Mary Bradish Call

The collection consists mainly of letters, most of them written to Mary Bradish in her youth ca. 1895-1900 from friends and family. There are also a small number of photographs, as well as a collection of calling cards. Mary Bradish (1877-1966) was born in Springfield and attended Springfield High School. She lived in the house that her father built at 931 S. 4th St. He was the co-owner of the Springfield Woolen Mills. After living in Minneapolis and Chicago, she returned to Springfield and established her own business designing clothes. In 1912, she married S. Leigh Call, who was the editor and publisher of the Illinois State Journal. She began painting and studying with George Raab, the director of the Art Association. She traveled the world and permanently left Springfield in 1965.