Springfield, IL

The past year and half has been a challenge for Odie and I both, but I have seen more of America during this time than I would have seen in my lifetime were he not traveling for work. We are on the road coming back from Iowa today. As we came through Springfield, we decided to get off of the highway and find a place to eat. We ended up in the old part of Springfield. It was awesome, and we ended up spending several hours there.

We went through the house that Lincoln lived in when he accepted the Presidential Nomination. After he was assassinated, Mary and the boys never went back there to live. The oldest son, Robert, was the only son to make it to adulthood. He gave the house to the state of Illinois with the provision that people be able to view it at no charge. When the Lincoln's moved to Washington, they sold off most of their furniture. A large number of the pieces have been found and either purchased or donated for the house. The most amazing thing, though, is that most of the street has been restored to the way the street looked in 1860-1861. (THE ENTIRE STREET-ALL OF THE HOMES). It was the most awesome step back into history that I have ever seen. We toured the home that Lincoln lived in and walked the neighborhood that he walked almost 150 years ago. Almost all of the neighborhood homes have been restored to the way they were in 1860. Some had to be moved back in from other places that they had been moved to. Several of the homes had been condemned but have been restored as they were in the 1860s. There are a couple of vacant lots where the houses were destroyed and could not be restored.

We left there and went further downtown. There were so many beautiful old buildings to see. We went through the old capitol. The room where the Representatives met was in tact, and Lincoln's hat was at the seat that he would have sat in. The staircase was amazing, the wood shining, the doors 3" thick and probably 14' tall. All the rooms were authentic to that period of time. The auditor, senate, receipts, representatives, committee, and party room were all furnished with period furniture. Odie and I joked that the auditor was probably turning over in his grave with everything that has gone on within the Illinois government in the past few years.

We ate a wonderful lunch at a Bennigan's Pub and are heading toward the Missouri border. We only touched the tip of history emanating out this town. This would be a wonderful vacation to take if you are interested in Lincoln or the Civil War era. Unlike another ride in the St. Louis Arch, I could definitely spend a few days immersing myself into the history of Springfield.

LATER