Travelogue: Lincoln's Springfield

2 States
3 Days
734 Miles
14 Hours & 21 minutes driving time

7 Restaurants
3 Bakeries
1 Ice Cream Shop

This weekend was the fourth time in Illinois’ capital and third time touring the fascinating sites linked to our first Republican president. Before diving into Springfield let’s review, chronologically, other Abraham Lincoln sites visited elsewhere:

Abraham Lincoln was born in a cabin on this spot in Hodgenville, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. (Visited May 2013)

For decades it was thought this was the cabin, but now it remains as a memorial and indicative of the type of cabin he would have been born in.

20 miles NE of Hodgenville the Lincolns lived at Knob Creek from 1811 to 1815.

In 1933 the foundation of Abraham Lincoln’s family’s 1816 homestead was found south of Lincoln City, Indiana. (Visited September 2011)

His father Thomas Lincoln lived in this log cabin near Lerna, Illinois from about 1840 to his death in 1851. (Visited August 2005)

Now on to the latest trip.

Saturday, November 19th, 2016

Metamora was on the court circuit Mr. Lincoln rode.

But I was really here to have breakfast at Didley’s Place north of town surrounded by soybean fields.

Eureka is centrally located, just east of Peoria.

Ronald Reagan attended Eureka Collage from 1928 to 1932.

It was only my fourth time to visit the alma mater of the Greatest President.

Picture a rural college campus with red brick buildings covered in ivy and you have Eureka.

He played football, was class president, acted, swam and graduated with a degree in sociology and economics. Sadly, since it was Thanksgiving break, the Ronald Reagan Museum was closed. It's in that building in the background.

Here is a picture of part of that museum from a past trip.

Tis the season for Pumpkin Ice Cream!

Just NW of Springfield is Lincoln's New Salem State Park. He lived in New Salem from 1831 to 1837.

They have small and well put together museum.

Home to about a couple dozen families, New Salem was a small frontier town on a bluff above the Sangamon River. Most of the current 23 structures have interiors furnished to give great insight into life of the mid-1800s.

With only a few months of formal education, Abraham Lincoln was famously self-taught, always thirsty to read. This wonderful habit continued in this community as he taught himself law.

He was co-owner of two stores (first one pictured below), had his first love and did anything to make a buck

There is only one original building at this fantastic site. Everything else is well researched to give an accurate representation of the town.

The site has been open as a living history museum since 1921. Just imagine all the families who have gotten to get a glimpse into President Lincoln's early life.

After becoming a self-educated lawyer, Abraham Lincoln arrived in Springfield with all his belongings in two saddlebags in 1837.

He was one of nine lawmakers to vote to move the capital from Vendalia to Sringfield in that same year.

Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices operated from 1843 to 1852.

Since it is closed for renovation, here is a picture of an almost 28 year old from 18 years ago to the week.

The Old State Capitol was built from 1837 to 1840 and was in use for 3 decades until the current capitol was built.

Back in 1998 I was fascinated to learn of the 1960s reconstruction of this building- they labeled every brick and part, tore it down, moved everything to a field, build an underground parking structure and rebuilt it.

It was in the House of Representatives that Abraham Lincoln served (1834-1842), delivered his famous House Divided Speech and laid in rest before burial.

The Chili Parlor has been making its namesake dish since 1945.

The soupiness threw me, expecting a thicker chili, but it was fantastic. Thinking, "I'm going to have to run for 3 hours tomorrow."

Abraham and Mary Todd were married on November 4th, 1842. The bought this small house and later expanded it with four children. Tragically, one of those children died in the house and later a second at the White House.

The 4 surrounding blocks are a historic district preserved as it would have looked in the mid 1800s.

Touring the house is very special imagining walking in his footsteps.

The front and back parlors of that era were always used for guests. The chairs are original.

In the living room the sewing table and mirror are original.

Yikes! Look at that wallpaper. All 6’ 4” did fit in that bed.

His desk.

