SPRINGFIELD, Illinois — Springfield is a city steeped in American history, but the one man who looms large over the city is the country’s 16th president.
The city is best known for being the home of Abraham Lincoln, making it the perfect place for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the ideal place to start any exploration of Lincoln’s legacy.
The museum uses interactive exhibits and immersive displays to bring his story to life, from his early years to his presidency and tragic assassination. Its exhibits and artifacts include Lincoln’s famous stovepipe hat and the bed he died in at the Petersen House.
The Lincoln family home is another key attraction, with tours taking visitors through the house where the president lived with his family before he moved to the White House.
The Lincoln Home National Historic Site is a preserved and restored version of the home where Lincoln lived with his family for 17 years, from 1844 to 1861, before his presidency.
Visitors can tour the home to see the actual rooms and furniture used by Lincoln and his family. The surrounding neighborhood has well-preserved homes from the same time.
The Old State Capitol State Historic Site is an impressive building located in Springfield, Illinois. The Greek Revival style building was built between 1837 and 1840 and served as the Illinois state house from 1840 until 1876.
Abraham Lincoln announced his candidacy for public office at this historic site in 1858. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1961.
Visitors can also pay their respects to the president at Oak Ridge Cemetery. In 1874, sculptor Larkin Mead completed a stunning monument. Construction started in 1869, four years after Lincoln’s assassination, and was completed in 1874.
Within its walls is the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, his wife, Mary, and three of their four sons. Lincoln’s oldest son, Robert, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
In 1876, two Chicago criminals attempted to kidnap and ransom Lincoln’s body; however, authorities foiled their plot. In 1901, the casket was moved for the last time and placed in a concrete vault ten feet below the floor following restoration from 1899-1901.
Visitors often stop at the entrance to the Tomb to rub the nose of the bronze bust of Lincoln, which is said to bring good luck.
Springfield is also a great place to start or end your journey along the historic Route 66, with plenty of attractions and landmarks. The best way to experience the “Mother Road” is at the Cozy Dog Drive In, a family-owned eatery and home of the Cozy Dog, a corn dog on a stick.
The first Cozy Dog House opened on June 16, 1946. A second Cozy Dog House later opened.
The Cozy Dog Drive In opened in 1949 on “Route 66.” In 1996, the iconic eatery moved to its current location, the site of the former Abe Lincoln Motel.