Abraham Lincoln and Lincoln, Illinois

Our apartment was in the upper floor of this house.

Lincoln Christian Seminary Chapel

Logan County Courthouse

One of my heroes was born 200 years ago and to celebrate his birth and life, my aunt, sister, cousins, and dear friend, Nancy, traveled to Lincoln and Springfield, Illinois, this past weekend to visit the incredible Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and New Salem, an historic, restored village where he once lived and ran a general store. What a great trip - filled with fun and inspiration from beginning to end.

Years ago on Labor Day weekend, Steve and I moved to Lincoln, Illinois, where Steve attended Lincoln Christian Seminary. The town of Lincoln was named after our 16th president. Though he never lived there, he represented some residents there as a lawyer. We only lived there five and a half months, but it was our first home in Illinois and I wanted to see if I could still find our apartment house, my workplace, and see the campus plus the beautiful courthouse in the small town. I was surprised that I found all of these places without having to back track much. The apartment house and college campus looked very nice.

On Saturday we drove 30 miles south to Springfield, the capitol, and toured the museum and the house in which the Lincolns lived for 16 years. As I mentioned earlier, the museum was amazing. It nearly knocked my socks off! If you like history - particularly Abe Lincoln - this must go on your list of places to see. I asked someone working there why this is such a well-kept secret and she informed me the state of Illinois is broke and therefore has no money for advertising. How sad.

Sunday we drove through some gorgeous Illinois farmland to New Salem, the village in which young Abraham lived and worked. It is from this location that he sailed in the flat-bottom boat down the Sagamon River, to the Mississippi River to New Orleans to deliver goods. It was in New Orleans that he first saw slaves being sold on an auction block. The presentation of this in the museum was so well done that I had tears rolling down my cheeks. It's an image I hope to never forget. New Salem was wonderfully created, right down to the volunteer actors who play various rolls in the village.