Manuscripts

The collection contains materials from the Church Women United in Springfield, their projects, and earlier interdenominational groups.

The collection is composed of items related to Dora Davis Armbruster’s (1880-1962) First Christian Church involvement.

The collection include GSIA program documentation, bylaws, reports, position papers, board information, correspondence and more.

Illinois State University, Springfield’s first school of higher learning, was inappropriately named because it was actually a private school supported by the Lutheran Church and had no connection with the state of Illinois.

The Liturgical Arts Festival of Springfield began as an idea of the Reverend Thom Dennis, then priest of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, who envisioned an event that would showcase sacred art. Within two years, his original concept of an invitation-only art show, held in a church basement, had blossomed into the Liturgical Arts Festival, an exhibition of liturgical and sacred art, as well as a festival of performing arts.

The materials in this collection consist mainly of deeds for land purchased in Ball and Woodside Townships by members of the Stout Family.

The collection includes church service programs from the 1930s-1960s (mostly 1960s) and “The Third Presbyterian Beacon” newsletter 1961-1971.