Springfield
Less than 50 miles away via 55 from the quaint small town of Litchfield Illinois is the much larger and well-known city of Springfield. Capital city of the state of Illinois, residents and visitors of Litchfield can enjoy a relaxing small town atmosphere with the convenience of being less than an hour from the largest metro area in the state. Home to over 211,000 residents within the metro area, it Springfield is known for its past history and its culture.
First settled as Calhoun by Europeans in the early 1800’s, it was originally home to mostly trappers and traders who made their way here along the Sangamon River. Later named after Springfield Massachusetts which was, at the time, a thriving city center, Springfield Illinois sought to emulate its namesake and continued to grow becoming the state capital.
While Springfield has a rich history filled with stories of the first settlers and other aspects of life in the area, by far the history for which Springfield is most noted is as the home to President Abraham Lincoln. Born in 1809, Abraham Lincoln lived in Springfield from 1837 to 1861 until he became President and moved to the White House. Springfield is home to a number of historic sites and attractions today which tell the story of Abraham Lincoln, his life, his family and even his time in Springfield ranging from a library to museums to mansions and historic sites as well as his tomb and his original law office where he practiced law for 9 years while he lived in Springfield.
One of the most well known and popular of all the Lincoln related sites in Springfield today is the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. Run by the National Park Service, this historic site is the location of the only home that Lincoln himself ever owned. The site also includes the entire neighborhood and offers visitors tours of the sites and offers information about Lincoln, his life and what was going on at this point in history. You can learn more about this popular historic site by visitng the National Park website here.
Bill Bailey Litchfield Illinois
Bill Bailey Litchfield Illinois enjoys offering travelers tips and news on travel to popular and even lesser known destinations around the world including right here in the U.S.
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