Lincoln Home National Historic Site - Illinois

Epic Guide to Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Illinois including things to do, history, how to reach the park, and more. 

Lincoln Home National Historic Site

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Is Lincoln Home National Historic Site worth visiting?

Yes! The site offers a look at Abraham Lincoln's life before he became president. The guided tour of the house is fascinating and there are multiple other houses to visit. 

History of Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Twelve years after the death of his mother, Lincoln’s father, Thomas, moved the family from Indiana to Illinois near present day Decatur. 

Illinois had been a state for only 12 years and was still a frontier wilderness.  After only one year of frontier schooling and mainly educating himself, Lincoln left for Springfield. 

This is where Lincoln began his successful career as a lawyer, met the love of this life, and had four children. 

Lincoln arrived in Springfield in 1837, the year that the city became the state capital.  The town’s population was then 2,500 and was quickly becoming the focal point for law and government in the state, even though it was still surrounded by farms and livestock. 

Two years after Abe arrived in the city, a woman from a prominent Kentucky family named Mary Todd moved to Springfield as well. 

Lincoln met Mary at her sister’s home in Springfield.  The couple married in November of 1842. Before buying their first home together, the Lincolns lived in a boarding house called the Globe Tavern. 

Lincoln had begun his political career serving in the Illinois House of Representatives for eight years.  He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1846. 

It was at this time that Lincoln was considered one of the greatest courtroom attorneys in the state of Illinois. 

Lincoln often had to travel which did not suit Mary well as she missed her husband dearly when he was away. 

In 1844, Lincoln purchased the first and only home he ever owned.  Purchased from Reverend Charles Dresser, the man who married Abe and Mary, the home cost $1,500. 

Located at 413 South Eighth Street on the corner of Jackson, three boys were born to the Lincolns at this home.  Edward, William, and Thomas were all born between 1846 and 1853. 

Robert had been born in 1843, shortly after the couple was married.  Sadly, little Edward Lincoln died of tuberculosis at the home just a few weeks short of his fourth birthday. 

Throughout the years, the Lincolns made numerous improvements on the house, namely in 1856, when they turned the one and a half story cottage into a full two story home.

 This home, that the Lincolns lived in for 17 years, shaped the family man and President that Lincoln was destined to become.  Abe and Mary’s bedroom, although private and out the way from visitors, was furnished to reflect a very prosperous family per the tastes of Mary. 

By 1860, the boys’ bedroom was shared by William and Thomas, as Robert was already away at school.  The home’s parlor was a most important and formal place and was the location for one of the most important events in Lincoln’s life. 

In 1860, the Republication Convention, held in Chicago, chose Lincoln as their presidential candidate. 

In 1860, the Republication committee traveled to Springfield and gave this news to Abe and Mary while meeting in the parlor. 

After Lincoln was elected, the family gave away most of their belongings as they prepared to move to Washington D.C. 

The Lincolns rented the home to Lucian Tilton and his family.  Tilton was the president of the Great Western Railroad. 

By this time, Springfield had become a bustling capital city with a population of 10,000.  In 1861, Lincoln delivered a farewell speech to the city of Springfield before leaving.

“Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from young to old man.  Here my children have been born, and one is buried.  I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington.  Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed.  With that assistance I cannot fail.” 

After Lincoln’s assassination on April 15, 1865, the home was obtained by Lincoln’s oldest son Robert. 

On May 4, 1865, a large funeral procession passed by the home in Springfield on its way to Oak Ridge Cemetery where Lincoln, Mary, and three of his four sons are buried. 

The family home became a common place for rallies, ceremonies and mourners to visit. 

Mary was quoted as saying “I cannot bear to return to the scenes of the happiest times in my life without my family.” 

In 1887, Robert donated the home to the state of Illinois so that it would be better preserved for generations to come. 

Other buildings preserved for visitors to experience is the Old State Capitol where Lincoln served as State Legislator, the building which served as the law office for Lincoln and his partner William Herndon, and the Lincoln Depot, which is the location from which Lincoln left Springfield for his 1861 inauguration.  The site was established in August of 1971. 

