Because Abraham Lincoln spent most of his adult life in Springfield, the town features several Lincoln museums. Perhaps the most famous is the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, consistently ranked as one of the most-visited presidential museums.
Although it’s not associated with the presidential libraries run by the National Archives, this museum still has plenty of information on Lincoln’s life both before and during his presidency, as well as historical records and artifacts. The collection changes from time to time as items are lent out, but the museum usually has the original hand-written Gettysburg Address and Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln’s glasses and shaving mirror, and items belonging to Mary Todd Lincoln. We highly recommend that history buffs stop here when visiting Springfield.
The Lincoln Home is another popular destination for fans of The Great Emancipator. Purchased in 1844, not long after Abraham Lincoln’s marriage to Mary Todd, the Lincolns lived in this two-story house for 17 years, only moving after Abraham was elected president. Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s son, donated the house to the state and meticulously restored it to its 1860 appearance.
Only a few blocks away from the Lincoln Home is the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices building, where Lincoln ran his legal practice. Lincoln continued his legal work during most of his political career and worked in this office from 1843 to 1852, although he was often on the road arguing cases in over a dozen different county courthouses.
Not only did Abraham Lincoln spend much of his life in Springfield, but his final resting place is there as well. The Lincoln Tomb is located in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield and is recognizable by the 117-foot granite obelisk rising from the building itself. Abraham Lincoln is buried there with his wife Mary Todd and three of his sons – Edward, William, and Thomas, each of whom tragically died young.
To learn more, check out our Springfield Self-Guided Walking Tour, or you can sign up for Action+ to gain access to over 100 tours for a single yearly price.
