Springfield Memories (Springfield, Illinois)

The word "Sangamon" often has been depicted as the American Indian word for "land of milk and honey.” Sangamon County's Springfield area proved to be that for the early settlers, who found rich soil, plentiful game and suf6cient water and timber sources. It proved to be that again for immigrants who came from all corners of Europe to harvest the coal found so plentifully underground, as well as for those in business and service industries who came to support the growing community. In addition, the existence of the state capital drew another pool of talent to the community, in the form of legislators, lawyers, journalists and others who kept our state government working – including a man named Abraham Lincoln. People came together from diverse backgrounds to form the greater Springfield community. From small shops to large factories, the community grew in response to the needs of its people and the world around them. While it hasn't always been easy, the pride on the faces of those pictured within this volume is evident – pride for who they became and what they accomplished. We are grateful to the Sangamon Valley Collection at Lincoln Library for sharing its collection of photographs, to the community for sharing cherished photos and to The State Journal-Register for initiating this project of collecting images from all aspects of the Springfield community. The book certainly represents a treasury of memories of the city’s development.