To our readers:

"We cannot escape history," a famous Illinoisan once observed. We couldn't agree more. In fact, at Illinois Heritage, our goal is to make the past part of your future. Given the state's rich heritage, that's no chore whatsoever. Our cover story, for instance, though culled from headlines written nearly 170 years ago, has much to tell us about ourselves, especially in light of current events. The examples of our Illinois ancestors in the face of a horrific crisis, in this case Asian cholera, reveal much about human nature and the pioneer spirit in the Prairie State.

Though cholera hasn't returned to Illinois for more than a century, tuberculosis is again on the rise, and our "Holiday at the 'san'" story is a reminder of how prevalent and invasive this disease was only a generation ago.

The past isn't always so distant or distressing, however. Last October the Illinois State Historical Society helped thirty-seven Illinois businesses celebrate their centennial year, and we'll be telling you about each of them throughout the year, starting on page 12.

This issue of Illinois Heritage marks a new beginning for our magazine, which hereafter will be a bimonthly publication of the Illinois State Historical Society. Every other month we'll arrive on your doorstep, presenting highlights of our common—and not so common—past. We look forward to sharing it with you.

Sincerely, William Furry Editor

ILLINOIS HERITAGE 3