Springfield’s cultural highlights range from Abraham Lincoln’s family home to the history of the Illinois Statehouse, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Route 66. These places offer different ways to visit: guided tours are central at several sites, while you can also take a self-guided tour of the Old State Capitol grounds. When deciding where to go, it is therefore worth considering both the subject and the way each place can be visited.
Lincoln: Home and Tomb
The Lincoln Home National Historic Site preserves and interprets the house where Abraham Lincoln lived with his family from 1844 to 1861. This makes it a specific stop if you would like to learn more about Lincoln’s family life in Springfield. The National Park Service’s visitor information, last updated September 19, 2024, lists tours of the Lincoln Home.
Admission to this tour is free. Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and are often quickly sold out. Check ticket availability before your visit. This way, you can keep an important condition of visiting the Lincoln Home in mind rather than assuming the tour is always available.
The Lincoln Tomb adds another kind of place to explore Lincoln’s history: visitors can see the interior as part of a tour. The home and tomb represent different stops; the Lincoln Home is about the family residence, while the Tomb offers a guided visit to its interior. You can decide how much weight to give each based on your interests.
Illinois Statehouse and Historic Homes
The Old State Capitol is a reconstruction of the Illinois Statehouse as it stood from 1840 to 1876. This shifts the focus from a residence to the history of the Statehouse. Visitors can explore the historic grounds on a guided or self-guided tour. This choice of how to visit sets the site apart: you can join a tour or explore the grounds on your own.
There is no admission charge for the Old State Capitol tour; donations to support the historic site are welcome. The Vachel Lindsay House adds another historic house museum to Springfield’s selection. Together with the Lincoln Home, it shows that Springfield’s house history can be explored through more than one site; their connections remain distinct: one is a home associated with Lincoln’s family history, and the other is a separate house museum.
Wright’s Architecture and Art Glass
The Dana-Thomas House was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright during his early Prairie period. Its architectural significance is reflected in more than just its style: the house preserves more than 100 original oak furnishings designed by Wright, as well as 250 examples of art-glass lights and lamps. These details highlight two specific aspects of the interiors—furnishings and art glass—and give the architectural focus a tangible basis.
If you are primarily interested in architecture, the Dana-Thomas House offers a different experience from the Old State Capitol: here, the focus is a Wright-designed building with preserved furnishings and lighting; there, it is a reconstruction of the Illinois Statehouse. This comparison can help you choose between the two sites based on their respective themes without treating their different historical connections as the same.
Route 66 and African American History
Route History is a Springfield attraction that explains how Route 66 has influenced African American history in Springfield and beyond. It adds a perspective that considers the road and history together. If you are interested in Route 66, this attraction explores not just the road itself but also its connection to African American history.
You can organize Springfield’s attractions by interest: Lincoln’s places of residence, the former Statehouse, historic homes, Wright’s architecture, or the history of Route 66. The way to visit is another practical distinction: tours are listed for the Lincoln Home and Lincoln Tomb, while the Old State Capitol also offers the option of a self-guided tour. For the Lincoln Home, you should also keep the ticket policy in mind, as tickets often sell out quickly.
For the broader travel overview: Sangamon County.
