Settlers originally named this community "Calhoun", after SenatorJohn C. Calhoun ofSouth Carolina, expressing their cultural ties.[13] The land that Springfield now occupies was visited first by trappers andfur traders who came to theSangamon River in 1818.[14]
The first cabin was built in 1820 by John Kelly, after he discovered that the area was plentiful with deer and other wild game. He built his cabin on a hill, overlooking a creek known eventually as the Town Branch.[citation needed] A stone marker on the north side of Jefferson street, halfway between 1st and College streets, marks the location of this original dwelling.[citation needed] A second stone marker at the northwest corner of 2nd St. and Jefferson St., often mistaken for the original home site, marks instead the location of the first county courthouse, which was later built on Kelly's property.[citation needed] In 1821, Calhoun was designated as the county seat of Sangamon County due to its location, fertile soil, and trading opportunities.
Settlers fromKentucky,Virginia, andNorth Carolina came to the developing settlement.[14] By 1832, Senator Calhoun had fallen out of the favor with the public, and the town renamed itself as Springfield.[15] According to local history, the name was suggested by the wife of John Kelly, after Spring Creek, which ran through the area known as "Kelly's Field".[16]
Kaskaskia was the first capital of theIllinois Territory from its organization in 1809, continuing through statehood in 1818, and through the first year as a state in 1819.Vandalia was the second state capital of Illinois, from 1819 to 1839. In 1839, Springfield was designated as the third capital. The designation was largely due to the efforts ofAbraham Lincoln and his associates, who were nicknamed the "Long Nine" for their combined height of 54 feet (16 m).[14][15]
ThePotawatomi Trail of Death passed through Springfield in 1838. The Native Americans were forced west to Indian Territory by the government'sIndian Removal policy.
Abraham Lincoln arrived in the Springfield area in 1831, but he did not live in the city until 1837.[17] He spent the next six years inNew Salem, where he began his legal studies, joined thestate militia, and was elected to theIllinois General Assembly.
In 1837, Lincoln moved to Springfield, where he lived and worked for the next 24 years as a lawyer and politician. Lincoln delivered hisLyceum address in Springfield. His farewell speech when he left for Washington is a classic in American oratory.[17]
Historian Kenneth J. Winkle (1998) examines the historiography concerning the development of theSecond Party System (Whigs versus Democrats). He applied these ideas to the study of Springfield, a strong Whig enclave in a Democratic region. He chiefly studied poll books for presidential years. The rise of theWhig Party took place in 1836 in opposition to the presidential candidacy ofMartin Van Buren and was consolidated in 1840. Springfield Whigs tend to validate several expectations of party characteristics as they were largely native-born, either in New England or Kentucky, professional or agricultural in occupation, and devoted to partisan organization. Abraham Lincoln's career reflects the Whigs' political rise but, by the 1840s, Springfield began to be dominated by Democratic politicians. Waves of new European immigrants had changed the city's demographics, and they became aligned with the Democrats, who made more effort to assist and connect with them. By the 1860 presidential election, Lincoln was barely able to win his home city.[18]
Winkle earlier had studied the effect of migration on residents' political participation in Springfield during the 1850s.[19] Widespread migration in the 19th-century United States produced frequent population turnover within Midwestern communities, which influenced patterns of voter turnout and office-holding. Examination of the manuscript census, poll books, and office-holding records reveals the effects of migration on the behavior and voting patterns of 8,000 participants in 10 elections in Springfield. Most voters were short-term residents who participated in only one or two elections during the 1850s. Fewer than 1% of all voters participated in all 10 elections.[19]
Instead of producing political instability, however, rapid turnover enhanced the influence of the more stable residents.[19] Migration was selective by age, occupation, wealth, and birthplace. Longer-term or "persistent" voters, as Winkle terms them, tended to be wealthier, more highly skilled, more often native-born, and socially more stable than non-persisters. Officeholders were particularly persistent and socially and economically advantaged. Persisters represented a small "core community" of economically successful, socially homogeneous, and politically active voters and officeholders who controlled local political affairs, while most residents moved in and out of the city. Members of a tightly knit and exclusive "core community", exemplified byAbraham Lincoln, blunted the potentially disruptive impact of migration on local communities.[19]
The case of John Williams illustrates the important role of the merchant banker in the economic development of central Illinois before the Civil War. Williams began his career as a clerk in frontier stores and saved to begin his own business. Later, in addition to operating retail and wholesale stores, he acted as a local banker and organized a national bank in Springfield. He was active in railroad promotion and as an agent for farm machinery.[20]
During the mid-19th century, the spiritual needs of GermanLutherans in the Midwest were not being tended. There had been a wave of migration after the 1848 revolutions, but without a related number of clergy. As a result of the efforts of such missionaries as Friedrich Wyneken, Wilhelm Loehe, and Wilhelm Sihler, additional Lutheran ministers were sent to the Midwest, Lutheran schools were opened, andConcordia Theological Seminary was founded inFt. Wayne, Indiana in 1846.
