1.
Abraham Lincoln and the Historic Postville Courthouse,
including a William Maxwell connection to the Postville Courthouse

2.
About Henry Ford and the Postville Courthouse, the Story of the Postville Courthouse Replica, Tantivy, & the Postville Park Neighborhood in the
Route 66 Era

3.
The Rise of Abraham Lincoln and the Founding of Lincoln, Illinois,
also the founding of Lincoln College, the plot to steal Lincoln's body, and memories of Lincoln College and the Rustic Tavern-Inn

4. 
Introduction to the Social & Economic History of Lincoln, Illinois, including poetry by William Childress & commentary by Federal Judge Bob Goebel & Illinois Appellate Court Judge Jim Knecht

5.
"Social Consciousness in William Maxwell's Writings Based on Lincoln, Illinois" (an article published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, winter 2005-06)

5.a.
Peeking Behind the Wizard's Screen: William Maxwell's Literary Art as Revealed by a Study of the Black Characters in Billie Dyer and Other Stories

6.
Introduction to the Railroad & Route 66 Heritage of Lincoln, Illinois

7.
The Living Railroad Heritage of Lincoln, Illinois: on Track as a Symbol of the "Usable Past"

8.
Route 66 Overview Map of Lincoln with 42 Sites, Descriptions, & Photos

9.
The Hensons of Business Route 66

10.
The Wilsons of Business
Route 66, including the Wilson Grocery & Shell Station

11.
Route 66 Map & Photos Showing Lincoln Memorial Park (former Chautauqua site),
the Historic Cemeteries, & Nearby Sites

12.
Route 66 Map & Photos Showing Salt Creek & Cemetery Hill, including
the highway bridges, GM&O bridge, Madigan State Park, the old dam (with photos & Leigh's memoir of "shooting the rapids" over the old dam), & the Ernie Edwards' Pig-Hip Restaurant Museum in Broadwell

13.
The Historic Logan County Courthouse, Past & Present

14.
Route 66 Map with 51 Sites in the Business & Courthouse Square Historic District, including locations of historical markers
(on the National Register of Historic Places)

15.
Vintage Scenes of the Business & Courthouse Square Historic District

16.
The Foley House:  A Monument to Civic Leadership
(on the National Register of Historic Places)

17.
Agriculture in
the Route 66 Era

18.
Arts & Entertainment Heritage, including the Lincoln Theatre Roy Rogers' Riders Club of the 1950s

19.
Business Heritage

20.
Cars, Trucks & Gas Stations of the Route 66 Era

21.
Churches, including the hometown churches of Author William Maxwell & Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr

22.
Factories, Past and Present

23.
Food Stores of
the Route 66 Era

24.
Government

25.
Hospitals, Past and Present

26.
Hotels & Restaurants of the Railroad & Route 66 Eras

27.
Lincoln Developmental Center
(Lincoln State School & Colony in the Route 66 era), plus debunking the myth of Lincoln, Illinois, choosing the Asylum over the University of Illinois

28.
Mining Coal, Limestone, & Sand & Gravel; Lincoln Lakes; & Utilities

29.
Museums & Parks, including the Lincoln College Museum and its Abraham Lincoln Collection, plus the Heritage-in-Flight Museum

30.
Neighborhoods
with Distinction

31.
News Media in the Route 66 Era

32.
The Odd Fellows' Children's Home

33.
Schools

34.
Memories of the 1900 Lincoln Community High School, including Fred Blanford's dramatic account of the lost marble fountain of youth

35.
A Tribute to the Historians and Advocates of Lincoln, Illinois

36.
Watering Holes of the Route 66 Era

37.
The Historic 1953 Centennial Celebration of Lincoln, Illinois

38.
The Festive 2003 Sesqui-centennial Celebration of Lincoln, Illinois, including photos of LCHS Class of 1960 dignitaries & the Blanfords

39.
Why Did the State Police Raid Lincoln, Illinois, on October 11, 1950?

40.
The Gambling Raids in Lincoln and Logan County, Illinois,
During the Late Route 66 Era (1950-1960)
_______

Pages in this section tell about Leigh Henson's Lincoln years, moving away, revisits, and career:

About Lincoln, Illinois;
This Web Site; & Me

A Tribute to Lincolnite Edward Darold Henson: World War II U.S. Army Veteran of the Battles for Normandy and the Hedgerows; Brittany and Brest; and the Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge)

For Remembrance, Understanding, & Fun: Lincoln Community High School Mid-20th-Century Alums' Internet Community
(a Web site and email exchange devoted to collaborative memoir and the sharing of photos related to Lincoln, Illinois)

Leigh Henson's Pilgrimage to Lincoln, Illinois, on
July 12, 2001

Leigh Henson's Review of Dr. Burkhardt's William Maxwell Biography

Leigh Henson's Review of Ernie Edwards' biography, Pig-Hips on Route 66, by William Kaszynski

Leigh Henson's Review of Jan Schumacher's Glimpses of Lincoln, Illinois

Web Site About
Leigh Henson's Professional Life
__________

Pages in this section are about the writing, memorabilia, and Web sites of other Lincolnites:

