National Parks:
Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Springfield, Illinois -- The Lincoln Home, centerpiece of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, has been restored to its 1860s appearance, revealing Lincoln as husband, father, politician, and President-elect. In a four-block historic neighborhood, the National Park Service preserves fourteen houses that date from the Lincoln era, including the Lincoln family home. Through neighborhood preservation and interpretive activities, the National Park Service seeks to recreate a vivid sense of the relationship of the Lincoln family to their neighbors and the broader Springfield community, enriching the experience of visitors at Lincoln Home National Historic Site.

DID YOU KNOW

• Abraham Lincoln came to Springfield in 1837 as a young lawyer. He was one of several state legislators who had led the successful effort to move the state capital from Vandalia to this more central location. It was in Springfield that he met, courted, and married Mary Todd.
• In 1844, soon after the birth of Robert, their first son, the Lincolns purchased the house and lot at the northeast corner of Eighth and Jackson Streets. They purchased the five-year-old house from the Reverend Charles Dresser, the same Episcopal minister who had married the Lincolns a year and a half earlier. Lincoln paid $1,500 for the house-$1,200 in cash and a lot valued at $300. Here Mrs. Lincoln gave birth to three more sons-Edward, William, and Thomas-who brought great joy to the family. The house also saw days of trial, tribulation, and grief. It was also here that Eddie died in 1850.
• When the Lincoln family left Springfield for the White House in 1861, they rented the house to Lucian Tilton, president of the Great Western Railroad. After the death of Abraham Lincoln in 1865, the family-Mary, Robert, and Thomas-continued to own the house. Robert Todd Lincoln, the eldest son, transferred the home to the State of Illinois in 1887. This was the beginning of the Lincoln Home's long history as a public historic site. The State of Illinois continued to administer the Lincoln Home until 1972, when it came under the administration of the National Park Service.

DON'T MISS ATTRACTIONS

• Lincoln Home: The only access to the Lincoln Home is with a free ticket for a specific tour time. Free tickets and site orientation are provided at the Visitor Center Information Desk. School groups, charter tours, or other large groups must reserve Lincoln Home tours in advance by contacting the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau.
• Visitor Center: The free Lincoln Home tour tickets are distributed at the Visitor Center Information Desk. The Visitor Center also offers an orientation film, temporary exhibits, a Museum Shop, information on the Springfieldarea, and restrooms.
• Exhibits are located within the historic Lincoln neighborhood, including "What a Pleasant Home Abe Lincoln Has" in the Dean House which focuses on the Lincoln family's life in Springfield and "If These Walls Could Talk" in the Arnold House which focuses on historic preservation.
• Stroll through the four-block historic area to see some of the houses of the Lincoln neighborhood.
• Other Springfield-area Lincoln Attractions: Contact the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-545-7300 or at www.visit-springfieldillinois.com for more information on the other Lincoln-related attractions in or near Springfield.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PRIORITIES

Lincoln Home National Historic Site is continuing with efforts to restore the Lincoln neighborhood and is in need of resources for several projects including restoration of the Miller and Stuve Houses, reconstruction of the missing Carrigan and Burch Houses near the Lincoln Home, and addressing restoration of the overall neighborhood cultural landscape. Expansion of the interpretive programming is also needed so that Lincoln Home National Historic Site can work effectively with the new Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum complex due to be completed in 2005. Resources will also be needed to prepare for the Bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln in 2009.

Source: National Park Service