SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

Springfield is the capital city of Illinois, but is more famous as the home of Abraham Lincoln before he became president. Because of these two features, Springfield is a good city to visit, not only for baseball, but for an interesting history lesson as well.

The Lincoln Home is the highlight of Springfield - it is the only home that Lincoln ever owned and has been meticulously maintained by the National Park Society. A free tour is available, and although it only lasts about 15 minutes, it provides a memorable glimpse into history - you can picture Lincoln living there and writing his campaign speeches on the desk in the bedroom.

Lincoln home from the front

Abraham Lincoln's desk

The neighborhood surrounding the home has also been restored and is now a pedestrian-only area - an interesting museum explaining Lincoln's life is located nearby the home as well. Take a couple of hours to wander around the area and see everything - you should enjoy it.

Once you have seen his house, you can also visit his law offices or his tomb. Springfield is definitely a town where you cannot escape his shadow. Before Lincoln became president, he was a legislator in Illinois, and the State Capitol from his time has been preserved. However, a newer Capitol has also been built, which gives Springfield two domed buildings within a few blocks of each other. It is interesting to tour both and compare them.

Springfield is about 3.5 hours southwest of Chicago and 1.5 hours northeast of St. Louis, which makes it a perfect stop on a NL Central baseball tour. With a number of unique tourist attractions, we heartily recommend that you stop in Springfield, see the sights, and then check out a Caps game.