The seminary moved toSt. Louis, Missouri, in 1869 and then to Springfield in 1874. During the last half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, theLutheran Church–Missouri Synod succeeded in serving the spiritual needs of Midwestern congregations by establishing additional seminaries from ministers trained at Concordia and by developing a viable synodical tradition.[21]
Springfield became a major center of activity during the American Civil War. Illinois regiments trained there, the first ones underUlysses S. Grant. He led his soldiers to a remarkable series of victories in 1861–62.[22] The city was a political and financial center of Union support. New industries, businesses, and railroads were constructed to help support the war effort.[15] The war's first official death was a Springfield resident, ColonelElmer E. Ellsworth.
Camp Butler, located seven miles (11 km) northeast of Springfield, Illinois, opened in August 1861 as a training camp for Illinois soldiers. It also served as a camp for Confederate prisoners of war through 1865. In the beginning, Springfield residents visited the camp to take part in the excitement of a military venture, but many reacted sympathetically to mortally wounded and ill prisoners. While the city's businesses prospered from camp traffic, drunken behavior and rowdiness on the part of the soldiers stationed there strained relations. Neither civil nor military authorities proved able to control disorderly outbreaks.[23]
After the war ended in 1865, Springfield became a major hub in the Illinois railroad system. It was a center of government and farming, and by 1900, it had also become involved in coal mining and processing.[15]
Local poetVachel Lindsay's notions of utopia were expressed in his only novel,The Golden Book of Springfield (1920), which draws on ideas ofanarchistic socialism in projecting the progress of Lindsay's hometown toward utopia.[24]
TheDana–Thomas House is aFrank Lloyd Wright design built in 1902–03. Wright began work on the house in 1902. Commissioned by Susan Lawrence Dana, a local patron of the arts and public benefactor, Wright designed a house to harmonize with the owner's devotion to the performance of music. Coordinating art glass designs for 250 windows, doors, and panels as well as over 200 light fixtures, Wright enlisted Oak Park artisans. The house is a radical departure fromVictorian architectural traditions. Covering 12,000 square feet (1,100 m2), the house contained vaulted ceilings and 16 major spaces. As the nation was changing, so Wright intended this structure to reflect the changes. Creating an organic and natural atmosphere, Wright saw himself as an "architect of democracy" and intended his work to be a monument to America's social landscape.[25]
It is the only historic site later acquired by the state exclusively because of its architectural merit. The structure was opened to the public as a museum house in September 1990; tours are available, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.[25][26][27]
Sparked by the alleged rape of a White woman by a Black man and the murder of a White engineer, supposedly also by a Black man, in Springfield, and reportedly angered by the high degree of corruption in the city, rioting broke out on August 14, 1908, and continued for three days in a period of violence known as theSpringfield race riot. Gangs of White youth and blue-collar workers attacked the city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods — such as the Levee District, where most Black-owned businesses were located, and the Badlands, where many Black residents lived. At least sixteen people died as a result of the riot: nine Black residents, and seven White residents who were associated with the mob, five of whom were killed by state militia and two committed suicide. The riot ended when the governor sent in more than 3,700 militiamen to patrol the city, but isolated incidents of White violence against Black residents continued in Springfield into September.[28]
a Courtyard Marriott Location damaged by the 2006 Springfield tornadoes
On March 12, 2006, two F2 tornadoes hit the city, injuring 24 people, damaging hundreds of buildings, and causing $150 million in damages.[29]
On February 10, 2007, then-senatorBarack Obama announced his presidential candidacy in Springfield, standing on the grounds of theOld State Capitol.[30] Senator Obama also used the Old State Capitol in Springfield as a backdrop when he announcedJoe Biden as his running mate on August 23, 2008.
