Land of Lincoln

Part of our vacation took us to Springfield, IL to visit the land of President Abraham Lincoln.  I was very excited about this part of our road trip.  I am a big fan of Lincoln and that era of our country's history.  

Our first stop was the Abraham Lincoln Presidential museum.  Here, there were a lot of artifacts relating to his presidency and his family life.  It is a large place and you could easily spend a day there just looking around and soaking in history.

The museum had a great layout.  It centered around a huge rotunda with the Lincoln Family as wax sculptures.  In the background you see the front of the White House.  To the left is a replica of the log cabin that Lincoln grew up in.  To the right was another opening.  Inside each was a treasure trove of information about our 16th president.

Unfortunately, photography was not allowed inside, so there are not a lot of pictures of this museum.

Our next stop took us to President Lincoln's home.  This is the only home that he owned; right before he left for the White House.  The house is run by the National Park Service and is free to tour.  You just need to pick up a ticket from the visitor's center to join a tour.  Free is a pretty good price.  This is truly a fantastic experience.  Here, you have the opportunity to walk around where one of the greatest men in history lived and worked.  You are encouraged to hold the hand rail as you walk upstairs.  You truly have the opportunity to hold history in your hand.

To the left is President Lincoln's house as it looked when he left it in 1860.  To the right is Lincoln's sitting room where he accepted the Republican party's nomination.

Just down the street from the Lincoln museum, you find the law office where President Lincoln worked and the old courthouse where he argued many law cases.  Mr. Lincoln also delivered his famous "A House Divided" speech.

Our last stop took us to Oak Ridge Cemetery where along with many Civil War veterans is buried President Abraham Lincoln.  Unfortunately, the tours inside the tomb ended before we arrived, so we did not get to go in to see  his final resting place.  However, the outside is very ornate and very well done.  This is another place that is well worth the visit.

Our visit to the Land of Lincoln was very moving and a beautiful experience.  Of all the places I have been to visit, I recommend this above all others.  I have always been a huge fan of history and this ranks among some of our country's greatest history.

Until next time...