The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum did not open any time soon after Lincoln’s death. Instead, this library and museum opened in 2005 and while everyone loves the exhibits of Lincoln’s life, many people spend the majority of their time in the Treasures Gallery. The Treasures Gallery is a rotating exhibit of precious artifacts that were Lincoln’s.
Abraham Lincoln only owned one home and he lived there with his wife, Mary, for seventeen years. People have been able to tour this home since 1887 and they learn about the life of Lincoln as a lawyer, politician, and finally President of the United States. Anyone who goes on a tour of the house will find themselves seeing the formal parlor, sitting room, dining room, guest room, Abraham Lincoln’s bedroom, Mary Lincoln’s bedroom, child’s room, help’s room, kitchen, the backyard, and outbuildings.
Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Dana-Thomas House for socialite Susan Lawrence Dana. This house is where people can see the largest collection of original Wright art glass and furniture. Inside the 12,000 square feet of the house, there are thirty-five rooms amongst the sixteen levels.
Lincoln’s Tomb has a base of seventy-two square feet and the one-hundred-seventeen-foot-tall obelisk is above the terrace. Abraham Lincoln is buried at the tomb along with his wife, Mary, and three of his sons, Edward, William, and Thomas. Abraham Lincoln’s remains are in a concrete vault ten feet below the marble floor, while his wife and three sons are buried in crypts in the chamber’s South wall. Everyone who visits Lincoln’s Tomb will rub the nose on the bronze statue of Lincoln for good luck. There are three war memorials near the Lincoln Tomb. These war memorials include the World War II Illinois Veteran’s Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The Old State Capitol was built in 1839 when the state decided to move the capital of the state to Springfield. Abraham Lincoln spent a lot of time inside the Old State Capitol, first as a state lawmaker, then as a lawyer, and finally as his body was laid in rest after his assassination and before his burial. The Old State Capitol is still used for ceremonial events and people can tour it on their own or with a guide.