The city is at an elevation of 558 feet (170 m)above sea level.[3] According to the 2010 census, Springfield has a total area of 65.764 square miles (170.33 km2), of which 59.48 square miles (154.05 km2) (or 90.44%) is land and 6.284 square miles (16.28 km2) (or 9.56%) is water.[31] The city is located in the LowerIllinois River Basin, in a large area known as Till Plain. Sangamon County, and the city of Springfield, are in the Springfield Plain subsection of Till Plain. The Plain is underlain by glacialtill that was deposited by a large continental ice sheet that repeatedly covered the area during theIllinoian Stage.[32][33]
The majority of the Lower IllinoisRiver Basin is flat, with relief extending no more than 20 feet (6.1 m) in most areas, including the Springfield subsection of the plain. The differences in topography are based on the age of drift. The Springfield and Galesburg Plain subsections represent the oldest drift, Illinoian, while Wisconsinian drift resulted inend moraines on the Bloomington Ridged Plain subsection of Till Plain.[34]
Lake Springfield is a 4,200-acre (1,700 ha) human-made reservoir owned byCity Water, Light & Power,[35] the largest municipally owned utility in Illinois.[36] It was built and filled in 1935 by dammingLick Creek, a tributary of theSangamon River which flows past Springfield's northern outskirts.[37] The lake is used primarily as a source for drinking water for the city of Springfield, also providing cooling water for the condensers at the power plant on the lake. It attracts approximately 600,000 visitors annually, and its 57 miles (92 km) of shoreline is home to over 700 lakeside residences and eight public parks.[35]
The term "full pool" describes the lake at 560 feet (170 m) above sea level and indicates the level at which the lake begins to flow over the dam'sspillway, if no gates are opened.[37] Normal lake levels are generally somewhere below full pool, depending upon the season. During the drought from 1953 to 1955, lake levels dropped to their historical low, 547.44 feet (166.86 m)AMSL.[37] The highest recorded lake levels were in December 1982, when the lake crested at 564 feet (172 m).[37]
Under theKöppen climate classification, Springfield falls within either ahot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) if the 0 °C (32 °F) isotherm is used or ahumid subtropical climate (Cfa) if the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm is used. In recent years, winter temperatures have increased substantially while summer temperatures have remained equal to the period 30 years before. Hot, humid summers and cold, rather snowy winters are the norm. Springfield is located on the farthest reaches ofTornado Alley, and as such,thunderstorms are a common occurrence throughout the spring and summer. From 1961 to 1990 the city of Springfield averaged 35.25 inches (895 mm) of precipitation per year.[38] During that same period the average yearly temperature was 52.4 °F (11.3 °C), with a summer maximum of 76.5 °F (24.7 °C) in July and a winter minimum of 24.2 °F (−4.3 °C) in January.[39]
From 1971 to 2000, NOAA data showed that Springfield's annual mean temperature increased slightly to 52.7 °F (11.5 °C). During that period, July averaged 76.3 °F (24.6 °C), while January averaged 25.1 °F (−3.8 °C).
From 1981 to 2010, NOAA data showed that Springfield's annual mean temperature increased slightly to 53.1 °F (11.7 °C). During that period, July averaged 76.0 °F (24.4 °C), while January averaged 26.9 °F (−2.8 °C).
From 1991 to 2020, NOAA's latest dataset showed a continued increase in the annual mean to 54.0 °F (12.2 °C). During that period, July averaged 76.5 °F (24.7 °C), while January averaged 27.9 °F (−2.3 °C).
On June 14, 1957, a tornado hit Springfield, killing two people.[29] On March 12, 2006, the city was struck bytwo F2 tornadoes.[29] The storm system that brought the twotornadoes hit the city around 8:30pm; no one died as a result of the weather.[29] Springfield received a federal grant in February 2005 to help improve its tornado warning systems and new sirens were put in place in November 2006 after eight of the sirens failed during an April 2006 test, shortly after the tornadoes hit.[40][41][42] The cost of the new sirens totaled $983,000.[40] Although tornadoes are not uncommon in central Illinois, the March 12 tornadoes were the first to hit the actual city since the 1957 storm.[29] The 2006 tornadoes followed nearly identical paths to that of the 1957 tornado.[29]
Illinois State Capitol and East Capitol Avenue in 2019
Springfield proper is largely based on a grid street system, with numbered streets starting with the longitudinal First Street (which leads to the Illinois State Capitol) and leading to 32nd Street in the far eastern part of the city. Previously, the city had four distinct boundary streets: North, South, East, and West Grand Avenues. Since expansion, West Grand Avenue became MacArthur Boulevard and East Grand became 19th Street on the north side and 18th Street on the south side. 18th Street has since been renamed afterMartin Luther King Jr.[46] North and South Grand Avenues (which run east–west) have remained important corridors in the city. At South Grand Avenue and Eleventh Street, the old "South Town District" lies, with the City of Springfield undertaking a significant redevelopment project there[citation needed].