First Presbyterian Church, where they still have the Lincoln family pew.

On February 11th, 1861 the Lincolns left Springfield from this Depot.

His departure is one of the greatest speeches of the ages:

"My friends, no one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell."

On the NW city limits is Oak Ridge Cemetery and the second tomb, completed in 1871.

It is good luck to rub the nose of Borglum’s (of Mount Rushmore fame) sculpture.

The interior has a rotunda and four hallways of marble.

He lies behind and 10 feet underneath this 7 ton marble stone. "Now he belongs to the ages" is what Secretary of War Edwin Stanton cried out in anguish in that bedroom at the Peterson house on April 15th, 1865.

Repeating the traditional picture in front of the capitol.

It's 4.7 on Yelp and 4.9 on Google led me to Happy Sushi in a non-descript part of Springfield in this non-descript strip mall.

Walking in the ambiance doesn’t change.

Caterpillar

Chriashi

Sunday, November 20th, 2016

Housed in a Quonset Hut, Charlie Parker’s Diner is a popular breakfast spot.

Basked inside seeing the families start their day.

The Horseshoe is a Springfield staple.

The Breakfast Shoe- toast topped with eggs, choice of meat (ham for me), gravy, cheese sauce and hash browns. Thinking, "I'm going to have to run for 3 hours tomorrow."

Yeah, not going to pass this up. Thinking, "I'm going to have to run for 3 hours tomorrow."

First attended the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library...

...with Dad in 2005, the year it opened.

Having visited 8 presidential libraries this one isn’t the biggest or most elaborate, but it is still very well done. Educational, insightful, patriotic and engaging.

This blurry picture is one of three existing stovepipe hats. The other two were purchased in Washington, this one in 1850 right here in Springfield. It has the finger and thumb marks from tiling while passing ladies. It was so cool to see!

Back in middle school I memorized the Gettysburg Address for fun. It was emotional to read along with one of 5 copies in his own hand.

Two galleries trace the life of our 16th President.

As a boy he would read by the fire in the log cabin. Later, working the rivers brought him to see the horrors of slavery.

The realistic displays continue depicting him working his store in New Salem and later courting Mary Todd in Springfield.

The kids were known to be rambunctious in his law office. He lost the 1858 race, but the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates gave him the national prominence to win the Presidency 2 years later.

Moving to the second gallery of the White House years it begins with a exhibit showcasing the extreme bias of the media. Things don’t change...

At the end of an otherwise normal cabinet meeting on July 22nd, 1862, the President presented his idea of an Emancipation Proclamation. Feedback, um, was not overall positive.

Contrary to popular belief, this pivotal document did not free the slaves. A master politician, President Lincoln knew he had to take it in steps for acceptance. It freed slaves in the Confederate states and since they had seceded in their eyes it did not apply. However, it gave those in the Union states more purpose for what they were fighting for.

It's astonishing how much he aged in 5 years.

On November 19th, 1863 the President gave an address at a battlefield that had so many casualties (52,000) it was turned into a cemetery. The three-minute speech honored the sacrifice of those dead while correlating the struggle with the founding of the country and setting the stage for the Emancipation Proclamation.

Just 3 weeks after the Civil War ended the Lincolns attended Fords Theatre.

Frank Lloyd Wright built the Dana-Thomas house in 1902.

Following his Prairie Style it has horizontal lines, deep overhangs, furniture of his design, brings the outside in and uses sizing to manipulate perceptions.

It is 13,600 square feet and has 16 levels.

DJ’s Café has been a Springfield staple since 1974.

Loved it upon stepping inside.

Corned Beef Hash and Fried Mush. Thinking, "I'm going to have to run for 3 hours tomorrow."

Odell

Monday, November 21st, 2016

My 27th time in Chicago this year. The greatest-city-in-the-world.

And the 83rd Chicago Architectural Foundation tour taken over many years was Field’s on State. A store I have shopped and admired dozens of times. The current tenant, who I refuse to say, is not taking good care of this institution.