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61-606: The Aviators Frontier League franchise was relocated from Springfield, Illinois , where the franchise played as the Springfield Capitals . The team moved to Rockford for the 2002 season. The RiverHawks franchise moved to the Northern League in 2010, but stayed for one season before a Rockford team returned to the Frontier League in 2011 when the Northern League folded. The team changed the name to

122-659: A Democratic region. He chiefly studied poll books for presidential years. The rise of the Whig Party took place in 1836 in opposition to the presidential candidacy of Martin 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

183-1023: 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. 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. 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

244-411: 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. On March 12, 2006, the city was struck by two F2 tornadoes . The storm system which brought the two tornadoes hit the city around 8:30pm; no one died as

305-424: 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. The per capita income for the city was $ 23,324. About 8.4% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over. Many of

366-625: A labor activist, and Marjorie Merriweather Post , the founder of the General Foods Corporation , lived in the city; Post in particular was a native of Springfield. In addition, astronomer Seth Barnes Nicholson was born in Springfield in 1891. A Madeiran Portuguese community resided in the vicinity of the Carpenter Street Underpass, one of the earliest and largest Portuguese settlements in

427-567: A plain near the Sangamon River north of Lake Springfield . The city is on historic Route 66 . Springfield was settled by European-Americans in the late 1810s, around the time Illinois became a state. The most famous historic resident was Abraham Lincoln , who lived in Springfield from 1837 until 1861, upon becoming President of the United States . Major tourist attractions include multiple sites connected with Lincoln including

488-400: 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 blacks continued in Springfield into September. On March 12, 2006, two F2 tornadoes hit

549-564: A result of the weather. 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. The cost of the new sirens totaled $ 983,000. Although tornadoes are not uncommon in central Illinois, the March 12 tornadoes were

610-423: 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 by Abraham Lincoln , blunted the potentially disruptive impact of migration on local communities. The case of John Williams illustrates

671-402: A system, the mayor's administrative staff often prepares the city budget, although that budget must be approved by the council. The mayor may also have veto rights over council votes, with the council able to override such a veto. Conversely, in a weak-mayor system, the mayor has no formal authority outside the council, serving a largely ceremonial role as council chairperson and is elected by

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732-508: A viable synodical tradition. Springfield became a major center of activity during the American Civil War. Illinois regiments trained there, the first ones under Ulysses S. Grant . He led his soldiers to a remarkable series of victories in 1861–62. The city was a political and financial center of Union support. New industries, businesses, and railroads were constructed to help support the war effort. The war's first official death

793-480: A wide array of individuals, who, in one way or another, contributed to the broader American culture. Wandering poet Vachel Lindsay , most famous for his poem "The Congo" and a booklet called "Rhymes to be Traded for Bread", was born in Springfield in 1879. At least two notable people affiliated with American business and industry have called the Illinois state capital home at one time or another. Both John L. Lewis ,

854-412: Is a 4,200-acre (1,700 ha) human-made reservoir owned by City Water, Light & Power , the largest municipally owned utility in Illinois. It was built and filled in 1935 by damming Lick Creek , a tributary of the Sangamon River which flows past Springfield's northern outskirts. The lake is used primarily as a source for drinking water for the city of Springfield, also providing cooling water for

915-424: Is a radical departure from Victorian architectural traditions. Covering 12,000 square feet (1,100 m ), 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. It

976-401: 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. Springfield completely surrounds four suburbs that have their own municipal governments: Jerome , Leland Grove , Southern View , and Grandview . It also surrounds various unincorporated enclaves, including

1037-652: Is land and 6.284 square miles (16.28 km ) (or 9.56%) is water. The city is located in the Lower Illinois 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 glacial till that was deposited by a large continental ice sheet that repeatedly covered the area during the Illinoian Stage . The majority of

1098-673: Is the capital city of the U.S. state of Illinois and the seat of Sangamon County . The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census , which makes it the state's seventh-most populous city , the second-most populous outside of the Chicago metropolitan area (after Rockford ), and the most populous in Central Illinois . Approximately 208,000 residents live in the Springfield metropolitan area , which consists of all of Sangamon and Menard counties. Springfield lies in

1159-488: 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. 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

1220-404: Is used or a humid 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 preiod 30 years before. Hot, humid summers and cold, rather snowy winters are the norm. Springfield is located on the farthest reaches of Tornado Alley , and as such, thunderstorms are

1281-716: The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum , Lincoln Home , Old State Capitol , Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices , and the Lincoln Tomb . Largely on the efforts of Lincoln and other area lawmakers, as well as its central location, Springfield was made the state capital in 1839. As the state capital, the government of Illinois is based in Springfield. Springfield's economy is dominated by government agencies and adjacent firms that work with state and county governance, in addition to healthcare and medicine. State government institutions include

