Stories From Springfield's Past

Below are links to pages with an eclectic collection of newspaper items from the Journal and Register newspapers that we have collected in our search for information about the State House that may be of interest to some of our visitors. We have attempted to transcribe these articles exactly as they appeared in the newspapers, with the exception of capitalization and punctuation in some instances, but make no guarantees as to the accuracy of the information.

Some of these materials may contain offensive language or stereotypes. Such materials should be viewed in the context of their relevant time periods.

1869
*Snakes, etc.

1871
*Murder of former Illinois Secretary of State, Sharon Tyndale

1873
*Matteson Mansion Fire
*Filthy Streets

1874
*Early Springfield and the Arrival of Abraham Lincoln

1876
*History of Springfield
*Opera House Fire

1878
*Williamsville Reunion of the 114th Illinois

1883
*Buffalo Bill's "Wild West" in Springfield
*Description of 1st Marriage in Sangamon County

1884
*Death on the Rails

1885
*Lincoln and Duff Armstrong

1886
*A Lengthy Tale of the First Murder in Sangamon County

1887
*Removal of the Capital to Springfield

1888
*Boiler Explosion near Sherman
*Memories of the "Sudden Change"

1889
*A Dilapidated Governor's Mansion

1893
*Lincoln Remembered

1894
*Death of Sangamon County Historian John Carroll Power
*Columbian Expo at the State House
*Livery Stable Fire at Fourth and Adams

1899
*Miscellaneous News Items

1900
*Fatal Train Collision at the State Fair

1902
*7 Year-Old Boy Killed by Street Car
*Explosion at the Consolidated Street Railway Company

1905
*Fire Chief Dies En Route to Fire