Thanksgiving Closure

The Library will close at 5pm on Wednesday, November 27th and remain closed Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th for the Thanksgiving holiday. Remember, our online resources are always available! 

Genealogy & Local History Links

Genealogy

Oak Ridge Cemetery Interment Records

Several volumes of interment records for Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois have been digitized and made available online at the Illinois Digital Archives. Each volume entry includes the name of the deceased, date of death, age at death, cause of death, designation of the grave location through a combination of block, lot, range, and grave numbers, place of birth, and remarks.


Sangamon County Birth Index Database

From the Sangamon County Clerk, this database is an index to Sangamon County birth records 75 years old and older. Contact the clerk's office for the record or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository at the University of Illinois Springfield has Sangamon County birth records from 1860 to 1917.


Sangamon County Circuit Clerk Scanned Records from 1821 – 1982

Local History

CORALs Historical Interview Program

Interviews with Central Illinois LGBTQ activists and elders. The Central Illinois LGBTQ Historical Interviews are a joint project of the Coalition of Rainbow Alliances in Springfield and the Illinois Eagle online newspaper.


Illinois Firefighter Line of Duty Deaths Digital Image Collection Database (IFLODD)

IFLODD documents the ultimate sacrifice of more than 800 Illinois firefighters over the past 150 years.

The database is searchable by name and agency.


Illinois Newspaper Project

Locate microfilm of Illinois newspapers.


Lithuanians in Springfield, Illinois

A website with information about the Lithuanian diaspora in Springfield, including information about prominent institutions and families.


Pillsbury Mills Links

Final Report for Mini-Charrette & Reuse Strategy Session Pillsbury Mills District Redevelopment Project

A report compiled from a meeting held on September 30, 2005, by the Economic Development Council and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The meeting was held to collect ideas from neighborhood residents, city officials, business owners, environmental consultants, and real estate developers on how to reuse the vacant property.

Phase 1 Environmental Report on Pillsbury Mills Site

This is an environmental site assessment report prepared for Ley Properties Management, April 4, 2008.

Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment 

This is an environmental site assessment report prepared for Moving Pillsbury Forward, May 3, 2021.

Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment

This is an environmental site assessment report prepared for Moving Pillsbury Forward, August 11, 2022.

Pillsbury Mills Site Hearing Docket


Pleasant Plains and Ashland Newspapers

The Prairie Skies Public Library has digitized the newspapers The Ashland Sentinel 1885-1988, The Weekly Press 1899-1923, and the Pleasant Plains Argus 1922-1986, the Pleasant Plains News 1885, and Pleasant Plains Review 1901.


Richard Hart Publications

Digital versions of the Richard Hart's publications about Lincoln's Springfield and European settlement of Cotton Hill and Ball townships in Sangamon County.


Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program - Illinois

Administered by the National Park Service, the program was established in 2001 and is dedicated to preserving the special places and stories of the historic highway. This page includes photos, information on Route 66 organizations, and National Register of Historic Places applications for sites in Illinois.


Sangamon Experience

Sangamon Experience includes a 5,300-square-foot interactive exhibition space at UIS, a dynamic website to share and promote local historical activities, online historical research, and customized community partnerships.


SangamonLink

Created by the Sangamon County Historical Society to put the rich history of Sangamon County — home of Abraham Lincoln and the capital of Illinois — at people’s fingertips.


Springfield Fire Department Image Collection 

This collection, from the Illinois Fire Service Institute, dates from the 1960’s through the 1980’s and contains historical images of apparatus and scenes from a wide variety of incidents that the Springfield Fire Department responded to during this time period. All images were digitized from 35mm slides.


Springfield Sports Hall of Fame

The Springfield Sports Hall of Fame honors and highlights the city's finest athletes, historic high school teams and supporters who have helped make local sports programs a success.


The State Capital

Weekly African-American newspaper from Springfield, Illinois that includes local, state and national news along with advertising. 1891-1892, 1899


A Study of the Birds of Sangamon County, Illinois 1970–2010, Part 1

A Study of the Birds of Sangamon County, Illinois 1970–2010, Part 2

This study documents the dramatic changes in the presence and populations of bird species in Sangamon County. The Research eSeries showcases the research of scientists and other staff of the Illinois State Museum and is available in searchable Portable Document Format (PDF) free of charge.