Illinois State Society of Washington, DC

Illinois Hall of Fame: Enrico Fermi

By Mark Rhoads

Enrico Fermi was born in Rome, Italy on Sept. 29, 1901. He married Laura Capon in 1928 and from 1927 to 1938 he was Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Rome. He took his family with him to Stockholm, Sweden in 1938 to accept the Nobel Prize for Physics.  But they never returned to Italy and instead used the trip to escape from Benito Mussolini's fascist government. They emigrated to the U.S. where Enrico eventually joined other scientists in Chicago who were working on the Manhattan Project (code name for production of America's atomic bomb).

The atomic age was officially born in Chicago on Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 2, 1942. Enrico Fermi supervised the first controlled nuclear chain reaction for forty minutes inside the cinder block walls of a squash court. The building was under the cement football stands at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field at 5801 S. Ellis Avenue on the campus of the University of Chicago. Fermi and his wife lived in Chicago from 1942 on. They became American citizens in 1944. Enrico then taught as a member of the faculty at the University of Chicago for the last ten years of his life until his premature death from cancer on Nov. 18, 1954 at age 53.  He is buried at the historic Oak Woods Cemetery on the corner of 67th and Cottage Grove. The Enrico Fermi Institute at the University of Chicago and the FermiLab in Batavia, Illinois, are both named in his honor.

By Mark Rhoads

Enrico Fermi was born in Rome, Italy on Sept. 29, 1901. He married Laura Capon in 1928 and from 1927 to 1938 he was Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Rome. He took his family with him to Stockholm, Sweden in 1938 to accept the Nobel Prize for Physics.  But they never returned to Italy and instead used the trip to escape from Benito Mussolini's fascist government. They emigrated to the U.S. where Enrico eventually joined other scientists in Chicago who were working on the Manhattan Project (code name for production of America's atomic bomb).

The atomic age was officially born in Chicago on Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 2, 1942. Enrico Fermi supervised the first controlled nuclear chain reaction for forty minutes inside the cinder block walls of a squash court. The building was under the cement football stands at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field at 5801 S. Ellis Avenue on the campus of the University of Chicago. Fermi and his wife lived in Chicago from 1942 on. They became American citizens in 1944. Enrico then taught as a member of the faculty at the University of Chicago for the last ten years of his life until his premature death from cancer on Nov. 18, 1954 at age 53.  He is buried at the historic Oak Woods Cemetery on the corner of 67th and Cottage Grove. The Enrico Fermi Institute at the University of Chicago and the FermiLab in Batavia, Illinois, are both named in his honor.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Potter Palmer

By Mark Rhoads

Potter Palmer was the central figure in the development of downtown Chicago real estate in the 19th Century and was the principal designer of State Street in old Chicago. He was born on May 26,1826 near Albany, New York. When he was 26, Palmer founded a dry goods store on Lake Street in Chicago called Potter Palmer and Company. 

Like many successful Chicago retailers, he looked for ways to put the customer first and in his case, that meant the innovation of a "no questions asked" return policy. If a customer was not satisfied for any reason with a product, he or she could return it to the store for a credit or refund. That may be common retail practice today but it was certainly not in the 1850s. Palmer tried particularly hard to cater to women customers, also an innovation for that time.

By Mark Rhoads

Potter Palmer was the central figure in the development of downtown Chicago real estate in the 19th Century and was the principal designer of State Street in old Chicago. He was born on May 26,1826 near Albany, New York. When he was 26, Palmer founded a dry goods store on Lake Street in Chicago called Potter Palmer and Company. 

Like many successful Chicago retailers, he looked for ways to put the customer first and in his case, that meant the innovation of a "no questions asked" return policy. If a customer was not satisfied for any reason with a product, he or she could return it to the store for a credit or refund. That may be common retail practice today but it was certainly not in the 1850s. Palmer tried particularly hard to cater to women customers, also an innovation for that time.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Bertha Palmer

By Mark Rhoads

Bertha Honore Palmer, wife of Potter Palmer, was the leader of wealthy socialites in Chicago in the late 1800s and early 1900s. She would have been famous just for being the wife of the richest real estate developer in the city. But her own buisness skills after her husband's death in 1902 were equal to or better than those of many contemporary men. So much so that in just 16 years until her own death in 1918, she doubled the size of her husband's estate from $8 million to $16 million. In constant dollars, that amount would be equivalent to an estate of $214 million in 2006.

