@Nooneleft,
I lived in Springfield for a year, but left in 1970.
My fondest memory was billboards with some guy's picture with the legend, "Paul Powell Secretary of State." I guess he didn't want anyone to forget, and I bet the state paid for the signs.
At that time, I spent a bit of time in bars. The Hotel & Restaurant Workers Union didn't have a shop steward. They had a bagman, and no kidding, his name was Tony.