Latitudinal streets range from names of presidents in the downtown area to names of notable people in Springfield and Illinois to names of institutions of higher education, especially in the Harvard Park neighborhood.
City neighborhoods
Springfield has at least twenty separately designatedneighborhoods, though not all have neighborhood associations. They include: Benedictine District, Bunn Park, Downtown, Eastsview, Enos Park, Glen Aire, Harvard Park, Hawthorne Place, Historic West Side, Lincoln Park, Mather and Wells, Medical District, Near South, Northgate, Oak Ridge, Old Aristocracy Hill, Pillsbury District, Shalom, Springfield Lakeshore,Toronto, Twin Lakes, UIS Campus, Victoria Lake, Vinegar Hill, and Westchester neighborhoods.[47]
The Lincoln Park Neighborhood is an area bordered by 3rd Street on its west, Black Avenue on the north, 8th street on the east and North Grand Avenue. The neighborhood is not far from Lincoln's Tomb on Monument Avenue.[48]
Map of racial distribution in Springfield, 2020 U.S. census. Each dot is one person:⬤ White⬤ Black⬤ Asian⬤ Hispanic⬤ Multiracial⬤ Native American/Other
Springfield, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
At the 2010 Census, 75.8% of the population wasWhite, 18.5%Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% Asian, and 2.6% of two or more races. 2.0% of Springfield's population was ofHispanic or Latino origin (they may be of any race).[11]Non-Hispanic Whites were 74.7% of the population in 2010,[11] down from 87.6% in 1980.[54]
As of the census[55] of 2000,[needs update] there were 111,454 people, 48,621 households, and 27,957 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,063.9 people per square mile (796.9 people/km2). There were 53,733 housing units at an average density of 995.0 per square mile (384.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 81.0%White, 15.3%African American, 0.2%Native American, 1.5%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 0.5% fromother races, and 1.5% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 48,621 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.1% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.0% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,388, and the median income for a family was $51,298. Families with children had a higher income of about $69,437. Males had a median income of $36,864 versus $28,867 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $23,324. About 8.4% of families and 11.7% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
Many of the jobs in the city center around state government, which is headquartered in Springfield. As of 2002, the State of Illinois is both the city's and county's largest employer, employing 17,000 people across Sangamon County.[56] As of February 2007, government jobs, including local, state, and county, account for about 30,000 of the city's non-agricultural jobs.[57] Trade, transportation and utilities, and the health care industries each provide between 17,000 and 18,000 jobs to the city.[57] The largest private sector employer in 2002 was Memorial Health System with 3,400 people working for the organization.[56] According to estimates from the "Living Wage Calculator" theliving wage for the city of Springfield is $7.89 per hour for one adult,[58] approximately $15,780 working 2,000 hours per year. For a family of four, costs are increased and the living wage is $17.78 per hour within the city.[58] According to the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Civilian Labor force dropped from 116,500 in September 2006 to 113,400 in February 2007. In addition, theunemployment rate rose during the same time period from 3.8% to 5.1%.[57]
Springfield has been home to a wide array of individuals who, in one way or another, contributed to the broader American culture. Wandering poetVachel Lindsay, most famous for his poem "The Congo" and a booklet called "Rhymes to be Traded for Bread", was born in Springfield in 1879.[60]At least two notable people affiliated with American business and industry have called the Illinois state capital home at one time or another. BothJohn L. Lewis, a labor activist, andMarjorie Merriweather Post, the founder of theGeneral Foods Corporation, lived in the city; Post in particular was a native of Springfield.[61][62] In addition, astronomerSeth Barnes Nicholson was born in Springfield in 1891.[63]
AMadeiranPortuguese community resided in the vicinity of the Carpenter Street Underpass, one of the earliest and largestPortuguese settlements in the Midwest. The Portuguese immigrants that originated the community left Madeira because they experienced social ostracization due to beingProtestants in their largelyCatholic homeland, having been converted to Protestantism by a Scottish reverend namedRobert Reid Kalley, who visited Madeira in 1838.[64] These Protestant Madeiran exiles relocated to the Caribbean island ofTrinidad before settling permanently in Springfield in 1849.[64] By the early twentieth century, these immigrants resided in the western extension of a neighborhood known as the "Badlands". The Badlands was included in the widespread destruction and violence of the Springfield Race Riot in August 1908, an event that led to the formation of theNational Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The Carpenter Street archaeological site possesses local and national significance for its potential to contribute to an understanding of the lifestyles of multiple ethnic/racial groups in Springfield during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.[65]