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1342-485: The Evansville Otters 3-0 to win the Frontier League title. The team was led by pitcher Josh Tomsu (10-3, 2.64 ERA), closer Josh Latimer (3-3, 15 saves, 2.47 ERA), Aaron McEachran (.332 BA, 11 HR, 62 RBI), Rico Santana (.284 BA, 5 HR, 65 RBI, 27 SB), Doug Schutt (.286 BA, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 39 SB) and Frontier League MVP Rich Austin (.359 BA, 15 HR, 77 RBI, 22 SB). The franchise hit a difficult period in 2012 when

1403-918: The Illinois General Assembly , the Illinois Supreme Court , the office of the Governor of Illinois and historic Illinois Governor's Mansion . The University of Illinois Springfield has its campus near Lake Springfield. Weather is fairly typical for middle-latitude locations, with four distinct seasons. The city has a mayor–council form of government and governs the Capital Township . Public schools in Springfield are operated by District No. 186. Settlers originally named this community as "Calhoun", after Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina , expressing their cultural ties. The land that Springfield now occupies

1464-493: The central section of Illinois, Springfield is 80 miles (130 km) northeast of St. Louis . The Champaign/Urbana area is to the east, Peoria is to the north, and Bloomington–Normal is to the northeast. Decatur is 40 miles (64 km) due east. The city is at an elevation of 558 feet (170 m) above sea level . According to the 2010 census, Springfield has a total area of 65.764 square miles (170.33 km ), of which 59.48 square miles (154.05 km ) (or 90.44%)

1525-548: The 1850s. 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

1586-542: The 1850s. Fewer than 1% of all voters participated in all 10 elections. Instead of producing political instability, however, rapid turnover enhanced the influence of the more stable residents. Migration was selective by age, occupation, wealth, and birthplace. Longer-term or "persistent" voters, as he 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

1647-583: The Aviators for 2013. The Aviators folded following the 2015 season. The highlight for Rockford was the stellar 2004 Frontier League season with manager Bob Koopmann, winning the West division with a 59-37 (.615) record, advancing to the playoffs where they edged the Windy City Thunderbolts 3-2 in the best of five series to advance to the league championship series. Rockford would then sweep

1708-599: The Lower Illinois River 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 in end moraines on the Bloomington Ridged Plain subsection of Till Plain. Lake Springfield

1769-561: The Midwest. The Portuguese immigrants that originated the community left Madeira because they experienced social ostracization due to being Protestants in their largely Catholic homeland, having been converted to Protestantism by a Scottish reverend named Robert Reid Kalley , who visited Madeira in 1838. These Protestant Madeiran exiles relocated to the Caribbean island of Trinidad before settling permanently in Springfield in 1849. By

1830-499: The NW corner of 2nd and Jefferson, often mistaken for the original home site, marks instead the location of the first county courthouse, which was later built on Kelly's property. In 1821, Calhoun was designated as the county seat of Sangamon County due to its location, fertile soil and trading opportunities. Settlers from Kentucky , Virginia , and North Carolina came to the developing settlement. By 1832, Senator Calhoun had fallen out of

1891-554: The RiverHawks ballpark went through foreclosure. The stadium ultimately was sold through auction in 2015. The league had taken over management of the Aviators franchise late in the 2015 season, and with financial instability, the team disbanded. Rockford is represented in the Frontier League Hall of Fame by outfielders Stephen Holdren, Jason James and Richard Austin. Springfield, Illinois Springfield

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1952-576: 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. Winkle earlier had studied the effect of migration on residents' political participation in Springfield during

2013-533: The census of 2000, 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/km ). There were 53,733 housing units at an average density of 995.0 per square mile (384.2/km ). 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% from other races , and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of

2074-616: 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. After the war ended in 1865, Springfield became a major hub in the Illinois railroad system. It was a center of government and farming. By 1900 it was also invested in coal mining and processing. Local poet Vachel Lindsay 's notions of utopia were expressed in his only novel, The Golden Book of Springfield (1920), which draws on ideas of anarchistic socialism in projecting

2135-554: The city, injuring 24 people, damaging hundreds of buildings, and causing $ 150 million in damages. On February 10, 2007, then-senator Barack Obama announced his presidential candidacy in Springfield, standing on the grounds of the Old State Capitol . Senator Obama also used the Old State Capitol in Springfield as a backdrop when he announced Joe Biden as his running mate on August 23, 2008. Located within

2196-562: The city. 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, the unemployment rate rose during the same time period from 3.8% to 5.1%. According to the city's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are: Springfield has been home to

2257-417: The city. The largest private sector employer in 2002 was Memorial Health System with 3,400 people working for the organization. According to estimates from the "Living Wage Calculator" the living wage for the city of Springfield is $ 7.89 per hour for one adult, 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

2318-483: 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. 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's spillway , if no gates are opened. Normal lake levels are generally somewhere below full pool, depending upon

