The Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois, may be expanded to include a replica of future President Abraham Lincoln’s 1844 cottage and the nearby Elijah Iles House, named for one of the city’s early settlers.
U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth introduced legislation last week to expand the boundaries of the site, which is run by the National Park Service.
Reported the Springfield State Journal-Register:
“Abraham Lincoln is a central figure in Springfield’s rich history,” Durbin said. “We should preserve the Lincoln Home National Historic site to ensure that future generations can learn about his presidential legacy. With this legislation, Illinoisans and tourists can appreciate our state’s history while visiting the Elijah Iles House and the replica Lincoln cottage.”
The Abraham Lincoln Association has secured $400,000 for the construction of the cottage and the purchase of land at 617 S. Eighth St., the site of a former parking lot.
Abraham Lincoln and his family lived in the home at Eighth and Jackson from 1844 to 1861, when they left for Washington, D.C. Lincoln was elected president in 1860.
In 1856, the Lincolns expanded the original six-room cottage into the 12-room home that is the centerpiece of the historic site. The replica cottage would show visitors what the Lincoln family’s life was like for the first 12 years in Springfield.
More about the original Lincoln cottage home:
The original cottage was built in 1839 for the Rev. Charles Dresser, an Episcopalian minister who three years later would officiate at the Lincolns’ wedding ceremony. After the Lincolns moved in, a bedroom and pantry were added to the back in 1846, and more remodeling was done before the major overhaul in 1856.
Meanwhile, the Iles House at 628 S. Seventh St. was built in 1837 and is one of the oldest structures in the city. The house has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977 and is open for tours.
Iles was a captain in the Black Hawk War of 1831. His company included Lincoln, who became an officer.
I’m old enough to remember when the Lincoln Home stood out from the rest of the neighborhood. After the National Park Service took over the site, the area has been gradually transformed into what Springfield would have looked like in the mid-1800s.
The Lincoln Home National Historic Site sits just a block west of the Ninth Street alignment of Route 66. Several other Lincoln sites in Springfield are on or a short distance from the Mother Road.
(Image of Abraham Lincoln’s home in Springfield, Illinois, by Randy von Liski via Flickr)
As an Illinois and Springfield native, I think this is a great plan.
“I’m old enough to remember when the Lincoln Home stood out from the rest of the neighborhood. After the National Park Service took over the site, the area has been gradually transformed into what Springfield would have looked like in the mid-1800s.”
I remember this as well Ron. I remember the first time I saw the restored “neigborhood”….it’s a great feeling to tour the neighborhood, and the home. Same with Grant’s office in the old state capital, etc.