Browse Exhibits (12 total)
William McKinley's Road of Good Service: Illinois Traction System
Curated by TJ Blakeman and Michael K. Ryan
Beginning in 1902 and lasting for fifty-four years, the Illinois Traction System crisscrossed the state of Illinois, drastically changing the way people traveled. The building of this system by its founder, William B. McKinley of Champaign, revolutionized the existing transportation network and changed the ways in which cities and towns were interconnected.
By 1956, the golden age of electric train travel had given way to the rise of the automobile, but not before the system, its employees, and riders made a lasting imprint on communities from St. Louis to Peoria and Danville to Springfield.
Zuppke en la Playa: Sketches of a Gridiron Great
Curated by Tom Kuipers and Azaan Qureshi
Robert Zuppke was born on July 2, 1879 in Berlin, Republic of Germany. He was a former University of Illinois football coach from 1913 to 1941 with a very impressive season record, holding undfeated titles in 1914 and 1923. Zuppke was also a lifetime artist, creating several pieces for his school's yearbook in his younger years as a student and painting landscapes during his freetime as a coach, much of which is of the Arizona desert scenery.
This exhibit focuses on Robert Zuppke's life as a football coach and painter, delving into his many accomplishments on the field and his passion for art. Additionally, this exhibit will focus on Zuppke's time in Havana, Cuba during 1946, including his relationship with Ernest Hemingway with a special focus on the sketches he produced during his visit.