
Illinois Digital Heritage Hub
A Gateway to Illinois State History
The Illinois Digital Heritage Hub brings together unique digital cultural heritage resources from across Illinois. Explore collections immense in volume and rich in historical detail, including photographs, manuscripts, books, audio recordings, and videos. Established in 2015 by four institutions, the Chicago Public Library, the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois, the Illinois State Library, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, the content of the IDHH is made possible by a network of more than 150 partners from across the state, including dozens of institutions providing content through the Illinois Digital Archives and CARLI Digital Collections.
Illinois History
Sports
Illinoisans participating in all kinds of sports throughout the years
Postcards
Postcards throughout the ages featuring scenes and people from around Illinois
Art
Illinois art collections and the people who enjoy them
Architecture
Structures in Illinois that range from historic to modern, commercial to residential, rural to urban
Century of Progress
Chicago's second world's fair celebrated the city and the nation's future, 1933-1934
Cherry Mine Disaster
1909 deadly mining disaster spurred Illinois to create stronger mine safety legislation
Civil Rights
Activism for voting rights, integration, and equal wages
Civil War
Illinois' crucial roles in the US Civil War and contributions to the Union army
Columbian Exposition
Chicago's first world's fair, hosted in 1892
Great Chicago Fire
The 1871 fire that burned over three square miles of Chicago in three nights
Labor and Industry
Labor, industry, and organization and advocacy for workers
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
1858 debates for a US Senate seat drew national attention for their focus on slavery
Maps
Illinois geography, geo-political boundaries, and infrastructure
Military History
Documentation of Illinois and its military personnel in national and global conflicts
Protest Movements
Historical protest movements with local and national impact
Notable Illinoisans
Richard J. Daley
Six-term Mayor of the City of Chicago from 1955 until his death in 1976 and his family
George Pullman
Industrialist who developed the “Pullman Sleeper” railroad sleeping car and founded the company town of Pullman
Jane Addams
Social reformer, activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner. "The Mother of Social Work" founded Hull House in 1889
Frank Lloyd Wright
Architect and designer whose well-known works include Prairie School houses, the Guggenheim Museum, and his personal estate and studio Taliesin
Gwendolyn Brooks
The poet laureate of Illinois, one of the best known US writers, and the first African American poet to win the Pulitzer Prize
Stephen A. Douglas
Known for the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Douglas bested Lincoln for a seat in the US Senate
Ernest Hemingway
Born and Raised in Oak Park. Journalist and author of "The Sun Also Rises", "The Old Man and the Sea", and his adventurous life
Mary G. Harris Jones
Better known as Mother Jones, Irish-born school teacher, seamstress, labor organizer, activist, and self-described "hell-raiser"
Abraham Lincoln
The Sixteenth US President who held seats in the Illinois and US Houses of Representatives
Mary Todd Lincoln
First Lady of the US, wife of President Lincoln and witness to her husband's assassination
Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak
The leader of the Sauk People more widely known as Black Hawk organized several campaigns against the US Military
Barack Obama
The 44th President of the United States began his political career as a community organizer in Chicago
Illinois Communities
Chicago
Illinois’ largest and North America’s fourth most populous city
Aurora
The “City of Lights” is one of Illinois’ most populous
Naperville
Home to one of the best-loved public libraries in the U.S.
Joliet
Founded on one of the earliest European settlements in Illinois
Rockford
Learn about the rich history of the Forest City
Springfield
The Home of Lincoln and the Illinois state capitol
Elgin
The Jewel of the Midwest has a long history of settlement since the pre-Columbian era
Peoria
Peoria is known for museums and one of the oldest symphony orchestras in the U.S.
Champaign
Home of Roger Ebert and the University of Illinois flagship campus
Collections by Format
Images
An immense collection of images, including posters, postcards, portraits, and paintings
Text
A wealth of textual documents, including historical newspapers and clippings, dime novels, and letters
Audio
Sounds recordings include interviews and oral histories with civil rights activists, veterans, and scholars
Physical Objects
Digitized physical artifacts, such as prehistoric tools and weapons, artwork, clothing, and jewelry
Video
Videos include interviews with Illinois veterans, theatrical performances, lectures, historical footage, and more
IDHH Highlights Blog
Check out the IDHH Highlights blog for posts highlighting new contributors and collections as well as items relevant to certain holidays and current or historical events.
IDHH Exhibits Site
Check out the IDHH Exhibits site for digital exhibits that dig into topics important to Illinois History and relevant to current and historical events, featuring items curated from our collections that are immense in volume and rich in historical detail.