Illinois through our lens

Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States, is recognized for his noble vision, statesmanship, humanity, and political skill. He is one of the country's most enduring symbols of democracy. The slogan "Land of Lincoln" certainly describes Illinois well. Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1861.

This year is Abraham Lincoln's 200 year birthday.

“You cannot bring prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage by taking away initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.” (Abraham Lincoln)

Incredible prophetic words spoken 150 years ago.

The current capitol in Springfield, Illinois is in the architectural style of the French Renaissance. Ground was first broken for the new capitol on March 11, 1869, and it was completed twenty years later for a total cost of $4,500,000.

The Illinois capitol is the tallest non-skyscraper capitol, even exceeding the height of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC. There is an adjacent Visitor Center with helpful information, no charge for parking and clean bathrooms.

This is the Governor's reception office.

The Old Capitol Building is located on the old town square; it was associated with Lincoln as early as 1837, when the cornerstone was laid. As a legislator, Lincoln had been instrumental in moving the state capital of Illinois from Vandalia to Springfield earlier that year. The city outgrew the building while Lincoln was President, and work on a new statehouse began soon after his death.

Lincoln spent much time in the building, where he tried cases before the Illinois Supreme Court, borrowed books from the state library, and swapped stories with other lawyers and politicians. He delivered his famous “House Divided speech” in Representatives Hall in 1858 ("I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.") when he began his campaign for the U.S. Senate.

This was also the site of the great Lincoln – Douglas debate. Lincoln lost that race to Stephen A. Douglas, but was nominated for President two years later. As a Presidential candidate, he was a celebrity, and huge crowds of well-wishers and office-seekers poured into town. Lincoln received them in the second-floor Governor's reception room because his law office was too small.

After Lincoln's inauguration in 1861, Stephen Douglas urged a cheering, nonpartisan crowd in Representatives Hall to put aside political differences to save the Union. Four years later, Lincoln's body lay in the same room, as a crowd of 75,000 mourners filed past to pay their last respects. Across the street, a banner over Lincoln's law office read, "He lives in the hearts of his people."

This is a typical election banner used by the politicians in the 1860's. This particular one was made of cloth and painted with Lincoln's likeness and words. Notice Lincoln did not have a beard until he won the election, also he never smiles in his photos.

"Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him, who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust, in the best way, all our present difficulty."
Abraham Lincoln - March 4, 1861 First Inaugural Address

Lincoln's home then (Springfield 1850's)

Lincoln's home now

The Greek revival house was Abraham and Mary Lincoln's home for 17 years. In 1844 they bought it for $1,200 and some land from the Rev. Charles Dresser, who performed their marriage ceremony in 1842. Even though Lincoln lived in several states and cities, this is the only home that he and Mary ever owned, this was supposed to be his retirement home after his presidency, he never made it back.

When Lincoln won the 1860 Republican Presidential nomination, he received a delegation of party officials in his parlor.

Lincoln's sitting room

The building was almost new when Lincoln moved into it in 1843 with his second partner, Stephen T. Logan. They rented offices on the third floor, prime space for the time, just above the federal courtroom. Lincoln and Logan dissolved their partnership the following year, and Lincoln took William Herndon as his junior partner. While Lincoln and Herndon occupied this building, they prepared cases for the federal courts, the Illinois Supreme Court and the state's Eighth Judicial Circuit, which covered most of east-central Illinois. Lincoln rode the circuit for a total of six months during the year, but Herndon usually stayed in Springfield.

Their partnership was not officially dissolved until Lincoln's death in 1865. Just before Lincoln left Springfield to become President he told Herndon, "If I live, I'm coming back some time, and then we'll go right on practicing law as if nothing had ever happened."

The Lincoln Tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, is a State Historic Site.

Lincoln’s casket traveled nearly 1,700 miles in a special railroad car by a circuitous route from Washington, D.C. The 117-foot tall granite tomb contains the bodies of Lincoln, his wife Mary, and three of his four sons -- Edward, William and Thomas (Tad). Oak Ridge is the second most visited cemetery after Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C., as you drive up, you will see towering oak trees against a gently rolling landscape.

In the front of the tomb is a bronze bust of Lincoln, it is the work of Gutzon Borglum, who is most famous for his rendition of Lincoln at Mount Rushmore which Donna and I visited several years ago.

Allen and Donna in front of Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum in Springfield, Illinois.

This was a very modern and one of the most beautiful of all presidential libraries.

This is the type of cabin that Lincoln lived in while growing up. Donna and I visited his actual birthplace in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Two years after he was born, the family moved to a 230-acre farm in Knob Creek, Kentucky which featured a creek running through rich bottomland bordered by steep hills that resembled knobs. In an 1860 letter Lincoln said, "The place on Knob Creek ... I remember very well; but I was not born there .... My earliest recollection, however, is of the Knob Creek place."

This is the Executive Mansion and is currently in use today.

Carefully restored in 1971, the building houses many treasures. When you walk inside, you immediately see the exquisite elliptical stairway which leads to spacious rooms decorated in British Regency style.

Once upstairs you can see portraits of the Lincolns and their friend Edward D. Baker, a bust of Lincoln modeled from life by Thomas D. Jones, bedroom furniture given to the Lincolns, and a spectacular table presented to President Lincoln which contains more than 20,000 pieces of inlaid wood.

This one of the main streets in Springfield, Illinois. Most of the city is within walking distance.

Elijah Isle home is the oldest home in Springfield.

This is one example of the excellent renovation effort of older homes in the city.

While we were there, the Gus Macker basketball tournament was being held.

This one of Frank Lloyd Wright's most elegant homes known as the Dana-Thomas Home. Susan Lawrence Dana (1862-1946), daughter of the mayor of Springfield and an activist for women and African-American rights.

The home was built in 1904 and now stands as the finest example of the creativity and uniqueness characteristic of the Prairie School of Architecture.

Usually the front door of a Frank Lloyd Wright home is hidden from view, obviously we had no trouble finding this one.

We had the opportunity to visit Arthur, Illinois a large settlement of Amish and Mennonite people.

Their style of cooking is with simple herbs and very tasty.

The horse is anxious to get going.

There are no traffic signals here so you have to be careful.

We didn't actually see this. It was on a postcard with the following caption: A tradition being learned by those Amish children. A tragedy such as a barn burning down brings out the whole community to help rebuild. Two weeks after the fire, the barn was rebuilt in half a day.