Category Archives: Presidents

Lincoln Tomb ‘Battle of the Gravesite’

Posted on October 25, 2014 by editor

Today, we take for granted that Lincoln is buried here. But we must remember that the journey from that terrible April day when Lincoln died to the day when he was placed in Oak Ridge’s receiving tomb was a tumultuous … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic Sites, Lincoln Tomb, Presidents, Prominent figures | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum controversies

Posted on May 26, 2014 by editor

Design and construction of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum took years and involved a variety of political squabbles and maneuvering. If politics could have been put aside, the facility would have been completed much sooner. Of course, since … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts and letters, Buildings, Historic Sites, Illinois capital, Lincoln, Abraham, Local government, Museums, Politics, Presidential candidates, Presidents, Prominent figures, State government | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lincoln Tomb reconstruction and rededication, 1930-31

Posted on April 4, 2014 by editor

President Herbert Hoover rededicated the Lincoln Tomb in front of a massive crowd on June 17, 1931. The occasion was the reopening of the tomb following a complete reconstruction, including a new interior. When the memorial was erected in the … Continue reading →

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Trip to Springfield, 1852 (letter)

Posted on November 2, 2013 by editor

Mark Bangs of Lacon, while on a business trip to Springfield in 1852, wrote a letter to his wife Nellie, describing his trip and giving his impressions of the elite American House Hotel, the largest in Illinois at the time. … Continue reading →

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The Globe Tavern, 1886 (photo)

Posted on October 27, 2013 by editor

The newlywed Abraham and Mary Lincoln rented a room in The Globe Tavern, 315 E. Adams St., from November 1842 until the next fall. Their oldest son Robert was born there. The photo above, from 1886, shows only a portion … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Hotels & taverns, Lincoln, Abraham, Presidents | Tagged | 2 Comments

Larkin Mead, Lincoln Tomb designer

Posted on October 15, 2013 by editor

Larkin Mead (1835-1910), who designed the Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site, got his artistic start from a snow angel. Not the kind children make by lying down in snow, but an 8-foot-tall, highly detailed snow statue of the biblical Recording … Continue reading →

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Barack Obama in Springfield

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

President Barack Obama was an Illinois state senator, representing a Chicago district in Springfield, from 1997 to 2004. As a U.S. senator from 2005 to 2009, he also visited Springfield several times. Notably, he was one of the speakers, with … Continue reading →

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U.S. Grant in Springfield

Posted on October 7, 2013 by editor

Ulysses S. Grant’s rise to commander of U.S. forces in the Civil War began at dinner in a now-anonymous Springfield hotel. Because of his earlier military career, Grant had agreed to accompany a company of Union volunteers from Galena to … Continue reading →

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Illinois State Arsenal (1855)

Posted on March 21, 2013 by editor

In 1855, the state of Illinois built an arsenal at 424-26 N. Fifth St., on the east side of Fifth Street between Mason and Carpenter streets. The smallish rectangular brick building, built in the Greek Revival style with a pediment on … Continue reading →

Posted in Military, Presidents, State government | Tagged , | 1 Comment