Springfield prepares for a birthday of presidential proportions.
By Eric Robinson

Each year Americans remember Abraham Lincoln’s birth by observing Presidents Day, a federal holiday the 16th president shares with George Washington. But this year, the focus will be on Lincoln as a two-year celebration of his birthdate (Feb. 9, 1809) bicentennial gets underway.

In February, Kentucky will officially kick off the celebration that includes a ceremony on Feb. 12 at Lincoln’s birthplace in Hodgenville featuring President George W. Bush as speaker.

But perhaps more than any other place, Springfield, Ill., is identified as Lincoln’s hometown. In Springfield, Lincoln grew into maturity, practiced law and married Mary Todd. In the end, Springfield became his final resting place.

Above: The Governor’s Mansion hosts a bicentennial ball in February. Springfield Illinois CVB photos In Title: Life-like models of Lincoln and his family as seen at the presidential library and museum.

The Abraham Lincoln Birthday Celebration this year will be in Springfield on Feb. 9 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, 212 North Sixth St. Children’s activities and musical performances will he held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission is required for the birthday celebration. Tickets are $7.50 for adults age 16–61; $5.50 for military personnel or students (both need ID) and for seniors 62 and older. Children age 5–15 can get tickets for $3.50, and children younger than 5 are free. Because of the numbers anticipated for this celebration, it is advisable to purchase tickets in advance. Call the library and museum at (217) 558-8934 or visit www.alplm.org.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is handicap accessible; ADA devices for the theaters are available upon request.

Parking likely will be at a premium, so look for spaces available for a nominal charge off Sixth Street between Madison and Mason streets.

A bicentennial ball

If you had your taste for the past whetted during the Abraham Lincoln Birthday Celebration, your next stop is the Bicentennial Presidential Ball, Feb. 9, at the Illinois Governor’s Mansion, 410 East Jackson. The ball–sponsored by the 10th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry Regiment Band, a musical group of Civil War re-enactors–will be held from 7–10 p.m. Formalwear or attire appropriate to the 1860s is requested.

Guests of honor will be President and Mrs. Lincoln, portrayed by Max and Donna Daniels. This event is endorsed by the Illinois and national Lincoln Bicentennial Commissions.

Tickets are $35 per individual and $60 per couple and may be obtained by contacting regiment’s commander Col. Theodore Henry at (217) 652-1696 or visit the regiment’s Web site at www.10thIllinoisVolCavalry.com/band for more information.

Extending your Springfield weekend

A Lincoln symposium will be held on Feb. 11 from 1–4 p.m. at the Old State Capitol just south of the Lincoln Museum and Library. It’s free and open to the public. Expect local and national Lincoln scholars to mingle as they discuss a variety of topics.

The Lincoln Day Banquet on Feb. 12 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel will commemorate not just the bicentennial, but also the 100th anniversary of the Abraham Lincoln Association, which sponsors the Lincoln symposium. Renowned presidential historian Michael Beschloss will be the featured speaker. Visit the association’s Web site at www.abrahamlincolnassociation.org for more information.

An ongoing exhibit at the Museum of Funeral Customs, “Lincoln’s Final Journey,” is worth visiting. Located at 1440 Monument St., near Oak Ridge Cemetery and Lincoln’s tomb, the museum features 3-D objects and photographs of Lincoln’s trip from Washington, D.C., to burial in Springfield. It includes a reproduction of Lincoln’s coffin and a scale model of the Chicago and Alton Railroad train used for the trip.

Admission to the Museum of Funeral Customs is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors 62 and older, and $2 for children 6–17. Children 5 years and younger are admitted free. Call (217) 544-3480 or visit www.funeralmuseum.org for more information.

Hotel and dining options

Lodging in and around Springfield is widely available. The Hilton Springfield, 700 E. Adams, and the Mansion View Inn and Suites, 529 S. Fourth, are within walking distance to the Lincoln museum and library. The Crowne Plaza Hotel, 3000 South Dirksen Parkway, is just off Interstate 55. The Hilton and the Crowne Plaza are AAA three Diamond hotels; the Mansion View Inn and Suites has two AAA diamonds. All offer discounts to AAA members.

The restaurants in downtown Springfield boast American, Greek, Italian, and Mediterran-ean cuisines. Be prepared: most restaurants are closed on Sundays. For the most part, expect to spend under $15 per person. Restaurants with more flexible schedules and menus are closer to I-55.

With Lincoln’s birthday bicentennial approaching, it’s time to revisit Springfield, Ill.

Eric Robinson is a new contributor from Alton, Ill.

BEFORE YOU GO

For more information about Lincoln’s hometown, contact the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, (800) 545-7300 or www.visit-springfieldillinois.com. Bicentennial events are listed at www.lincolnbicentennial.gov. To visit Springfield, stop by your nearest AAA service office for maps, reservations, TripTiks® and TourBook® guides. Click here for a list of offices.