Curtis Mann

The 1960s and 1970s were a time of significant change in the history of Springfield, Illinois, as the city redefined itself through major developments in education, technology, and commerce. This pictorial history allows readers to remember the familiar places of those decades, such as the downtown area, and acquaint themselves with the history of the new institutions that started in this time period. Colorful images, many taken by amateur photographers, document the theme of change in the landscape and culture of Springfield as the city moved into the future.

Lake Springfield, created in the 1930s, evolved from a vital resource into a vibrant community steeped in history and recreation. A lake is a body of water, but it can also be the place of community. During the 1930s, a small creek in central Illinois was dammed and flooded to provide water and power to a growing nearby city. The place was already rich with history, dotted with 10,000 years of archaeological remains, crossed by a 300-year French colonial road, and the encompassing farms and small towns frequented by a young Abraham Lincoln. The vision for Lake Springfield included much more than a source of drinking water and power for the city of Springfield. During a nationwide depression, city planners and engineers thoughtfully created a unique municipal, recreational, and residential community along the new shores. Parks, beach houses, numerous organizational clubs, scouting camps for children, a memorial garden, a nature preserve, an outdoor theater, and even a public zoo soon skirted the 4000-acre lake. Now, eighty-five years after its construction, Lake Springfield is a community with its own rich history.

The 1960s and 1970s were a time of significant change in the history of Springfield, Illinois, as the city redefined itself through major developments in education, technology, and commerce. This pictorial history allows readers to remember the familiar places of those decades, such as the downtown area, and acquaint themselves with the history of the new institutions that started in this time period. Colorful images, many taken by amateur photographers, document the theme of change in the landscape and culture of Springfield as the city moved into the future.