Abraham Lincoln's Home

A visit to Springfield, Illinois, the state capitol, isn't complete without a visit to the historic family home of Abraham Lincoln. Free  25-minute tours of the home are run by the National Park Service and are led by a park ranger.
 
Built in 1839 and opened to the public in 1887 the two-story restored home remains a favorite, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors yearly. Tours led by extremely knowledgeable guides focus on the Lincoln family during their 17-year residence in the home located at the corner of Eighth and Jackson Streets in Springfield. Lincoln bought the home for $1,500 and moved his family there in 1843 and they occupied the residence until his move to the White House in February of 1861.

While on the tour you will get to see many of Lincoln's personal artifacts including his trademark tall hat. Furnished rooms included on the tour are the parlor, sitting room, kitchen, guest bedrooms and Lincoln and his wife Mary's bedrooms.

For Lincoln fans and historians as well, a visit to Springfield and the Lincoln home is a memorable experience. The setting as well as the restoration help give a wonderful sense of the time period as well as insight to Lincoln's family life. It is in this home and neighborhood that he began his legal practice and later made his bid for the presidency.

In addition to the Lincoln home, Springfield has many additional tourist sites. The town remains rather quaint but since it is the state capitol it boasts many good restaurants as well as bed and breakfasts. Park Service workers are a great resource and will help you plan other outings while visiting the area.

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