondale, Ottawa, Downers Grove, East Peoria, Pullman, Decatur, Centralia, and a zillion towns in between. I chatted with librarians, church organists, receptionists, a couple of cops, and folks on the street and, guess what—the topic wasn’t the pandemic, it was Illinois history. I passed out copies of Illinois Heritage to dozens of potential new ISHS members, handed out business cards, showed off our new flashy holiday ornament, presented the Society’s new Lincoln-Douglass statuette (designed by sculptor John McClarey) to worthy donors, and even delivered poles to communities planning historical marker dedications.
But the thing that gives me more pleasure than traveling the state is sharing the latest issue of Illinois Heritage with you. This modest little magazine, now nearly 25 years old, is written by some of our most dedicated historians who continue to seek out and share new stories from our Prairie State past. Our family of history tellers grows with each issue too. These are extraordinary folks; I hope you’ve come to value them as I do.
Thank you for being members of the Illinois State Historical Society. Thanks for being part of our history, and for letting us be part of yours.
Share your Heritage, be “Lincoln-hearted,” and have a safe and joyous equinox.
William Furry
ISHS Executive Director
| Table of Contents | Departments
- To our readers
- President’s message
- Letters to the editor
- SHS News
- Historical Headlines: Bear down, Chicago Bears! (Sample Article)
- Coimentromania: First burial at Oak Ridge Cemetery
- Obituaries: Stephen A. Thompson and Suzanne Dietrich
- The Lincoln collector: Facts about forgeries
- The honor roll
Features
- Forgotten Voices from Illinois history: Harriet Monroe
- Illinois Women Artists series, #47: Susan S. Frackelton
- Lou Reynolds: The “grand old man of baseball” in Kewanee, Illinois
- Dennis Williams: Prominent 19th century African American artist in Springfield, Illinois (Sample Article)
- Holidays on the front line: Illinois Civil War soldiers celebrate victory and reflect on America’s founding
On the cover
“The Eternal Indian,” a 48-foot sculpture by Lorado Taft, on the bluffs above the Rock River near Oregon, Illinois, was unveiled in Lowden State Park in 1911. Sometimes called the Black Hawk statue, this landmark in northwest Illinois pays tribute to the First Nations who called Illinois their home.
Photo by William Furry. |
| Issue Price | $10.00 |