'Icon of Springfield': New plaque recognizes Horseshoe sandwich
A central Illinois staple and beloved sandwich is being forever memorialized where Texas toast first met buttery cheese-sauce.
Visit Springfield, a tourism division of the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, unveiled a plaque to commemorate the birth of the Horseshoe sandwich at the historic Leland Building at the corner of Sixth Street and Capitol Avenue in Springfield. The location is where the original Springfield Horseshoe Sandwich was created.
Visiting Springfield marketing manager Amy Beadle said the idea for the plaque came from tourists asking if the Leland Hotel was still serving horseshoes.
“I got to thinking; knowing this is the Leland building, and no it’s not a hotel and no you can’t eat there,” Beadle said. “What can we do to promote another experience for people who are interested in the horseshoe—that prompted the idea that we need a marker.”
In partnership with the Illinois Commerce Commission, the agency that currently occupies the historic building, the plaque on the east side of the building states the date the first horseshoe was created and the history behind the cultural dish.
“The building just has so much history and it’s so important to bring people downtown,” Jonathan Feipel, executive director of the Illinois Commerce Commission, said. “This is great to be able to support the local restaurants.”
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What is a Horseshoe?
The classic Horseshoe, an open-faced sandwich unique to central Illinois, is a holy pairing of Texas toast layered with seasoned meat, French fries and cheese sauce.
Almost every diner has a variation of the sandwich: from beef patties to pulled pork and fried chicken; just about anything can go into the sandwich as long as it’s topped by carbs and sauce.
The reason sauce or meat isn’t defined is because different restaurants, like Scoop Du Jour at 95 Plummer Blvd. in Chatham, have taken their own spin on the ‘shoe creating an ice-cream variation with chocolate sauce.
What is the history of the Horseshoe?
The Signature Horseshoe Sandwich was created in 1928 at the Old Leland Hotel by Joe Schweska. The idea came about with the help of Elizabeth, Schweska's wife, after he came home saying he was in need of a new lunch item for the Leland Hotel Restaurant, according to Visit Springfield.
The name "horseshoe" was derived from the shape of the cut of ham used in the original sandwich. The French fries represent the nails of the shoe, and the sizzle platter represents the hot anvil.
“It’s really special to see this tribute to my grandparents creating the recipe,” Jan Militello, the granddaughter of Schweska said surrounded by cousins and other family of the culinarian. “It’s amazing to see how it has become such an icon of Springfield.”
How does Springfield celebrate the Horseshoe in other ways?
The gold and onyx plaque joins Springfield’s other recent dive into the world of culinary tourism, the Horseshoe Trail.
The trail, which launched in January of this year is a scavenger hunt for deep fried cheesy sandwiches available to anyone with a phone; using an app Springfieldians can download a "travel pass," much like a punch card.
Since the tourism event launch, around 1,300 passes have been distributed for people from 20 states.
“We’ve had close to 1,000 check-ins at the area restaurants that are participating,” Beadle said.
The pass lasts until Dec. 31, 2025, so tourists and locals have limited time to finish the over two-dozen circuit of participating restaurants.
Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for the State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Plaque commemorating Horseshoe sandwich unveiled in downtown Springfield