Springfield and the Sangamon Valley enjoy a strong literary tradition inAbraham Lincoln,Vachel Lindsay,Edgar Lee Masters,John Hay,William H. Herndon,Benjamin P. Thomas, Paul Angle,Virginia Eifert, Robert Fitzgerald, andWilliam Maxwell, among others. TheIllinois State Library's Gwendolyn Brooks Building features the names of 35 Illinois authors etched on its exterior fourth floor frieze. Through the Illinois Center for the Book, a comprehensive resource on authors, illustrators, and other creatives who have published books who have written about Illinois or lived in Illinois is maintained.[66]
TheHoogland Center for the Arts in downtown Springfield is a centerpiece for performing arts, and houses among other organizations theSpringfield Theatre Centre, the Copper Coin Ballet Company, and theSpringfield Municipal Opera, also known as The Muni, which stages community theatre productions of Broadway musicals outdoors each summer. Before being purchased and renamed, the Hoogland Center was Springfield'sMasonic Temple. Prior to the Hoogland, the Springfield Theatre Centre was housed in the nearby Legacy Theatre.Sangamon Auditorium, located on the campus of theUniversity of Illinois Springfield also serves as a larger venue for musical and performing acts, both touring and local.
A few films have been created or had elements of them created in Springfield.Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde was filmed in Springfield in 2003.
Springfield is home to the annualSpringfield Old Capitol Art Fair, a spring festival held annually in the third weekend in May.[70] Since 2002, Springfield has also hosted the 'Route 66 Film Festival', set to celebrate films routed in, based on, or taking part on the famousRoute 66.[71][72]
Springfield is known for several popular food items: thecorn dog is claimed to have been invented in the city under the name "Cozy Dog", although there is some debate to the origin of the snack.[73][74] Thehorseshoe sandwich, not well known outside of central Illinois, also originated in Springfield.[75] Springfield was once the site of theReisch Beer brewery, which operated for 117 years under the same name and family from 1849 to 1966.[76]
TheMaid-Rite Sandwich Shop in Springfield still operates what it claims as the first U.S.drive-thru window.[77] The city is also known for itschili ― or "chilli", as it is spelled in many chili shops throughout Sangamon County.[78] The unique spelling is said to have begun with the founder of the Dew Chilli Parlor in 1909, due to a spelling error in its sign.[79] Another interpretation is that the misspelling represented the "Ill" in the word Illinois.[79] In 1993, the Illinois state legislature adopted a resolution proclaiming Springfield the "Chilli Capital of the Civilized World".[78]
Although not born in Springfield, Lincoln is the city's most famous resident. He lived there for 24 years.[17] The only home he ever owned is open to the public, seven days a week, free of charge, and operated by theNational Park Service.[17]
Springfield has the area's largest amusement park, Knight's Action Park and Caribbean Water Park, which is open from May to September. The park also features and operates the city's only remainingdrive-in theater, the Route 66 Twin Drive-In.
The city was the home of theSpringfield Stallions, anindoor football team who played at thePrairie Capital Convention Center in 2007. Today, the city is host to theSpringfield Jr. Blues, a North American Hockey League team that plays at the Nelson Recreation Center. The city is also a host to several Semi Pro Football Teams. The oldest organization is the Capital City Outlaws, which was established in 1992. The Outlaws which played 11 man football, most recently in The Midwest Football League until 2004, switched to an 8-man Semi Pro Football League (8FL) in 2004. The Sangamon County Seminoles became an expansion team in the 8FL in 2008. A newly formed team in 2010, the Springfield Foxes, play in the Mid States Football League (MSFL) (11 man). The Foxes were league runners-up in the MSFL League Championship in 2012.
The city has produced several notable professional sports talents. Current and formerMajor League Baseball playersKevin Seitzer,Jeff Fassero,Ryan O'Malley, Jason andJustin Knoedler, andHall of FamerRobin Roberts were all born in Springfield.[86][87][88][89] Springfield's largest baseball field,Robin Roberts Stadium at Lanphier Park, takes its full name in honor of Roberts and his athletic achievements. Former MLB playerDick "Ducky" Schofield is currently an elected official in Springfield, and his sonDick also played in the Major Leagues, as does Ducky's grandson,Jayson Werth. Ducky, Dick, and Jayson were all born in Springfield. Ducky's daughter (and Jayson's mother) Kim Schofield Werth, also from Springfield, is a track star who competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials.National Basketball Association playersDave Robisch,Kevin Gamble, andAndre Iguodala are all from the city.[90][91] Long-time NFL announcer (NBC) and former Cincinnati Bengal Pro Bowl tight endBob Trumpy is a city native, having graduated from Springfield High School. FormerNFL wide receiverOtto Stowe was a 1967 graduate of the now-defunct Feitshans High School. AUFC fighter,Matt Mitrione, attended and played football for Sacred Heart Griffin. He also played in the NFL as an undrafted free agent.
