Lincoln Land

We've just spent two wonderful days in Springfield, IL. It's not our first trip here. Just the first since the Lincoln Museum and Library have opened. We're glad we made this impromptu decision.

We're staying in a wonderful RV park about 1 1/2 miles south of Springfield. (Double J RV Park for those of our friends who are campers.) It's a first class facility, well run, and a pleasure to stay in. We're in the midst of a real heat wave - 95 degrees...and it's NOT a dry heat. We have taken every advantage of the swimming pool here.

We found this lovely covered bridge in a county park right near the RV park. All the homes in the surrounding area would qualify as "upscale." Lake Springfield is right here with beautiful lake homes all around it. A young deer wandered through the park as we were taking photos. Just beautifully tranquil.

Right in the middle of downtown Springfield is the Lincoln historical area. The old train station is now the Visitors Center. The new museum (4 years new) and library are right across the street, and the old Court House is a 5 minute walk away.

The museum is built around a circular core with galleries and theatres all the way around. Look who we ran into right in front of the White House!

Most of the exhibits are done with these wax figures and you can always get right up close to them. I couldn't take photos in the galleries or theatres. It's all very state of the art and it would be impossible not to learn about Lincoln's presidency and what he faced and the decisions he made. We were both impressed that all sides were presented.

The Emancipation Proclaimation was a very clever political document....it didn't even come close to ending slavery, but it started the ball rolling. When I was a docent at the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, I made it a goal to teach children that the Civil War wasn't about ending slavery, but about preserving the Union. And I always spoke about the cost of that war in terms of human life. This museum has an exhibit showing the progression of the war. It lasts just 5 minutes - with a ticker showing the number of lives lost on both sides. I always think what a debacle this war was...and all about preserving the status quo. You may not agree with me. It's just my take on it.

Ed, being the historian he is, was very interested in what General Grant had to say as General McCellan listened too. They were standing on the front porch of the White House. John Wilkes Booth is just to the left outside the gate. On the the other side are Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglas.

Lincoln's early life is covered in the log cabin. There sits young Lincoln and old Ed. It takes us right up to his election as president.

There are two multimedia theatres. "Through Lincoln's Eyes" and "Ghosts of the Past." Both presentations are wonderful, but the ghosts are amazing. Technology is a good thing...

This is where the Lincolns lived. It's all decked out for Abe's return after winning the presidential election. The National Park Service has purchased all the homes on the street and uses them as offices and historical sites. The neighborhood looks as it did when the Lincoln's lived there.

Just 1/4 mile away is the Lincoln/Herndon Law Office and across the street from the office is the old Court House.

This building is preserved and restored to look exactly as it did when Lincoln worked in Springfield. The offices are on the first floor and the Senate and House are on the second floor. Lots of volunteers give tours and when you walk in the door you are given a copy of the last check written to Lincoln for 3 months work - $292.

This is my favorite room. It's the House of Representatives where Lincoln made one of his most famous speeches in which he said, "A house divided against itself cannot survive."

Our last stop today was the burial site in the local cemetary. It's a large towering building that holds Abe, Mary, and 3 of their 4 children. Their son Robert is buried in Arlington National Cemetary.

Lincoln rests under 15 feet of concrete. Grave robbers took the body after his funeral and the nation has protected him since. It's very solemn.

We've had a wonderful time in Springfield - again. We're off to Fort Wayne tomorrow.