Looking for Lincoln and Frank Lloyd Wright

Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield, Illinois and The Dana Thomas Home (a Frank Lloyd Wright Home)

It took us 3 days (two over night stays) to make it back across the mid west. We had a layover in the small town of Grand Island, NE. Then we stopped in St. Joseph, Missouri for a night before finally arriving for the final stop of our 5.5 week adventure, Springfield, Illinois.  

Springfield, Illinois

Lincoln Home and National Historic Site 

The Lincoln Home and National Historic Site is a unit of the National Park System...that means another stamp in my book! This is the only home that Lincoln ever owned, and Lincoln and his wife, Mary, lived here for 17 years.

Built in 1839, The Lincoln's bought the home in the spring of 1844. They lived here while Lincoln was a lawyer, a Congressman, and when he was elected as President in 1861.  As he departed Springfield, he stood on the train station platform and addressed the crowd, "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 every thing.  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.  With out the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him I cannot succeed.  With the assistance I cannot fail.  Trusting in Him, who can go with me, and remain with you and be every where 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."

Entrance

Front Parlor

Dinning Room

Family Room

Lincoln Bedroom

Lincoln Shaving Mirror

Lincoln's Bed

Kitchen

Lincoln's Neighborhood

Charles Arnold House

Sarah Cook House

Henson Robinson House

George W Shutt House

Jesse K. Dubois House

Ann Miller House

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum 

This is a unique experience since we have never been to a presidential library.  The Abraham Lincoln President Library and Museum offers a history of the President Lincoln's life, from childhood through Presidency.  There is a remake of the 1860's White House and interactive exhibits.  

Surprisingly, planning for the Presidential Library and Museum didn't begin until 1990 and took 11 years to raise the money, hire the architects, and create the design.   The ground breaking ceremony took place on February 12, 2001.  The Museum was dedicated on April 19, 2005 and quickly became the most visited Presidential Library in history.

This is not owned by the National Park Service.  There is a $15 fee/ person for admission.

Lincoln Law Offices 

Old State Capitol State Historic Site

Lincoln was instrumental in moving the State Capitol of Illinois from Vandalia to Springfield.  This building was the 3rd Courthouse to appear on the square, replacing the previous two.  Lincoln tried many cases in this building and gave his famous House Divided speech in 1858.

After President Lincoln was assassinated, he laid in state in Representative Halls before his burial. 

This hat represents Lincoln's favorite seat. 

Interesting piece of History,  President Obama announced his run for President of the United States from the steps of this court house.

Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site 

The Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site is the final resting place of President Lincoln, his wife Mary, and three of his four sons, Edward, William, and Thomas.  Their eldest son, Robert, is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Lincoln's Tomb was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. 

Lincoln was placed in a receiving vault after the funeral on May 4, 1854, and then the tomb went through multiple designs and renovations.  First from 1865-1871, then in 1900-01 and again in 1930-31 due to design flaws.  

President Lincoln's remains now rest in a concrete vault 10 feet below the marble floor after thieves tried to steal his remains in 1876.

 Dana Thomas House a Frank Lloyd Wright Home

This Frank Lloyd Wright Home was designed for Susan Lawrence Dana in 1902.  She asked him to renovate her father's home for her, he kept just 1 room of the original house.  This was the 72nd home Wright designed and one of the largest at 12,000 square feet. 

This home has unique features of the time including three musicians balconies, a player-piano style organ with fake pipes, a bowling alley, indoor plumbing, and a carriage house all within the city of Springfield.  It also sat right next to the railroad tracks.  Dana's father made his money in the railroads and if she was taking a trip or hosting large parties, she would have the train stop at her house, which was not a regular train station. 

Most often Dana hosted dinners for 40 of her closest friends but was known to host parties of up to 1,000 people, and weekly invited children of the local orphanages to her home for story time and ice cream.  

If you are interested in Frank Lloyd Wright homes, here is the link to the Dana Thomas Home.  

https://dana-thomas.org/  We were not allowed to take pictures inside so you can see more of the home here.  

That's a Wrap! 

That is the end of the 5.5 week journey but not the end of our travels.  I like to say this was a "trip" but not "vacation."  We loved everything about this trip, learned a lot, saw amazing things, spent quality time together.  Vacation comes soon when we take the camper to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Now that's a VACATION!  

Check back soon to learn what it takes to put together a 5.5 week travel trip like this.  Thanks for accompanying us on this journey!