By Mady Field

Springfield, Illinois– our capital city and hometown– is a place full of charm and rich history. At the heart of it all is our exciting downtown, with something for everyone, such as Looking for Lincoln, local restaurants and the popular Saturday Farmers’ Market. 

However, many people are unaware of the gems hidden in downtown Springfield and instead have been distracted by the problems faced in recent years. Instead of giving up on our city center, we should work together to preserve and improve such a beautiful and significant place in our town. 

To understand the importance of saving downtown, it is helpful to know why people consider downtown to be so special. To many who live and work downtown, including Molly Harms and Cassie Grey-Sautelet at Downtown Springfield Inc., downtown is its own little community within Springfield. This community is one with a rich history, from Lincoln’s home to the markers for the Springfield Race Riots. However, downtown is also a living community, with new businesses and events coming in all year round. Springfield’s city center is incredibly walkable and low-cost, making it a great place to spend the day with friends and family, or even enjoy an afternoon to yourself!

Despite everything that makes downtown such a unique and exciting place, there is still work to be done to ensure upkeep and longevity. To do so, the city of Springfield has enacted a plan to bring people back to downtown and help reach its full potential. While the city is taking the reins on the legal and economic initiatives, organizations like DSI are focusing on the community approach. Harms and Grey-Sautelet emphasized the importance of both the city and downtown organizations and businesses collaborating to improve downtown while still maintaining its local charm. 

With the city’s master plan underway and downtown organizations like DSI ready to enact it, what can regular Springfield citizens do to help restore and preserve downtown Springfield? One way, according to Harms and Grey-Sautelet, is to change the perceptions and preconceived notions we have about downtown. While downtown may have its challenges, that is not a reason to stop visiting the area and ignore what it does have to offer. We should, as a community, take these challenges head-on to protect our city’s historic center.

The best way to advocate for downtown is simply by being there. Your visit does not need to be long or costly to be meaningful. Park your car and walk around the Old State Capitol, attend the Saturday Farmers’ Market, stop by an independent coffee shop– whatever you do downtown helps downtown and contributes to the sub-community that is so vital to our Capitol City. To find out more about upcoming events, you can visit downtown Springfield’s website (https://www.downtownspringfield.org/) or follow them on Facebook or Instagram!

(Courtesy of Whichmuseum.com)