TheSpringfield Park District operates more than 30 parks throughout the city. The two best-known areCarpenter Park, anIllinois Nature Preserve on the banks of theSangamon River, andWashington Park and Botanical Garden on the city's southwest side and adjacent to some of Springfield's most beautiful and architecturally interesting homes. Washington Park has also been home to theThomas Rees Memorial Carillon since its dedication in 1962.Southwind Park, on the southern edge of the city, has been developed as a park enjoying full compliance with theAmericans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Lincoln Park, located next toOak Ridge Cemetery wherePresident Lincoln's tomb is located, is home to theNelson Recreation Center, which boasts a public swimming pool, tennis courts, and the city's only public ice rink, home of theSpringfield Junior Blues, a minor league hockey team. Centennial Park, which rests on the outskirts of Springfield's southwest limits, holds one of the city's two public skateparks (the other being in Iles Park), as well as several ball fields, tennis courts, and a manmade hill for cardio exercises and sledding in winter months.
In addition to the public-sector parks operated by the Springfield Park District, two significant privately operated tree gardens/arboretums operate within city limits: theAbraham Lincoln Memorial Garden on Lake Springfield south of the city, and theAdams Wildlife Sanctuary on Springfield's east side.
Springfield city government is structured under themayor-council form of government. It is the strong mayor variation of that type of municipal government, the mayor holds executive authority, includingveto power, in Springfield.[93] The executive branch also consists of 17 non-elected city "offices". Ranging from the police department to the Office of Public Works, each office can be altered through city ordinance.[93]
Elected officials in the city (mayor, aldermen, city clerk, and treasurer) serve four-year terms.[94] The elections are not staggered.[94] The council members are elected from ten districts throughout the city while the mayor, city clerk and city treasurer are elected on an at-large basis.[94] The council, as a body, consists of the ten aldermen and the mayor, though the mayor is generally a non-voting member who only participates in the discussion.[95] There are a few instances where the mayor does vote on ordinances or resolutions: if there is a tie vote, if more than half of the aldermen support the motion, whether there is a tie or not, and where a vote greater than the majority is required by themunicipal code.[95]
City elections are technically non partisan, however most candidates are affiliated with a political party.[96] As such, party affiliation is a matter of self identification.
As the state capital, Springfield is home to the three branches ofIllinois government. Much like the United States federal government, Illinois government has an executive branch, occupied by the state governor, alegislative branch, which consists of the state senate and house, and ajudicial branch, which is topped by theIllinois Supreme Court.[99] The Illinois legislative branch is collectively known as theIllinois General Assembly.[100] Many state bureaucrats work in offices in Springfield, and it is the regular meeting place of theIllinois General Assembly.[101] All persons elected on a statewide basis are required to have at least one residence in Springfield, and the state government funds these residents.[102]
As of 2020[update] none of the major constitutional officers in Illinois designated Springfield as their primary residence; most cabinet officers and all major constitutional officers instead primarily do their business in Chicago. A former director of theSouthern Illinois UniversityPaul Simon Institute for Public Affairs, Mike Lawrence, stated that many of the elected officials in Illinois "spend so little time in Springfield".[102] In 2012St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Pat Gauen argued that "in the reality of Illinois politics, [Springfield] sharesde facto capital status with Chicago." Gauen noted that several elected officials such as theGovernor, as well as theAttorney General, Speaker of theHouse, the minority leader of the House, President of theSenate, the minority leader of the Senate, the Comptroller, and the Treasurer, all live in theChicago area. According to Gauen, "Everybody who's anybody in Illinois government has an office in Chicago"; most state officials work from theJames R. Thompson Center in the Chicago Loop. He added that at one point in 2011, GovernorPat Quinn only spent 68 days and 40 nights in Springfield as per his official schedule.[101]University of Illinois researcher and former member of the Illinois legislatureJim Nowlan stated "It's almost like Chicago is becoming the shadow capital of Illinois" and that "Springfield is almost become a hinterland outpost."[102] Lawrence criticized the fact that state officials spent little time in Springfield since it estranged them from and devalued Illinois state employees based in that city.[102]
According to Gauen, "Illinois seems rather unlikely to move its official capital to Chicago".[101]
