Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Springfield (Illinois)

SPRINGFIELD, a city, capital of the State of Illinois, and county-seat of Sangamon co.; on the Wabash, the Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern, the Chicago, Peoria, and St. Louis, the Chicago and Alton, the Illinois Central, the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton, and the Illinois Traction railroads; 190 miles S. of Chicago. It contains the State capitol; court house; United States Government building; the governor's mansion; the former residence of President Lincoln; the Lincoln National Monument in Oak Ridge Cemetery; State fair grounds; State Military Park, etc. Here also are Concordia College (Luth.), Bettie Stuart Institute, St. Agatha's School (P. E.), State and other libraries, State arsenal, the Wabash railroad and St. John's hospitals, street railroad and electric light plants, waterworks, National and other banks, and numerous daily, weekly, and monthly periodicals. The trade and industry of the city are greatly promoted by rich coal mines in the vicinity. Springfield is especially noted for the extensive manufactory of the Illinois Watch Company. It also has many large printing and publishing houses, textile works, planing mills, machine shops, boiler works, manufactories of soap, automobile tires, electric meters, brick, clothing, etc. The city was founded in 1819; became the county-seat in 1823; and received its city charter in 1840. It was made the capital of Illinois in 1837, and the Legislature convened here for the first time in 1839. Pop. (1910) 51,678; (1920) 59,183.