Jim Goes to Chicago
It can be hard returning to the regular routine after a long holiday break, but I wouldn't recommend going AWOL just ask Jim.
Ellis Island, A New Beginning...
Ellis Island opened on January 1, 1892. In honor of that occasion here is a blog we posted in 2013 about the history of the island and tips for researching an ancestor's immigration story. Happy New Year, Everyone!
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We all learned as school children how our immigrant ancestors came to America through Ellis Island. The real story about where and when immigrants entered the United States is much more complicated than the story we grew up with. Ellis Island was a New York gateway for the arrival of U.S. immigrants from roughly 1892 to 1924. Although it was by far the largest port of entry and millions arrived during that time, it was one of many ways to enter the United States.
Library Questions of Years Gone By
One of my ongoing projects is to process the records of The Urbana Free Library. Since we were founded in 1874 there are a lot of papers to sort through. Today I came across a folder titled ‘Reference Tallys’ [sic]. Inside is a sheaf of handwritten pages divided into 4 columns: reference question, source, answered (yes or no), and the answering librarian’s initials. Although, only the month and day are listed I am estimating from the questions and location within the collection that these queries date from the 1970s.
Take a look. [Click on image for a larger picture.] Do you think you could find the answers to the following?
Journals Available at the Archives
The Champaign County Historical Archives subscribes to over 100 genealogical and local history journals, with several new issues added each week. Most journals are located in the Archives open stacks and are available for browsing.
Hidden Treasures in the Archives
The wonderful thing about the Champaign County Historical Archives is that no matter how many years I have worked and researched I'm always discovering something new in the collection. My latest find is "Unlocking the Files of the FBI: A Guide to Its Records and Classification System". The book explains how the FBI catalogs its records and the various resources available to the public.
Comfort Food Trumps Winter Blahs
One way to fight back the gloom of dark, brooding, winter weather is through celebration, and in my world view celebration is synonymous with food. Luckily, the Thanksgiving-Christmas-Chanukah-Kwanzaa-Solstice-New Year’s Eve season gives us lots of opportunities to celebrate.
100 Years Ago Today
This advertisement for Natural Brand Human Hair appeared in the Champaign Daily Gazette on Tuesday, November 23, 1915. (Note that the switches were made from "your combings". Lovely.)
"What this town needs is a bank!"
So proclaimed Samuel T. Busey, Urbana’s “soldier, banker, patriot, and public-spirited citizen” in 1867, one year before opening the first incarnation of what is now Busey Bank. Brothers and entrepreneurs Samuel T. and Simeon H. Busey opened Busey Brothers & Company bank on Monday, January 13, 1868. (1)
In Honor of Our Veterans, A Few Photographs From Our AMVET Collection
On this Veteran's Day the Champaign County Historical Archives would like to share a few photographs from our collection featuring the American Veterans of World War II at Champaign Post No. 3, also known as AMVETS.
Living in Stadium Terrace: Housing the University of Illinois’ G.I. Students
At the end of World War II, the United States created an assitance program for returning veterans to help with the return to civilian life. This was known as the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, commonly identified as the G.I. Bill. One of the most visible benefits in the Champaign-Urbana area was the low-cost student housing situated across the street from Memorial Stadium: Stadium Terrace.
New Database - MyHeritage
MyHeritage Library Edition is the latest addition to the Champaign County Historical Archives’ array of resources to aid in the research of local history and genealogy. It’s a global genealogy database that provides access to records from all over the world-including birth, death, military, and immigration. Coverage starts from the 16th century and includes the US and UK federal census, historical photographs, wills, government records, yearbooks and passenger lists, among other resources.
The Era of Railroads
The Archives received a new donation this week. A beautiful map depicting the railroad lines in Illinois as they existed in 1892. Officially tilted “Railroad map of Illinois, 1892 prepared under the direction of and presented by, John R. Wheeler, Isaac N. Phillips, and J.C. Willis, Railroad and Warehouse Commissioners” the map was presented as part of the Illinois Railroad and Warehouse Commission’s 21st annual report in 1891.
At UIUC, Before There Was "Unofficial", There Was...Halloween!
This article "Officials ponder putting hex on UI Halloween" was printed in the October 15, 1989 News-Gazette. In a pumpkin shell, the article states that the celebration of Halloween on campus started about 1975 "with crowds spilling into the streets and challenging police in impromptu drunken revelry. Police responded with riot gear and dogs."
The Old Homer Park
It is always nice to visit local parks! Homer Park (now park of Homer Lake Forest Preserve) was a popular 14-acre destination park located on the Salt Fork River during the first half of the twentieth century. The park was popular for parties, reunions, weddings, and July 4th celebrations.
Above is the Homer Park Pedestrian Bridge/Illinois Traction System Railroad Bridge, photographed in 1907, with onlookers observing a water chute rider.