Land of Lincoln

Of all the places that I wanted to revisit on this trip, Springfield Il. was tops on the list. The last time that we were here we breezed through and I wanted to take the opportunity to explore it all again. There were a couple of disappointments though. The BEST museum that I visited 9 years ago was Bill Shea's Rte 66 Garage and Museum. Bill Shea was an older gentleman and a veteran of WWII and one of the displays in the museum were the boots that he wore on D-Day on the beaches of Normandy. Unfortunately, Bill passed away and the garage was sold so it is no more. The other was Abraham Lincoln's office. That is closed for renovations and so was off the list.

What we did get to do is visit the Lincoln Museum in Springfield. Now I am a big Civil War Buff and a fan of Abe Lincoln so I just love this stuff. Cherif I think, humors me some....LOL
Anyway, the museum takes up the better part of a city block and is broken up into Lincoln's early years, his time in Springfield and of course his time as President and The Civil War. Even tough most of it was familiar to me, I still spent a lot of time looking at all of the exhibits and displays. It is quite a tribute to one of our greatest Presidents and a very difficult time for our nation.

Abe and Mary a'courting

At The White House

Abe taught himself to read and write when his family lived in a log cabin in Kentucky

At one time Abe was a partner in a general store-it failed!

Me and the Lincolns

Abe ponders The Emancipation Proclamation

John Wilkes Booth skulking at Ford's Theatre moments before the assassination

Of course the depiction of slavery is an important part of the history of Lincoln

Lincoln meets with his cabinet

Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debate in the Presidential campaign.

After the museum, we walked a few blocks to see the Lincoln home. Lincoln lived in this house for 17 years before being elected to The Presidency. Springfield has done a great job of preserving not only his home but a whole block as it was in the 1850's. It is authentic down to the boardwalk sidewalks and unpaved road. You almost feel as if you have gone back in time.

The Lincoln home in Springfield

Missed getting to see the law office

There are plenty of statues of Lincoln in Springfield

The Old Statehouse where Lincoln served his first public office

My last Lincoln visit was to his burial site in Oakwood Cemetery. It is most impressive.

It is said that if you rub Abe's nose you will have luck. It is well rubbed.

Lincoln and Mary and all but one of their boys are buried here. Robert is buried in Arlington.

My last stop today was the combat air Museum at The Springfield Airport. This little museum houses aircraft and artifacts from the Korean War and WWII

 

Tomorrow I will head east for Dayton and a visit to The National Air Force Museum.  I will be alone for the rest of my trip as Cherif headed north for home in Michigan. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate there annual trips with him. He is a delightful companion and a good friend.