A Tribute to Bill and Phyllis Stigall:
Exemplary Faculty of Lincoln College at Mid-Twentieth Century

A Tribute to the Krotzes of Lincoln, Illinois

A Tribute to Robert Wilson (LCHS '46): Author of Young in Illinois, Movies Editor of December Magazine, Friend and Colleague of December Press Publisher Curt Johnson, and Correspondent with William Maxwell

Brad Dye (LCHS '60): His Lincoln, Illinois, Web Site,
including photos of many churches

Dave Armbrust's Memorabilia of Lincoln, Illinois

J. Richard
(JR) Fikuart
(LCHS '65):
The Fikuarts of Lincoln, Illinois, including their connections to the William Maxwell family and three generations of family fun at Lincoln Lakes

Jerry Gibson (LCHS '60): Lincoln, Illinois, Memoirs & Other Stories

Dave Johnson (LCHS '56): His Web Site for the Lincoln Community High School Class of 1956

Sportswriter David Kindred: Memoir of His Grandmother Lena & Her West Side Tavern on Sangamon Street in the Route 66 Era

Judge Jim Knecht
(LCHS '62): Memoir and Short Story, "Other People's Money," Set in Hickey's Billiards on Chicago Street in the Route 66 Era

William A. "Bill" Krueger (LCHS '52): Information for His Books About Murders in Lincoln

Norm Schroeder (LCHS '60): Short Stories

Stan Stringer Writes About His Family, Mark Holland, and Lincoln, Illinois

Thomas Walsh: Anecdotes Relating to This Legendary Attorney from Lincoln by Attorney Fred Blanford & Judge Jim Knecht

Leon Zeter (LCHS '53): His Web Site for the
Lincoln Community High School Class of 1953,
including announcements of LCHS class reunions

(Post yours there.)
__________
 

Highway Sign of
the Times:
1926-1960

The Route 66
Association of Illinois

The Illinois State Historical Society

Illinois Tourism Site:
Enjoy Illinois
 

April 24, 2004: Awarded "Best Web Site of the Year" by the Illinois State Historical Society "superior achievement: serves as a model for the profession and reaches a greater public"
 

Marquee Lights of the Lincoln Theatre, est. 1923, Lincoln, Illinois

 
 You can go home again. Email Leigh Henson at dlhenson@missouristate.edu

 

Dave Armbrust's Memorabilia of Lincoln, Illinois

     Early in 2007 Dave Armbrust, fellow member of the LCHS noble Class of 1960, emailed me to offer some ad cards from various businesses in Lincoln, Illinois, our mutual hometown. I was gratified to receive those items and asked for more of these wonderful old-time ads if he had some (he sent several more). I also invited Dave to send any other material relating to Lincoln, and he has generously offered various photos, scans of items of interest, and information about his family history. Dave's Lincoln roots are deep: for example, his father and grandfather spent their lives there. At the bottom of this page, access links to Other Material in This Site Provided by Dave Armbrust and Related Topics. Email Dave at armbrust@ccaonline.com.     

     Both Dave's father and grandfather had worked at the Lincoln Casket Company. For a photo of Dave's Grandfather Jake and other information about the Armbrust employment there, see the page in this site titled Factories, Past and Present (link below).

     Dave writes, "My dad was trained as a sign painter in his early years. The depression shot that down as a good profession at that time in his life as there were dozens of itinerant sign painters traveling the country, and the brother of the fellow he worked for had to drop out of college and needed work. On the really large billboards (Sheers Auto & McCormick-Deering on the barn) Dad was helping Harry Stuckel, the gentleman that taught him the trade. The rest he did at home as can be seen in the photo of the sign featuring the plate lunch for 25 cents leaning against a trellis in the yard."

1: Sample of Service Provided and Business Card

Signs in Town

2: The Location of B & B Tire, Now the Methodist Church Parking Lot

3: Behind Langellier's on Chicago St.

4

Signs in the Country

5

6

7

8: The Old Car Is My Dad's 1928 Dodge Senior (he purchased it used in 1932 and sold it in 1947.)

Signs on Vehicles

9

10

11

12: This Grocery Was in the Location Bock Realty Now Occupies on S. McLean St.

Other Material in This Site Provided by Dave Armbrust (and related topics)

     Business ad cards are located on the Business Heritage page in this site. Scroll the entire page, but many are located toward the bottom.

     Lincoln Casket Company (information in this site on the page titled Factories, Past and Present, including information about the Armbrusts who had worked there).

     Sheers Auto Supply (additional information on the page in this site titled Cars, Trucks, & Gas Stations of the Route 66 Era).

     Email Dave at armbrust@ccaonline.com. 

Home

Present-Day Special Events of
Lincoln, Illinois

Main Street Lincoln

  Email comments, corrections, questions, or suggestions. 
Also please email me if this Web site helps you decide to visit Lincoln, Illinois: dlhenson@missouristate.edu
 

"The Past Is But the Prelude"