Bertha was born on May 22, 1849, in Louisville, Kentucky.  Her wealthy family moved to Chicago in 1855. She married Potter Palmer in 1871 when she was 22 and he was 44.  She became the leader of society in Chicago through her active contributions to the artistic, cultural, social, and civic affairs of the city.

By Mark Rhoads

Bertha Honore Palmer, wife of Potter Palmer, was the leader of wealthy socialites in Chicago in the late 1800s and early 1900s. She would have been famous just for being the wife of the richest real estate developer in the city. But her own buisness skills after her husband's death in 1902 were equal to or better than those of many contemporary men. So much so that in just 16 years until her own death in 1918, she doubled the size of her husband's estate from $8 million to $16 million. In constant dollars, that amount would be equivalent to an estate of $214 million in 2006.

Bertha was born on May 22, 1849, in Louisville, Kentucky.  Her wealthy family moved to Chicago in 1855. She married Potter Palmer in 1871 when she was 22 and he was 44.  She became the leader of society in Chicago through her active contributions to the artistic, cultural, social, and civic affairs of the city.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Robert Lawrence

By Mark Rhoads

U.S. Air Force Maj. Robert H. Lawrence was the first African American pilot selected by NASA in 1967 to be trained as an astronaut for the manned orbital laboratory program.

He was born in Chicago on Oct. 2, 1935. Robert was only 16 years old when he graduated from Englewood High School at 6201 S. Stewart in Chicago in 1952. He was an outstanding student and he was only 20 when he graduated in 1956 from Bradley University in Peoria with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering.

While a student at Bradley, Robert was a cadet commander in the Air Force ROTC program on campus and upon graduation he received his commission as a second lieutenant. He was trained as a pilot at Malden Air Force Base in Missouri in 1956-1957.

By Mark Rhoads

U.S. Air Force Maj. Robert H. Lawrence was the first African American pilot selected by NASA in 1967 to be trained as an astronaut for the manned orbital laboratory program.

He was born in Chicago on Oct. 2, 1935. Robert was only 16 years old when he graduated from Englewood High School at 6201 S. Stewart in Chicago in 1952. He was an outstanding student and he was only 20 when he graduated in 1956 from Bradley University in Peoria with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering.

While a student at Bradley, Robert was a cadet commander in the Air Force ROTC program on campus and upon graduation he received his commission as a second lieutenant. He was trained as a pilot at Malden Air Force Base in Missouri in 1956-1957.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Siskel & Ebert

By Mark Rhoads

Roger Ebert, at left, and Gene Siskel, at right, are shown in this Chicago Tribune file photo from Feb. 1, 1995 when they were honored at a ceremony at the corner of Erie Street and McClurg Court. On that day the city put up a Chicago street sign that says "Honorary Siskel and Ebert Way." For 23 seasons these two native Illinoisans hosted a new genre of journalistic film criticism on a show that at one time reached 95 percent of all homes with TV sets in America. They helped to invent the new format for Chicago Public Television WTTW in 1975 and the program went national on PBS in 1978. It later went into commercial syndication under a different name. Both writers are profiled in brief below.

By Mark Rhoads

Roger Ebert, at left, and Gene Siskel, at right, are shown in this Chicago Tribune file photo from Feb. 1, 1995 when they were honored at a ceremony at the corner of Erie Street and McClurg Court. On that day the city put up a Chicago street sign that says "Honorary Siskel and Ebert Way." For 23 seasons these two native Illinoisans hosted a new genre of journalistic film criticism on a show that at one time reached 95 percent of all homes with TV sets in America. They helped to invent the new format for Chicago Public Television WTTW in 1975 and the program went national on PBS in 1978. It later went into commercial syndication under a different name. Both writers are profiled in brief below.

Illinois Hall of Fame: George J. Mecherle

By Mark Rhoads

If ever a reputation for personal integrity and honesty was crucial to building a successful business, the importance of reputation was proven by the life story of George J. Mecherle.  Mecherle was a McLean County farmer and the founder of the State Farm Insurance Company, a company that today is one of the top 20 of the Fortune 500. His last name is pronounced as if it were "Ma-herl." His parents were immigrants from Germany and he was born on June 7, 1877 as the fifth child on a family farm near the small town of Merna, Illinois about nine miles west of Normal. He only had one year of high school and married a neighbor, Mae Perry, in 1900.

