Last month I drove from Chicago, IL to Rolla, MO to spend the weekend with my best friend. I made a stop in Springfield, IL on my way down to pick up some death certificates at the Illinois State Archives and some newspaper articles at the Abraham Lincoln Library. It was a successful two hour stop on my drive down.

First let me say, I only visit the Illinois State Archives once or twice a year when I get together with my best friend. I arrive in Springfield by 8 a.m. so I can be at the Archives when they open. There has never been anyone else there to research but me. Kind of nice and super quiet. I am able to get in and out in about an hour and come home with several new death certificates. The staff is very helpful and I really enjoy going there.

After my death certificate search, I headed to the Abe Lincoln Library to look at newspaper microfilm. I'm writing a book about my cousin Robert Brouk, who was a Flying Tiger in 1941-1942. I needed to get some articles from the Herald-American newspaper. Again, I was the only person in the newspaper room. The woman working there was very kind and helpful and I had no issues with the machines. I found what I needed and was in and out within an hour.

If you have Illinois research to conduct do check out the State Archives and Lincoln Library. There are so many resources available there and they seem to be very underused.