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Springfield Travel Guide

Springfield
Old State Capitol © Springfield Illinois CVB
The state capital of Illinois, Springfield owes its prominence and position to its most famous citizen, beloved former American president, Abraham Lincoln. The city started out as a little pioneer settlement in 1820, called Calhoun after a South Carolina senator of that name. The senator fell out of favour and in 1832 the town was renamed Springfield, just before a young lawyer, Abraham Lincoln, decided to make the frontier town his home. No sooner had he settled in than Lincoln decided to up the town's status to state capital, a legislative effort that he seemed to accomplish without too much trouble. The civil war brought some economic benefits to the town with new industries opening, and Springfield also became an important link in the state railway system. Today the city has a thriving economy, and a good tourist trade thanks to having been Lincoln's home town. It is also well located midway between Chicago and St Louis on the historic Route 66.




Attractions

Lincoln Library and Museum

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library opened in October 2004, with the Museum opening on 19 April 2005. They are part of a $115 million complex dedicated to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln and form the largest presidential library complex in the... see full details


Lincoln's Home

The pretty two-storey home of Abraham and Mary Lincoln was the only home the lawyer/president ever owned. He and his wife lived in the house between 1844 and 1861 when he was elected President. The home has been restored and stands as it... see full details


Oak Ridge Cemetery

Abraham Lincoln was buried in Springfield's Oak Ridge Cemetery after his assassination in 1865. Today it is the second most visited cemetery in the United States, being the resting place not only of Lincoln but several other notable historic figures as well. Lincoln's tomb... see full details


Old State Capitol

The Capitol building in the Downtown Mall, Springfield, was where Abraham Lincoln tried several hundred cases in the Supreme Court, borrowed books from the state library, and read and swapped stories with other lawyers and politicians in the law library. On May 3 and... see full details


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