Paying Respect to Our 16th President! (GART - Stop 23)

When I left the Grand Canyon, I had planned on driving straight home, but then I figured that I might not make it back to the Midwest. On my rather long bucket list of places to see, I had listed Springfield, IL - mostly to see the Lincoln Tomb and the Lincoln Home. Today, I made my slight detour to Springfield in order to pay my respects to one of our best and most admired presidents: Abraham Lincoln. 

History: Abraham Lincoln "presided over the most tumultuous period of America’s history: The American Civil War. He was elected to the presidency in 1861 and served until his assassination in 1865. His dedication to the preservation of the Union led the country through the difficult but transformative years of he Civil War, eventually leading to the eradication of slavery and reconciliation with the South. His place in the nation’s history is that of the Great Unifier as well as the Great Emancipator. Even to this day, elements of his legacy remain controversial, but his importance in the emergence of a modern, unified America is unquestioned. Much like Washington and FDR, Lincoln was revered as a political savior by those who supported him and derided as a tyrant by those who didn’t. He oversaw the beginnings of the industrial economy in America, expanded the role of the federal government and sought ernest reconciliation with those who sought to separate themselves from the Union. On April 15, 1865 Lincoln was assassinated by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth" (Deseret News).

Lincoln Tomb: Lincoln Tomb is the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, and three of their four sons. (Their fourth son, Robert Todd is buried at Arlington Cemetery.) Lincoln Tomb is located in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield. After Lincoln's death, his body was placed in a nearby receiving tomb and later in the state tomb. The mausoleum is owned and administered by the State of Illinois as Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site. It was designated one of the first National Historic Landmarks in 1960, and thus became one of the first sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, when that designation was created. With a 117-foot high obelisk and several sculptures on the exterior, this Tomb is impressive. Inside the tomb are several reproductions of famous sculptures of the President. The burial room features black and white marble walls and a ceiling of gold leaf. At its center stands the cenotaph, a 7-ton block of reddish marble inscribed with Lincoln's name and the years he lived. It marks the approximate location of the burial vault, which is 30 inches behind and 10 feet below. It was a moving site. 

Lincoln Home: Beautifully restored to its 1860 appearance, the Greek Revival house was Abraham and Mary Lincoln's home for 17 years - the only home the Lincolns ever owned. In 1844 they bought it for $1,200 and some land from the Rev. Charles Dresser, who performed their marriage ceremony in 1842. When the house was built, it was much smaller than you see it today (photo). The Lincolns enlarged the house to a full two stories in 1856 to meet the needs of their growing family. Three of the four Lincoln sons were born here, and one (Edward) died here in 1850 at nearly four years of age. When Lincoln won the 1860 Republican Presidential nomination, he received a delegation of party officials in his parlor. When Lincoln became a presidential candidate the house became a magnet for visitors, parades, rallies and other political festivities. After holding farewell receptions there in 1861, the Lincolns rented it, sold most of their furniture, and entrusted the family dog to a neighbor. 

After the President's assassination in 1865, the Lincoln family never lived in the house again. Lincoln's son, Robert Todd Lincoln deeded the family home to the State of Illinois in 1887 for $1 under the condition that it would forever be well-maintained and open to the public at no charge. Interestingly, about 90% of the furnishings in the house were owned and used by the Lincolns. There are only about 14 items of furniture which are replicas. The original 14 pieces had been purchased by the President of a Chicago railroad and he had a house fire which destroyed the Lincoln furniture.

It was an impressive stop in Springfield and I am so thrilled that I could make this stop on my way home. Please check out all my photos from Lincoln Tomb and Home on my GART photo site. Even though I will not actively been traveling for a couple of weeks, this is not my last stop. I plan on perhaps doing a couple of day trips from Philadelphia (perhaps Gettysburg, Valley Forge, other places).

Travel stats:

Grand Canyon odometer mileage: 98,796

Odometer mileage in Springfield: 100,340

Miles driven to Springfield: 1,544

Total miles driven to date: 7,331

States driven through: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois (whew!)