Springfield, Illinois

Abraham Lincoln. If I had to sum up our Springfield, Illinois experience with two words, those would be it. This experience may have been intensified by the fact that 2009 is the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth, and the entire city of Springfield went all out to celebrate. Ordinarily when we visit a capitol city we may tour the actual capitol and maybe one other nearby attraction. But Springfield had so many historical sites and Lincoln related exhibits to visit that we extended our stay and allocated three full days to touring. This was a very intense experience, resulting in a sort of Lincoln immersion. Over the course of the three days we visited the following locations:

1. The State Capitols (current and “Old”). The current capitol building was majestic and stately, but devoid of very many artifacts, which were to be found in nearby museums, monuments, and libraries. It was a beautiful building, though, and worthy of our time. The Old Capitol was much smaller, but more historic (Lincoln had his presidential campaign headquarters here, for example) and has been turned into a museum.

2. The Illinois State Museum. The Illinois State Museum promotes discovery, learning, and an appreciation of Illinois’ natural, cultural, and artistic heritage. The Museum’s extensive collections and research activities provide the foundation for exhibitions and public programs that tell the story of the land, life, people, and art of Illinois. (No photography allowed)

3. Abraham Lincoln’s Springfield Home & Neighborhood. Here we were able to walk in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln in the historic neighborhood surrounding his home of seventeen years. Restored to its 1860 appearance, the four-block area contains eleven historic structures dating back to Lincoln's time.

4. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum. This was an awesome experience! The exhibits were top notch, high tech, interactive, and very intense. We spent hours in here and still didn’t see everything. It was telling to (re)learn how turbulent Lincoln’s presidency was, as well as his personal life. The issues he faced and the high emotions of public sentiment around slavery and the Civil War had to be an impossible task. I’m thankful I had the opportunity to experience this museum. (No photography allowed)

5. The Lincoln Tomb. Dedicated in 1874, The Lincoln Tomb is the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary, and three of their four sons, Edward, William, and Thomas. The eldest son, Robert T. Lincoln, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

6. Lincoln’s New Salem. Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site, about 2 miles South of Petersburg and about 20 miles Northwest of Springfield, is a reconstruction of the village where Abraham Lincoln spent his early adulthood. The six years Lincoln spent in New Salem formed a turning point in his career. Although he never owned a home here, Lincoln was engaged in a variety of activities while he was at New Salem. He clerked in a store, split rails, enlisted in the Black Hawk War, served as postmaster and deputy surveyor, failed in business, and was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 1834 and 1836 after an unsuccessful try in 1832.