2379-406: The council from among themselves A mayor–council government is a system of local government in which a mayor who is directly elected by the voters acts as chief executive, while a separately elected city council constitutes the legislative body. It is one of the two most common forms of local government in the United States , and is the form most frequently adopted in large cities, although

2440-822: 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. Springfield has at least twenty separately designated neighborhoods , 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. The Lincoln Park Neighborhood

2501-742: 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 the National 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

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2562-480: The favor with the public and the town renamed itself as Springfield. 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". Kaskaskia was the first capital of the Illinois Territory from its organization in 1809, continuing through statehood in 1818, and through the first year as a state in 1819. Vandalia

2623-648: The first to hit the actual city since the 1957 storm. The 2006 tornadoes followed nearly identical paths to that of the 1957 tornado. 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

2684-457: The government's Indian Removal policy. Abraham Lincoln arrived in the Springfield area in 1831 when he was a young man, but he did not live in the city until 1837. He spent the ensuing six years in New Salem , where he began his legal studies, joined the state militia , and was elected to the Illinois General Assembly . In 1837, Lincoln moved to Springfield, where he lived and worked for

2745-531: 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 the Springfield race riot . Gangs of white youth and blue-collar workers attacked the predominantly black areas of the city known as the Levee district, where most black businesses were located, and the Badlands, where many black residences stood. At least sixteen people died as

2806-477: 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. He organized a national bank in Springfield. He was active in railroad promotion and as an agent for farm machinery. During

2867-526: The jobs in the city center around state government, headquartered in Springfield. As of 2002, the State of Illinois is both the city and county's largest employer, employing 17,000 people across Sangamon County. As of February 2007, government jobs, including local, state and county, account for about 30,000 of the city's non-agricultural jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities, and the health care industries each provide between 17,000 and 18,000 jobs to

2928-474: The lifestyles of multiple ethnic/racial groups in Springfield during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Mayor%E2%80%93council government Executive mayor elected by the people, elected legislative City council Council - Manager Executive leader elected by the council from among themselves Elected mayor and cabinet Executive mayor elected by the people Committee system Executive leader and executive committees elected by

2989-431: The mid-19th century, the spiritual needs of German Lutherans 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, and Concordia Theological Seminary

3050-421: The neighborhoods of Laketown and Cabbage Patch . At the 2010 Census, 75.8% of the population was White , 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 of Hispanic or Latino origin (they may be of any race). Non-Hispanic Whites were 74.7% of the population in 2010, down from 87.6% in 1980. As of

3111-533: The next 24 years as a lawyer and politician. Lincoln delivered his Lyceum address in Springfield. His farewell speech when he left for Washington is a classic in American oratory. Historian Kenneth J. Winkle (1998) examines the historiography concerning the development of the Second Party System (Whigs versus Democrats). He applied these ideas to the study of Springfield, a strong Whig enclave in

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3172-549: The north side and 18th Street on the south side. 18th Street has since been renamed after Martin Luther King Jr. 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. Latitudinal streets range from names of presidents in

3233-543: The other common form, council–manager government , is the local government form of more municipalities. The form may be categorized into two main variations depending on the relative power of the mayor compared to the council, the strong-mayor variant and the weak-mayor variant. In a typical strong-mayor system, the elected mayor is granted almost total administrative authority with the power to appoint and dismiss department heads, although some city charters or prevailing state law may require council ratification. In such

3294-400: 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

3355-498: The progress of Lindsay's hometown toward utopia. The Dana–Thomas House is a Frank 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

3416-509: The season. During the drought from 1953 to 1955, lake levels dropped to their historical low, 547.44 feet (166.86 m) AMSL . The highest recorded lake levels were in December 1982, when the lake crested at 564 feet (172 m). Under the Köppen climate classification , Springfield falls within either a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ) if the 0 °C (32 °F) isotherm

3477-402: 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

3538-466: Was a Springfield resident, Colonel Elmer 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

3599-532: Was founded in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1846. The seminary moved to St. 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, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod succeeded in serving the spiritual needs of Midwestern congregations by establishing additional seminaries from ministers trained at Concordia, and by developing

3660-435: Was the second state capital of Illinois, from 1819 to 1839. Springfield was designated in 1839 as the third capital, and has continued to be so. The designation was largely due to the efforts of Abraham Lincoln and his associates; nicknamed the "Long Nine" for their combined height of 54 feet (16 m). The Potawatomi Trail of Death passed through here in 1838. The Native Americans were forced west to Indian Territory by

3721-523: Was visited first by trappers and fur traders who came to the Sangamon River in 1818. The first cabin was built in 1820, by John Kelly, after discovering the area to be plentiful of deer and wild game. He built his cabin upon a hill, overlooking a creek known eventually as the Town Branch. A stone marker on the north side of Jefferson street, halfway between 1st and College streets, marks the location of this original dwelling. A second stone marker at

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