Springfield, Illinois, is a small city but it is Illinois’ state capitol and has the history to go with it. Among its varied historic sites you will find a Lincoln mecca. If you stop through, don’t just stop by the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (though definitely stop there–it’s great). The hidden gem of a… Read More 5 Reasons to Visit the Lincoln Home Historic Site
The Old State Capitol is firmly rooted in Illinois, with its local, eye-catching limestone, but it has watched scenes of national significance unfold. Built in 1839, the Old State Capitol is across the street from President Lincoln’s law office. It is where President Lincoln gave his “House Divided” speech and headquartered his presidential campaign. After… Read More An Illinois Building that Watched History
The Lincoln Tomb, in Springfield, Illinois, had the unique situation for a tomb of being immediately popular. This was not without problem, on an infrastructure level and on a safety level (two robbers attempted, and luckily failed, to steal Lincoln’s body for ransom in 1876). As a result, the site of the Lincoln Tomb is… Read More The Other Buildings at the Lincoln Tomb
Springfield, Illinois, is perhaps best known for its association with President Abraham Lincoln. It is home to Lincoln’s house, office, and tomb. Its historically significant architecture, however, do not stop there. In 1902, just 41 years after Lincoln was elected president and moved from Springfield to Washington, DC, a woman named Susan Lawrence commissioned Frank… Read More Discovering the Dana Thomas House
When it comes to new additions on old buildings, historic preservationists skew into two camps: (1) that the addition should look similar to the historic building, and (2) that the should addition look different. It is a continuum, of course, and many people may find they stand somewhere in the middle. Additions should be compatible… Read More Historic Preservation’s Addition Dilemma
Between his childhood in Kentucky and his years in Springfield, Illinois, the later President Abraham Lincoln lived in the tiny river-front town of New Salem, Illinois. Lincoln first passed through New Salem on a flatboat, en route to New Orleans on the Sangamon River. He moved to New Salem shortly after when, in 1831 and… Read More A President You’ve Heard of in a Town You Probably Haven’t
Painted signs on buildings were the billboards of the nineteenth century. They could be large and numerous. Today, reminders of these signs grace older buildings throughout cities from London to Chicago in the form of “ghost signs“: faded remnants of painted signs that disappear a little more each year. In most cases these signs are… Read More Lincoln’s Law Office: Bringing Ghost Signs Back to Life
Most people don’t go to a natural history museum to see art, particularly if there is a world-class art museum just blocks away. Despite my attachment to the humanities, I come from a family of scientists, and I am an equal-opportunity museum goer. I am always game for a trip to the Field Museum. But… Read More The Art Behind the Science: Artists of the Field Museum
Chicago’s location is no mistake: the meeting of the Chicago River and the western shores of Lake Michigan made it a key location in the Great Lakes. While water transportation is not as key as it used to be, Chicago’s many waterfronts are some of the best places in Chicago to spend time and they… Read More Chicago From the Water
Chicago and the surrounding neighborhoods know how to decorate, and the snow arrived just in time for Christmas. To celebrate the holiday, I’ve rounded up some views of Chicago’s neighborhoods dressed for the season. Make sure to check back on Sunday for my Best of 2017–just in time to herald in the new year!… Read More Happy Holidays
Susie Trexler 