Things to know before your visit to Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Entrance fee 

$0.00 - There is no entrance fee to visit the park.

Planning a National Park vacation? America the Beautiful/National Park Pass covers entrance fees for an entire year to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites.

The park pass covers everyone in the car for per vehicle sites and for up to 4 adults for per-person sites.

Buy on REI.com and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.

Free National Park Entrance Days  -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually. 

Time Zone 

Central Time Zone

Pets 

Pets must be on a leash less than 6 feet in length while in the park. Pets are not allowed in park buildings including the visitor center.

Cell Service

We had great cell service while visiting the park. 

Park Hours

The Visitor Center is open 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. 

Park Grounds are open from 6 am to 11 pm year-round. 

Wi-Fi

There is free Wi-Fi service provided by the city of Springfield. 

Insect Repellent

Insect repellent is always a great idea when outdoors, especially if you are around any body of water. 

We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips. 

Water Bottle 

Make sure to bring your own water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.

Parking

$2.00 - There is a $2 per vehicle fee for using the parking lot for the day.

Debit and credit cards can be used to pay for parking. The park does not accept cash for parking. 

Food/Restaurants

There are no restaurants available within the park.

Gas

There are no gas stations within the park. 

Drones

Drones are not permitted within National Park Sites.

National Park Passport Stamps

National Park Passport stamps can be found in the visitor center.

Make sure to bring your National Park Passport Book with you or we like to pack these circle stickers so we don't have to bring our entire book with us. 

Lincoln Home NHS is part of the 1987 Passport Stamp Set

Electric Vehicle Charging

There are 97 EV Charging stations within Springfield, Illinois. 

At least 8 of these are free EV Charging Stations. 

Details about Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Size - 12.24 acres

Check out how the park compares to other  National Parks by Size. 

Date Established 

August 18, 1971 

Visitation 

In 2021, Lincoln Home NHS had 89,964 park visitors. 

In 2020, Lincoln Home NHS had 27,744 park visitors. 

In 2019, Lincoln Home NHS had 197,816 park visitors. 

Learn more about the most visited and least visited National Parks in the US

National Park Address

426 S. 7th Street
Springfield, IL 62701

National Park Map

Where is Lincoln Home National Historic Site?

Lincoln Home NHS is located in Springfield, Illinois.

Estimated distance from major cities nearby

Bloomington, IL - 66 miles

Peoria, IL - 73 miles

St. Louis, MO - 97 miles

Chicago, IL - 202 miles

Indianapolis, IN - 212 miles

Madison, WI - 265 miles

Louisville, KY - 323 miles

Milwaukee, WI - 278 miles

Fort Wayne, IN - 319 miles

Kansas City, MO - 311 miles

Nashville, TN - 375 miles

Memphis, TN - 380 miles

Estimated Distance from nearby National Park

Gateway Arch National Park - 96 miles

Indiana Dunes National Park - 221 miles

Cuyahoga Valley National Park - 509 miles

Mammoth Cave National Park - 352 miles

New River Gorge National Park - 602 miles

Where is the National Park Visitor Center?

426 South Seventh Street

Open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Getting to Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Closest Airports 

Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI)

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL)

Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)

Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)

Indianapolis International Airport (IND)

Amtrak 

Amtrak travels to Springfield, Il, and is within walking distance of the park. Approximately 7 blocks away. 

Greyhound Bus

The Greyhound Bus station is not within walking distance of the park. 

Driving Directions

Coming from the North on Interstate 55 (I-55)

1. Visitors heading south on I-55 should use exit 98B at Clear Lake Avenue.
2. Continue west on Clear Lake Avenue towards downtown. Clear Lake will merge into Jefferson street. Continue to follow Jefferson west until you reach 7th Street.
3. Turn left on 7th Street.
4. The Visitor Center is located five blocks south on the left side of Seventh Street (half block south of Capitol Avenue). The visitor parking lot is past the Visitor Center on the left.

