Lincoln Home National Historic Site-Springfield, IL

Yikes! It has taken me far too long to getting around to finishing up our trip in June. Brace yourself because here comes a landslide of MN trip posts. 

To continue where we left off, we will begin back in Springfield, IL. As you might recall one of the purposes along the way was to learn about Abraham Lincoln. We were excited to head over to the Lincoln Home National Historic Site right in the heart of Springfield.   

First thing we do at any National Park or Historic Site is go pick up our Junior Ranger Booklets. They are very educational and a lot of fun for kids to use as they explore each new place in the National Park system. Here is a list of most of the places that have the Junior Ranger program in the National Park System.

As we waited for our free tour of the Lincoln Home the kids busied themselves with the task of finishing their Junior Ranger Books. They get really into it. Here is a copy of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site Junior Ranger booklet.

Taking a tour of Lincoln's home in Springfield, IL is an absolute must. 

Here is the formal parlor with the original chairs and couch. Love the black upholstery! It was used only for formal events so it held the best furniture, wall paper and decorative items. Mary Todd did not allow her four boys to play in this room. Abraham Lincoln first heard of his nomination for President in this formal parlor back in 1860. There is a folding wall that could divide the room into two when there weren't large gatherings. Lincoln used the back portion as his study and was often found lying upon the couch reading. Before the Lincoln family remodeled their home they used the back room as their master bedroom. Three of their sons were born here: Edward, William and Tad. Sketches of the Lincoln home enabled them to restore this room along with others in the house back to their original glory. 

Here is the family room where the Lincoln's gathered after their dinner. The children could play in this room while Abraham would often be found reading and Mary would be reading or sewing. I love the colors she chose.

Used the flash so you could see how vibrant they are.

On the Lincoln Home tour you get to use the original banister. My kids were thrilled to touch something that his hands had once touched.

Here is the bedroom of Robert Todd Lincoln, the eldest Lincoln son. It was turned into a guest room after he went away to school in 1853.

Here is Abraham Lincoln's bedroom. My photo does not do this gorgeous bed justice. It is so large I found it difficult to get inside the frame while in the small space we had to stand in. The desk below is his original lap desk.

Lincoln regularly shaved and often made fun of his appearance. In response to Stephen Douglas' accusation that he was two faced Lincoln quipped the following: "If I had another face do you think I'd wear this one?" He received a darling letter from a precocious eleven year old, Grace Bedell, on Oct. 15, 1860. Grace wrote that she had "4 brothers and part of them will vote for you anyway and if you let your whiskers grow I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you. You would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President." He responded back to the "dear little miss" on Oct. 19, 1860 with the following. "As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affectation if I were to begin it now?" After he won the election in November 1860, Lincoln changed his mind and did indeed grow his iconic beard.

Here is Mary Todd Lincoln's bedroom. I found it be quite charming. They matched the colors with a sample they discovered when restoring the home. I love the blue in it. 

Here is the Willy and Tad's bedroom. Nothing in it is original to the family.

Here is the Hired Girl's bedroom. She was around 14 or 15 years old. She was paid around $1.50 a week plus room and board.

Here is the kitchen which was one of Mary Todd's favorite places in the home. She loved to cook and continued to cook family meals in the White House.

At the back of the house of the outhouse. The little ones thought it was really cool. There are three spots to sit on depending on the size of your hoop skirt. They decided that our modern bathrooms are much better.

We ran out of time to see them all, but there are lots of buildings to wander inside at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. It's lovely here.

Inside this stunning Victorian is a visitor center with lots of information on the Lincoln family's life in Springfield, IL.

Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd on Nov. 4, 1842 in Springfield. There were ten years difference in age when they wed. He was a bachelor of 33 years of age and she was 23 years of age. Abraham and Mary were married for 22 years. Abraham Lincoln was murdered in the Ford's Theater on Apr. 15, 1865. Mary Todd died on July 16, 1883 at the age of 63, having outlived her husband and three of her four sons. 

Robert Todd Lincoln was the eldest son and the last surviving member of the Lincoln family. He is notorious for having his sweet mother committed to Bellevue Place, an asylum for the mentally ill. He married Mary Eunice Harlan in 1868 and had three children: Mary "Mamie" Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln II and Jessie Harlan Lincoln.

Edward Baker Lincoln was the second son of the Lincolns. His nickname was Eddie and little is known about him. Sadly, he died on Feb. 1, 1850 at the age of 3 in Springfield, IL. Shortly after his death, his mother and father wrote the poem entitled "Little Eddie."

William Wallace Lincoln was the third Lincoln son and born ten months after little Eddie's death. He was a very active child and was prone to mischief.  Willie and his younger brother Tad were known as "notorious hellions." There are stories of them visiting their father's law office and make a complete mess while Lincoln seemed to pay no mind and getting into trouble in the White House too. Tragically Willie died in the White House on Feb. 20, 1862 at the age of 11 from typhoid fever. This second loss of a child devastated the Lincolns. Mary Todd lost some of her sensibilities and Abraham Lincoln spent every Tuesday in heavy mourning.

Thomas Lincoln was the fourth and youngest Lincoln son. He was lovingly nicknamed Tad by his father because when he was a baby he was "as wriggly as a tadpole." He was a wild child and permitted free reign of the White House by his father. After Willie's death his parents became even more lenient which contributed to his wild ways like charging visitors to see his father or running a much on the White House lawn and his lack of attending school. Tad was often by his father's side even during important meetings. Here are some great stories of the mischief he was always up to. He was deeply effected by the death of his father in 1865. Sadly, Tad died only six years later on July 15, 1871 at the age of 18 in Chicago. 

The kids got a chance to try their hands at Victorian era children's games. The first one was for smaller children to help them learn how to milk a cow and the second one was called graces. Graces is a difficult game where you have to use two sticks to toss a ring to another person who then catches it with their sticks.

We had a wonderful time at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site learning about Abraham Lincoln, his family and their life in Springfield, IL. The kids were happy that they earned their badges.