Outline of the Township area and the City of Springfield in Sangamon County
The Capital Township formed fromSpringfield Township on July 1, 1877, and was established and named by the Sangamon County Board on March 6, 1878. The limits of the township and City of Springfield were made co-extensive on February 17, 1892, but are no longer so with subsequent annexation by the City of Springfield. There are three functions of this township: assessing property, collection first property tax payment, and assisting residents that live in the township. One thing that makes the Capital township unique is that the township never has to raise taxes for road work, since the roads are maintained by the Springfield Department of Public Works.[103][104]
In the 21st century Springfield annexed large parts of Springfield andWoodside townships. The annexed parcels remained part of their original townships despite being within the Springfield city limits.[2]
The Springfield Police Department was founded in 1840 as part of the city charter. The police chief is Joseph Behl, and as of 2022, the department had 242 employees.[105]
Springfield Police officer Samuel Rosario was arrested by theIllinois State Police on February 28, 2017, after fighting with a teenager on charges of official misconduct and battery. He was found guilty of official misconduct in August 2019.[106]
Springfield'sSacred Heart-Griffin High School is a city Catholic high school.[109] Other area high schools include Calvary Academy andLutheran High School.[110]Ursuline Academy was a second Catholic high school founded in 1857, first as an all-girls school, and converted to co-ed in 1981. The school was closed in 2007.
Springfield hosts one University. TheUniversity of Illinois Springfield (UIS, formerly Sangamon State University), which is located on the southeast side of the city.
TheState Journal-Register is the primary daily newspaper for Springfield, and its surrounding area. The newspaper was founded in 1831 as theSangamon Journal, and claims to be "the oldest newspaper in Illinois".[113] The local alternative weekly is theIllinois Times.
Springfield is part of the Springfield-Decatur-Champaign TV market.[114] Four TV stations broadcast from the Springfield area:WCIX MYTV 49,WICS ABC 20,WRSP FOX 55, andWSEC PBS 14. Both WICS and WRSP are currently owned by the same parent company Sinclair Broadcast Group. Springfield is also served by two stations inDecatur,WAND NBC 17 andWBUI CW 23, and two stations inChampaign,WCIA CBS 3 andWILL PBS 12. One television station that has since ceased to exist wasWJJY-TV, which operated in the Springfield area for three years (1969–1971).[115]
There are two Springfield hospitals,Memorial Medical Center andSt. John's Hospital. A third hospital, originally Springfield Community Hospital, and later renamed Doctor's Hospital operated on Springfield's south side until 2003.[118]Kindred Healthcare opened a long termacute care hospital in Springfield in 2010, however, the facility was purchased by Vibra Healthcare in 2013, and was operated by Vibra under the name Vibra Hospital of Springfield[119] until it closed in 2019.[120]
St. John's Hospital is home to the Prairie Heart Institute, which performs more cardiovascular procedures than any other hospital in Illinois.[121] The dominant health care providers in the area are SIU HealthCare and Springfield Clinic. The major medical education center in the area is theSouthern Illinois University School of Medicine. The major regional cancer center is the SIU Simmons Cancer Institute.
The owner of Lake Springfield –City Water, Light & Power – supplies electric power generated from the Dallman Power Plants to the city of Springfield and eight surrounding communities. The company also provides these cities and towns with water from the lake. In 2005, ground was broken for a third municipally owned power plant, which came online in 2009.Natural gas is provided viaAmeren Illinois, formerly Central Illinois Light Company (CILCO).[122]
Local mass transportation needs are met by a bus service. TheSangamon Mass Transit District (SMTD) operates Springfield's bus system.[124] The city also lies along historicRoute 66.
Border thoroughfare traffic is handled by Veterans Parkway and J. David Jones Parkway on the west side,Everett M. Dirksen Parkway on the east side, Sangamon Avenue on the north end, and Wabash Avenue, Stanford Avenue, andAdlai Stevenson Drive on the south end. The far south corridor is served by Toronto and Woodside Roads. Thoroughfare traffic through the heart of the city is provided by a series of one-way streets. Fifth and Sixth Streets serve the bulk of the north–south traffic, with Seventh Street serving additional traffic between North Grand and South Grand Avenues. East–west traffic is handled by Jefferson Street, entering Springfield on the west side fromIL 97, and then splitting into a pair of one-way streets at Amos Avenue (Madison eastbound and Jefferson westbound). The two converge again after Eleventh Street to become Clearlake Avenue, which in turn converges into I-72 eastbound just past Dirksen Parkway. Additional east–west one-way streets run through the downtown areas of Springfield, including Monroe, Adams, Washington, and Cook Streets, as well as a stretch of Lawrence Avenue.
