A free region deeply influenced by southern mores, the Lower Middle West represented a true cultural and political median in Civil War–era America. Here grew a Unionism steeped in the […]
Category: Illinois / regional
Books win awards!
Two more authors added their excellent works to the UIP trophy case, a piece of furniture already fill to burstin’ in recent weeks. Christina Sunardi won the Philip Brett Award from the […]
200 Years of Illinois: Town of Steel
On January 21, 1972, DC Comics declared the largely misnamed Metropolis, Illinois the official home town of Superman. Metropolis had already adopted the Son of Krypton, and as we all […]
Christmas in the Land of Milk and (Uncle) Honey
Alan Guebert’s book The Land of Milk and Uncle Honey may have been inspired by a little homemade wine. Guebert, has been writing his nationally syndicated column “The Farm and Food […]
200 Years of Illinois: Raggedy Riches
On Christmas Eve, 1880, an Arcola painter-illustrator and his wife welcomed John Gruelle to the family. John sank roots into the professional illustration trade himself at age 25 when he […]
Christmas in Illinois: Dear Santa
From the UIP release Christmas in Illinois, edited by James Ballowe: Before sitting on Santa’s lap in department stores became the way children let Santa and their parents know what […]
200 Years of Illinois: The Cavaness Murders
On December 13, 1984, a remarkable murder took place outside of St. Louis. Dale Cavaness, a physician in Eldorado, Illinois, killed his ne’er-do-well son Sean with two gunshots to the […]
200 Years of Illinois: The other black gold
On November 8, 1810, the first recorded load of Illinois coal reached the market in New Orleans. The event may sound ordinary, but it represented a significant pivot in state […]
Awards: St. Louis Rising
The 2016 Missouri History Book Award goes to Carl J. Ekberg’s and Sharon K. Person’s St. Louis Rising: The French Regime of Louis St. Ange de Bellerive, adding to acclaim that has already […]
200 Years of Illinois: That Ribbon Lincoln Highway
The nation’s great coast-to-coast route in the pre-interstate era, Lincoln Highway was formally dedicated by the Lincoln Highway Association on October 31, 1913. Carl G. Fisher, the head of the […]
200 Years of Illinois: Tarzan the Everlasting
This October marks the 104th anniversary of the debut of a pop culture titan. Born of woman, raised by apes, Tarzan swung into American consciousness via the pen of underemployed […]
In search of good cornbread
Tonight Cynthia Clampitt continues her barnstorming book tour of the Midwest with a reading a book signing in Winfield, Illinois. (Seven p.m. at the Public Library.) To celebrate, the blog […]