His biographers have written that George was a good story teller and was well liked as a trusted business consultant.  He worked his farm from 1900 to 1918 and was very successful. He owned more than 480 acres of prime land in McLean County and served as the county road commissioner and was a member of the Old Town Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Due to an illness of his wife, he moved his family briefly to Florida but that climate did not help her so they moved back to Normal around 1920. He worked for a while as an automobile insurance salesman. He reasoned that since farmers who drove trucks got into few accidents than urban car drivers, the farmers should get lower rates. In other ways, he also felt that insurance companies from big cities did not know the needs of farmers.

By Mark Rhoads

If ever a reputation for personal integrity and honesty was crucial to building a successful business, the importance of reputation was proven by the life story of George J. Mecherle.  Mecherle was a McLean County farmer and the founder of the State Farm Insurance Company, a company that today is one of the top 20 of the Fortune 500. His last name is pronounced as if it were "Ma-herl." His parents were immigrants from Germany and he was born on June 7, 1877 as the fifth child on a family farm near the small town of Merna, Illinois about nine miles west of Normal. He only had one year of high school and married a neighbor, Mae Perry, in 1900.

His biographers have written that George was a good story teller and was well liked as a trusted business consultant.  He worked his farm from 1900 to 1918 and was very successful. He owned more than 480 acres of prime land in McLean County and served as the county road commissioner and was a member of the Old Town Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Due to an illness of his wife, he moved his family briefly to Florida but that climate did not help her so they moved back to Normal around 1920. He worked for a while as an automobile insurance salesman. He reasoned that since farmers who drove trucks got into few accidents than urban car drivers, the farmers should get lower rates. In other ways, he also felt that insurance companies from big cities did not know the needs of farmers.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Shelby Moore Cullom

By Mark Rhoads

Few Illinoisans of the 19th and early 20th Century were more famous than Shelby Moore Cullom of Springfield. He served more years in high Illinois public offices than any other person in the history of the state. He was Speaker of the Illinois House for three terms, a member of the U.S. House for three terms, governor for six years, and a U.S. Senator for thirty years. He was born Nov. 22, 1829 in Wayne County, Kentucky. But his family moved when he was less than a year old in 1830 to Tazewell County, Illinois where his father was elected to the Illinois General Assembly. Shelby's father, State Rep. Richard Northcraft Cullom, was a trusted friend and ally of Abraham Lincoln when both served in the Illinois House.

Shelby attended the Rock River Seminary at Mount Morris, Illinois where he also taught lower grades part-time to earn money for his own tuition and expenses. He moved to Springfield in 1853 to read for the law at the firm of Stuart and Edwards and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1855. That same year, the newly-minted attorney was elected City Attorney of Springfield at the age of 26. In 1856, Shelby was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. Shelby was married twice. His first wife was Hannah M. Fisher. They were married from 1855 until her death in 1861. He later married Julia Fisher in May 1863. She was First Lady of Illinois 1877-1883 and died in 1909.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Burl Ives

By Mark Rhoads

Burl Ives was an Academy Award-winning actor, a musician, a composer, folk signer, and author. More than eleven years after his death, millions of younger Americans who do not know his name or movie roles nevertheless cannot avoid hearing his voice on radio every Christmas season singing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Holly Jolly Christmas, and other holiday classics.

He was born June 14, 1909 one of six children of Scots-Irish heritage.  They all lived on a farm in Hunt City Township of Jasper County in southeast Illinois. Then as now, Hunt City Township was one of the most rural townships in Illinois. Today there are fewer than 400 residents in 128 housing units in thirty-six square miles.

A local official once said "Hunt City Township is not near anything." But if it were near a larger place, that place would likely be Effingham to the northwest if you first went through Newton. In high school Burl played football and played the guitar.  He graduated from Newton High School in 1927 and enrolled at Eastern Illinois Teacher's College at Charleston where he also played football and guitar. The school is now called Eastern Illinois University and Ives is one of the school's most famous alumni.

By Mark Rhoads

Burl Ives was an Academy Award-winning actor, a musician, a composer, folk signer, and author. More than eleven years after his death, millions of younger Americans who do not know his name or movie roles nevertheless cannot avoid hearing his voice on radio every Christmas season singing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Holly Jolly Christmas, and other holiday classics.

