Illinois, Part 3

Returning to Springfield, we once again examined a part of Abraham Lincoln's life. New Salem State Historical Site is a reproduction of the town where Lincoln lived as a young man, taught himself law, and went on to be elected to the state legislature. Only one building in the village is the original structure; the rest are copies, based on archaeological evidence and other sources.

There are nearly 30 buildings and stops along the walking route in New Salem, so I'm only going to list some of the highlights. The link above will provide you with a "virtual tour" of the village and you can explore that as well.

At left is the cooper's home and shop. Henry Onstot was the cooper when Lincoln lived in New Salem. His job, of course, was to build barrels, buckets and tubs for various uses. The shop is the only original building here.



At right is the first store that Abraham Lincoln owned and operated in New Salem. He and co-owner William Berry eventually moved to a larger building across the street in 1833 (seen below). However, they didn't seem to have done well, as a competitor also operated a shop next door.

At right is the tavern. This was one of the buildings in which I found a staff member who would discuss the furnishings, the culture of the time, and the historic figure she was portraying. She would also talke about a number of other "out of character" topics.

While my parents were waiting for me at the Visitors' Center, they told one of the volunteers that I was in the tavern drinking. Taverns at the time, however, did not serve much alcohol, as the owner needed a special license. You would be able to get a meal and a bed for the night, however. I was told that lunch had been a potato pancake with applesauce, all for 25 cents.

At right is the local grist mill, which is some distance from the central part of the village.

New Salem features a number of other homes and buildings, including a blacksmith's shop, the local school house and church, and carding mill and wool house. Throughout the year, volunteers and paid staff are available to answer questions and provide a period-accurate feel to the experience.