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Abraham Lincoln’s Springfield

The new Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library is a must stop for history buffs. Located in Springfield, Illinois, just two hours northeast of St. Louis, the new facility is the centerpiece of sites dedicated to America’s 16th president. Also open to the public are Lincoln’s Home, the Old State Capitol where he debated Stephen Douglas on the issue of slavery and Lincoln’s Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery. Visitors can walk through the restored living history village of New Salem on Highway 97 just north of Springfield where young Lincoln lived before his political career. Also in Springfield, Frank Lloyd Wright’s spectacular Prairie-style Dana Thomas House is open to the public and the Illinois State Museum depicts the history of the Prairie State. Don’t miss the sights on historic Route 66 in Springfield including Shea’s, a quirky gas-station-turned-museum dedicated to the Mother Road.

From St. Louis, take I-55/70 east and I-55 north 120 miles to Springfield. On the way back to St. Louis, follow the signs to Route 66 and travel the two-lane highway through the heart of small-town mid-America.