Coming from the South on Interstate 55 (I-55)

1. Visitors traveling north on I-55 should use exit 92A at 6th Street (I-55 Business Loop North).
2. Continue about four miles north to downtown. Turn right on Capitol Avenue.
3. Turn right again on 7th Street.
4. 7th Street is a one-way street. The Visitor Center is located five blocks south on the left side of Seventh Street (half block south of Capitol Avenue). The visitor parking lot is past the Visitor Center on the left.

Coming from the East on Interstate 72 (I-72)

1. Visitors traveling west on I-72 (US-36) should remain on I-72 where it will merge into Clear Lake Avenue (IL-97).
2. Continue west on Clear Lake Ave toward downtown. Clear Lake will merge into Jefferson Street. Continue west on Jefferson Street and until you reach 7th Street.
3. Turn left on 7th Street.
4. 7th Street is a one-way street. The Visitor Center is located five blocks south on the left side of Seventh Street (half block south of Capitol Avenue). The visitor parking lot is past the Visitor Center on the left.

Coming from the West on Interstate 72 (I-72)

1. Visitors traveling east on I-72 (US-36) should use exit 97B at 6th Street (I-55 Business Loop North).
2. Continue north toward downtown. Turn right on Capitol Avenue.
3. Turn right on 7th Street.
4. 7th Street is a one-way street. The Visitor Center is located five blocks south on the left side of Seventh Street (half block south of Capitol Avenue). The visitor parking lot is past the Visitor Center on the left.

Best time to visit Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Late spring to early fall are the perfect time to visit the park. The weather should be fantastic.

Weather and Seasons

Springfield, Illinois experiences long warm summers and short snowy winters.

The hottest weather is from May 20th to September 23rd with an average daily temperature above 76 degrees.

The coldest weather in Springfield is from November 30th to February 28th with an average daily temperature below 46 degrees.

Snow occurs on average from November 19th to March 28th with the most snow falling in January.

 

Best Things to do in Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Lincoln Home Tour

In order to see the inside of the Lincoln Home you have to be on a park tour.

Tour tickets can be picked up at the front desk of the visitor center. Tickets are first-come, first-served.

Each tour is limited to 15 individuals.

The 1st tour is available at 9 am and the last tour starts at 4:30 pm.

The home tour highlights include:

• Formal Parlor
• Sitting Room
• Dining Room
• Guest Bedroom
• Abraham Lincoln's Bedroom
• Mary Lincoln's Bedroom
• Boys' Room
• Hired Girl/Hired Help's Room
• Kitchen

Park Film

There are two films at the visitor center including a film about Abraham Lincoln's life in Springfield.

The main park film is played on the hour and lasts between 20-25 minutes starting at 830 am with the final film playing at 4:30 pm.

Junior Ranger Program 

The Junior Ranger program can be picked up at the visitor center. The information for the program can be found in the visitor center and on the guided tour. 

Historic Neighborhood

The park includes a four-block historic neighborhood. 

The neighborhood includes:

• Lincoln Home and Lincoln Home backyard
• Dean House exhibit: "What a Pleasant Home Abe Lincoln Has"
• Arnold House exhibit: "If These Walls Could Talk"
• Jameson Jenkins lot, National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site

Springfield, Illinois Explorer Passport Program

Springfield, Illinois just announced a new Explorer Passport for visitors and residents. It includes 12 sites and museums in the Abe's Hat Scavenger Hunt and 13 people and places in the Living Legends and Landmarks of Route 66 scavenger hunt.

Passports can be picked up from:

• Springfield Visitors Center – 1 S Old State Capitol Plaza
• Lincoln Home Visitors Center – 426 S 7th Street
• Dana-Thomas House – 301 E Lawrence Avenue
• Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum – 212 N 6th Street

These destinations also have prizes for visiting at least 6 of the 12 Abe's Hat Hunt sites, spot the hidden hat, and match the correct hat color to the corresponding location. Once you've successfully filled your passport, head to a Passport Prize Stop to collect your Abe-mazing prize.