He was born June 14, 1909 one of six children of Scots-Irish heritage.  They all lived on a farm in Hunt City Township of Jasper County in southeast Illinois. Then as now, Hunt City Township was one of the most rural townships in Illinois. Today there are fewer than 400 residents in 128 housing units in thirty-six square miles.

A local official once said "Hunt City Township is not near anything." But if it were near a larger place, that place would likely be Effingham to the northwest if you first went through Newton. In high school Burl played football and played the guitar.  He graduated from Newton High School in 1927 and enrolled at Eastern Illinois Teacher's College at Charleston where he also played football and guitar. The school is now called Eastern Illinois University and Ives is one of the school's most famous alumni.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Ralph Metcalfe

By Mark Rhoads

He represented Illinois in Congress for almost eight years in the 1970s. But his international fame stems from the fact that for two years from 1932 to 1934, Ralph H. Metcalfe was considered to be the world's fastest human.

He was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 29, 1910. His family moved to Chicago when he was a small boy and he attended Chicago public schools including Wendell Phillips Junior High School and Tilden Tech High School at 4747 S. Union Avenue.

At the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, Metcalfe won a bronze medal in in the 200 metre race.  At the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, he won a Silver Medal in the 100 metre event running second to his American teammate and friend Jesse Owens. Much to the annoyance of Adolf Hitler who attended each day of the games, Ralph also ran with Owens in the 400 metre relay to win a team Gold Medal for the U.S. He is a member of the U.S. Track and Field Hall of Fame.

By Mark Rhoads

He represented Illinois in Congress for almost eight years in the 1970s. But his international fame stems from the fact that for two years from 1932 to 1934, Ralph H. Metcalfe was considered to be the world's fastest human.

He was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 29, 1910. His family moved to Chicago when he was a small boy and he attended Chicago public schools including Wendell Phillips Junior High School and Tilden Tech High School at 4747 S. Union Avenue.

At the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, Metcalfe won a bronze medal in in the 200 metre race.  At the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, he won a Silver Medal in the 100 metre event running second to his American teammate and friend Jesse Owens. Much to the annoyance of Adolf Hitler who attended each day of the games, Ralph also ran with Owens in the 400 metre relay to win a team Gold Medal for the U.S. He is a member of the U.S. Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Illinois Hall of Fame: The Cusack Family

By Mark Rhoads

They might not yet be Cook County's answer to the Barrymores, but actors in the Cusack family of Evanston have been responsible in recent years for bringing many hours of enjoyable, interesting, and quirky entertainment to movie fans all over the world.  Except for the mother Nancy, a former math teacher, everyone else in the family is a working actor in movies and on TV. Pictured at right are brother John Cusack and his sister Joan Cusack whose work has likely been the most noticed of the family so far.

Their late father Dick Cusack, who died in June 2003, was World War II-Army veteran who served in the Pacific Theater. He was part of the 1947 Holy Cross championship basketball team. He spent many years in advertising and film production and near the latter part of his life he appeared in smaller parts in 15 films with his last appearance in Bonnie Hunt's Return to Me with Minnie Driver and David Duchovny, filmed in Chicago in 2000.  Dick was the father of five children all of whom have worked as actors. He won an award from the Evanston Arts Council for preserving a school that was converted into the Noyes Cultural Arts Center. The center includes the Piven Theater Workshop where his children studied acting.  Click here for Dick Cusack's film credits.

By Mark Rhoads

They might not yet be Cook County's answer to the Barrymores, but actors in the Cusack family of Evanston have been responsible in recent years for bringing many hours of enjoyable, interesting, and quirky entertainment to movie fans all over the world.  Except for the mother Nancy, a former math teacher, everyone else in the family is a working actor in movies and on TV. Pictured at right are brother John Cusack and his sister Joan Cusack whose work has likely been the most noticed of the family so far.

Their late father Dick Cusack, who died in June 2003, was World War II-Army veteran who served in the Pacific Theater. He was part of the 1947 Holy Cross championship basketball team. He spent many years in advertising and film production and near the latter part of his life he appeared in smaller parts in 15 films with his last appearance in Bonnie Hunt's Return to Me with Minnie Driver and David Duchovny, filmed in Chicago in 2000.  Dick was the father of five children all of whom have worked as actors. He won an award from the Evanston Arts Council for preserving a school that was converted into the Noyes Cultural Arts Center. The center includes the Piven Theater Workshop where his children studied acting.  Click here for Dick Cusack's film credits.