Springfield and the surrounding metropolitan area have constructed several bike trails; currently, four main trails exist. Two significant paved trails, theInterurban Trail and theLost Bridge Trail, serve Springfield and its suburbs ofChatham, Illinois andRochester, Illinois respectively. The Lost Bridge Trail has been extended further into Springfield by theBunn to Lost Bridge Trail, which follows a stretch of Ash Street and Taylor Avenue. Plans are to extend it further still to Stanford Avenue.[126] A third trail, theWabash Trail, extends westward from the northern end of theInterurban Trail toward Parkway Pointe, a regional shopping destination. Additionally, several streets contain designated bicycle lanes, and there are multiple class III bicycle routes.
The fourth trail is a section, opened in July 2011, of theSangamon Valley Trail spanning north to south through the west central part of Sangamon County. The section open as of 2011 extends northward from Centennial Park to Stuart Park.[127] This trail, if completed in its entirety, will reuse the entire Sangamon County portion of the abandonedSt. Louis, Peoria and North Western Railway railroad line as a trail that will extend fromGirard, Illinois, toAthens, Illinois.
^abcdKenneth J. Winkle, "The Voters of Lincoln's Springfield: Migration and Political Participation in an Antebellum City."Journal of Social History 1992 25(3): 595–611.ISSN0022-4529 Fulltext:Ebsco
^Robert E., Coleberd, Jr. "John Williams: a Merchant Banker in Springfield, Illinois."Agricultural History 1968 42(3): 259–265.ISSN0002-1482
^Roger Howard Dallmann, "Springfield Seminary."Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly 1977 50(3): 106–130.ISSN0010-5260
^Kenneth Powers Williams,Grant Rises in the West: The first year, 1861-1862 (U of Nebraska Press, 1997)
^Camilla A. Quinn, "Soldiers on Our Streets: the Effects of a Civil War Military Camp on the Springfield Community",Illinois Historical Journal 1993 86(4): 245–256.ISSN0748-8149
^Ron Sakolsky, "Utopia at Your Doorstep: Vachel Lindsay's Golden Book of Springfield."Utopian Studies 2001 12(2): 53–64.ISSN1045-991X Fulltext:Ebsco
^abDonald P. Hallmark, "Frank Lloyd Wright's Dana–Thomas House: Its History, Acquisition, and Preservation",Illinois Historical Journal 1989 82(2): 113–126.ISSN0748-8149
^Willman, H.B., and J.C. Frye, 1970,Pleistocene Stratigraphy of Illinois. Bulletin no. 94, Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign, Illinois.
^McKay, E.D., 2007,Six Rivers, Five Glaciers, and an Outburst Flood: the Considerable Legacy of the Illinois River. Proceedings of the 2007 Governor's Conference on the Management of the Illinois River System: Our continuing Commitment, 11th Biennial Conference, Oct. 2–4, 2007, 11 p.
^Martin, Andrea."Carpenter Street Underpass"(PDF).Springfield Railroads Improvement Project. US Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on May 1, 2016. RetrievedMay 23, 2018.
^Harris, Patricia; Lyon, David (November 20, 2006)."The hottest thing in sandwiches".Boston Globe.Archived from the original on December 2, 2006. RetrievedFebruary 24, 2007.
^abCode of OrdinancesArchived November 16, 2006, at theWayback Machine, City of Springfield, Title III: Chapter 32: Article I – Executive Branch. Municode.com. Retrieved February 25, 2007.
^abcCode of OrdinancesArchived November 16, 2006, at theWayback Machine, City of Springfield, Title I: Chapter 30: General Provisions. Municode.com. Retrieved February 25, 2007.
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Hickey, James T. "Springfield, May, 1865."Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 58#1 (Spring 1965): 21-33.
Humphrey, Mary E. "Springfield Home for the Friendless."Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 20#1 (April 1927): 138-54.
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Wallace, Christopher Elliott. "The Opportunity to Grow: Springfield, Illinois during the 1850s." PhD dissertation Purdue U. 1983. 247 pp. DAI 1984 44(9): 2864-A. DA8400427 Fulltext:ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
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