Abe’s Hat Hunt Locations:

• Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum
• Dana-Thomas House - A Frank Lloyd Wright Design
• Edwards Place
• Illinois State Capitol
• Illinois State Military Museum
• Illinois State Museum
• Lincoln Depot
• Lincoln Home National Historic Site & Visitor Center
• Lincoln Memorial Garden
• Old State Capitol
• Springfield & Central Illinois African American History Museum
• Vachel Lindsay Home

 

Living Legends & Landmarks Included:

• Ace Sign Company Museum
• Cozy Dog Drive In
• Dew Chilli Pub & Grill – Dirksen Parkway
• Mahan’s Filling Station at Fulgenzi’s Pizza & Pasta
• Knight’s Action Park & Route 66 Drive-In
• Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop
• Maldaner’s Restaurant & Catering
• Mel-o-Cream Donuts – Laurel Street, and 4 other locations
• Route 66 Motorhead’s Bar, Grill & Museum & Entertainment Complex
• Route 66 Experience at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Gate 2
• Route History Museum
• The Chili Parlor
• The Curve Inn
• Weebles Bar & Grill

Hiking in Lincoln Home NHS

Always carry the 10 essentials for outdoor survival when exploring.

There are no hiking trails within the park but there are additional areas to explore outside of the Lincoln Home.

Make sure to bring water and plan to be outside in the sun.

How to beat the crowds in Lincoln Home National Historic Site?

The best way to beat the crowds is to make sure you are at the park early enough to get tickets for the guided tour. 

There is a limited number of tickets available for each guided tour. 

Where to stay when visiting Lincoln Home NHS

There are no National Park Lodges within the park.

There is lodging available in Springfield, Illinois.

Wyndham Springfield City Centre - 3 minute walk from the park. Consider a stay at Wyndham Springfield City Centre and take advantage of a free roundtrip airport shuttle, a coffee shop/café, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Be sure to enjoy a meal at Starbucks, the onsite coffee shop. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with a bar and conference space.

Holiday Inn Express Springfield - A free breakfast buffet, a grocery/convenience store, and a terrace are just a few of the amenities provided at Holiday Inn Express Springfield, an IHG Hotel. In addition to dry cleaning/laundry services and a gym, guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.

State House Inn - Take advantage of free to-go breakfast, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a gym at State House Inn. Free in-room Wi-Fi and a 24-hour business center are available to all guests.

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Springfield - A free breakfast buffet, a library, and dry cleaning/laundry services are just a few of the amenities provided at Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Springfield, IL. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a fireplace in the lobby and a gym.

Courtyard by Marriott Springfield - At Courtyard by Marriott Springfield, you can look forward to a grocery/convenience store, a coffee shop/café, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Be sure to enjoy a meal at Bistro, the onsite bistro. In addition to a bar and a gym, guests can connect to free in-room Wi-Fi.

Click on the map below to see additional hotels and vacation rentals near the park. 

 

Camping

There are no National Park Campgrounds within the park.

For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss! 

Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, New York, and Orlando

Nearby campgrounds include:

Sunnyside Acres RV Park - Kenney, IL

This campground offers Lodging, RV and Tent Sites

Yogi Bears Jellystone Park - Pittsfield, IL

This campground offer lodging, RV and Tent Sites, a beach, waterfront, waterpark, and more.

Camp Lakewood Campground - Effingham, IL

This campground offers lodging, RV and Tent Sites, A waterfront, fishing and more.

Check out more campgrounds in the area on CampSpot 

 

Parks Near Lincoln Home National Historic Site

George Rogers Clark National Historical Park

Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial

Harry S Truman National Historic Site

Pullman National Monument

Check out all of the Illinois National Parks along with National Parks in Wisconsin, National Parks in Iowa, National Parks in Indiana, Michigan National Parks, Kentucky National Parks, and National Parks in Missouri