< >

Susan Lawrence Dana

(1862-1946) Dana was a socialite, activist and philanthropist, commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design her showplace home at Fourth Street and Lawrence Avenue. It is now the Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site. She supported women’s rights, equality for African Americans (Susan followed in the footsteps of her mother Mary Agnes in supporting Springfield’s Lincoln Colored Home), and an advocate of social services and the arts.

< >

Ida B. Wells-Barnett

(1862-1931) Wells was an African American civil rights advocate, journalist and feminist. She is considered one of the founders of the NAACP after brutal attacks on the African American Community in Springfield, Illinois in 1908. She attended a conference in 1909 for an organization that would later become the NAACP.

< >

President Abraham Lincoln

(1809-1865) Lincoln moved to Springfield in 1837. Lincoln had represented Sangamon County in the General Assembly since 1834 and helped move the capital from Vandalia to Springfield. He met Mary Todd in Springfield and married her in 1842. They lived in three places in Springfield. His family’s home at Eighth & Jackson Streets is a national historic site. Source: National Park Service website. There are many historic sites dedicated to Lincoln in the Springfield area including the Old State Capitol, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, Lincoln Tomb, Lincoln Home, Lincoln’s New Salem, Lincoln Depot, Lincoln Family Pew, Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices & Edwards Place.

< >

President Barack Obama

(1961- ) Obama served at the state capitol as a state senator from 1997 to 2004 in Springfield. He also visited Springfield several times when he was a U.S. Senator from 2005 to 2009. He also made two of the biggest announcements of his presidential candidacy in Springfield. First, he formally announced he was running for president at the Old State Capitol on Feb. 10, 2007. He announced his selection of Joe Biden as his running mate on August 23, 2008.

< >

Eva Carroll Monroe

(1868-1950) Monroe created and operated the Lincoln Colored Home, the first orphanage for African American children in Sangamon County from 1904 to 1933. She took in children and elderly women. She worked with Mary Lawrence (Susan Lawrence Dana’s mother) to build the home.

< >

Dr. Edwin Lee

(1914-1993) Lee was an army veteran and moved to Springfield in 1949 where he was in private practice as a family doctor and surgeon. By 1960, he had built the Lee Medical Building which housed several other doctors as well. For the first time in many years, there was a place on the east side of the town for people to come for medical care. He was also the founder of the Springfield Chapter of Frontiers International.

Local Heroes
10th Street Mural by Danielle Mastrion

Click/tap on a person to learn more about them

The "Local Heroes" mural was installed in 2023. In addition to the people highlighted in the image above, the artist included many other significant items related to Sangamon County and Illinois including the state capitol, Lincoln’s Home, Route 66, native flora and the founding year of the county. The mural also features the state bird, tree and insect.

About the Artist

Danielle Mastrion Painter and muralist from 2012 to the present. Lives in New York. Experienced in large public commissions in New York and internationally. Focuses on connecting communities through art and education. Medium: Exterior latex paint and professional quality spray paint. >>> DanielleMastrion.com

Learn More About...

Video: Sangamon County students attend a workshop to learn more about installing the large public mural by artist Danielle Mastrion in September 2023.

Susan Lawrence Dana >>> SangamonLink

Ida B. Wells-Barnett >>> National Park Service

President Abraham Lincoln >>> Park Service, Convention & Visitors Bureau

President Barack Obama >>> SangamonLink

Eva Caroll Monroe >>> SangamonLink, Illinois Times, WRSP

Dr. Edwin Lee >>> Central IL African American History Museum

Mural Advisory Committee

Brytton Bjorngaard

UIS, Director of Visual Arts

Scott Dahl

Springfield Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Director

Linda Douglas Williams

Sangamon County Board Member, District 20

Bruce Ferry

Ferry & Associates, Architect

Julia Frevert

City of Springfield, Communications Director

Shawn Gregory

Springfield Alderman, Ward 2

Angela Harris

Pioneer Park Neighborhood Association, President

Zhavier Harris

Hampton University Graduate and Marketing Professional

Karen Hasara

SMTD, Trustee

Tom Hutchinson

Mather and Wells Neighborhood Association, President

Brian McFadden

Sangamon County, Administrator

Steve Schoeffel

SMTD, Director

Michelle Smith

Local Artist

Erin Svendsen

Springfield Art Association, Education Director

Senator Doris Turner

Illinois State Senator, District 48

Brian Wojcicki

Former President, Downtown Springfield, Inc.