Lincoln Apparel’s latest T-shirt, "Young Mr. Lincoln", features bright colors and lines and a vibrant portrait of Abraham Lincoln – perfect for celebrating Lincoln’s Birthday. Copyright © 2010 Lincoln Apparel.

Saturday is Lincoln’s Birthday, so be sure to celebrate it! Here is a list of all of the events I can find in Springfield for Lincoln’s 202nd Birthday. Note that all of these are free, unless otherwise noted. Be sure to check out my Lincoln T-shirts at Springfield Novelties and Gifts, 229 S. 6th St. (near Monroe Street) in historic downtown Springfield while you’re attending, they’d be perfect for this (or any) occasion!

Thursday, February 10th, 2011:

• 7 pm – "Tad Lincoln’s Father", a one-woman performance, will be showing at the Vachel Lindsay Home at 5th and Edwards. A light dessert will precede it at 6:30.

Friday, February 11th, 2011:

• 9 am – "Lincoln’s Emotional Life" discussion with Lincoln author Michael Burlingame at Lincoln Land Community College Trutter Center.
• 9 am – The kickoff to the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s inaugural trip in 1861 begins at Grace Lutheran Church at 7th and Capitol (near the Lincoln Home Visitor Center); Springfield Lincoln re-enactor Fritz Klein will be portraying Abraham Lincoln.
• 10:30 am – Lincoln (portrayed by Fritz Klein) will depart from his home at 8th and Jackson to head for the Great Western Railroad depot at 10th and Monroe, where he will leave his hometown of Springfield for his inaugural journey to Washington, DC.

• 11 am – A simultaneous reading of Lincoln’s Farewell Address (one of his most beautiful speeches, in my opinion) will occur at the Great Western Depot (now known as the Lincoln Depot). There will be an attempt to break the world record for the most people reading the same document aloud simultaneously, so people across the country are being asked to recite it, too. (The world record is 223,363 participants reading aloud from "Charlotte’s Web" in 2006.) You can participate here: http://www.state.il.us/streaming/hpa/hpa-live.asx or on the Springfield State Journal-Register’s website here: http://extras.sj-r.com/r/depot

  A similar attempt was made in 2009 with the Gettysburg Address, but it fell short. Note that since the Farewell Address is even shorter than the Gettysburg Address, the document will be read multiple times, because the Guinness Book of World Records requires the reading to be at least 5 minutes long.

• 12:00 noon – "Jameson Jenkins: The Man Lincoln Knew", a presentation at the Lincoln Land Community College East Campus near 15th and Cook, will show Abraham Lincoln and Jameson Jenkins, a conductor on the Underground Railroad who lived in Lincoln’s neighborhood, helped slaves escape to freedom. Jason Boyd will be portraying Jameson Jenkins.
• 1 pm – "Women’s 1860s Clothing", a presentation on the clothing styles and fashion of the 1860s, will occur at the Lincoln Home Visitor’s Center at 7th and Jackson.
• 1 pm – "Children’s Toys of the 1860s" – also at the Lincoln Home Visitor’s Center, a presentation and demonstration of toys kids played with in Lincoln’s time (including toys the Lincolns played with).
• 2 pm – Mary Lincoln re-enactor Pam Brown will reminisce about her life in Springfield at the Lincoln Home Visitor’s Center in a program entitled "Mary Lincoln’s Memories".
• 3 pm – "Never Lose Sight of Freedom", a short film about the Civil Rights movement, will be shown at the Lincoln Home Visitor’s Center.
• 6:30 pm – The Abraham Lincoln Association’s keynote speaker, Michael Holt, will discuss "Lincoln’s Mistakes as President Elect" at Brookens Auditorium at UIS.

A few of my colorful "Back to Springfield" Lincoln T-shirts, originally done for the Lincoln Bicentennial, are still left – and they’re perfect for Lincoln’s Birthday. Copyright © 2008 Lincoln Apparel.

Saturday, February 12th, 2011 – Lincoln’s 202nd Birthday:

• 8:30 am – the annual Painter Lectures at the Lincoln Home. This year, Lincoln’s relationship with three central Illinois communities – Bloomington, Pittsfield, and Charleston – will be discussed by Guy Fraker, Wayne Temple, and the staff of the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, respectively. The Springfield African American History Foundation will be discussed by Douglas King.
• 8:30 to 11:30 – Robert Bray will sign copies of his book "Reading with Lincoln" at the Lincoln Home Visitor’s Center
• 10 am to 3 pm – Abraham Lincoln Birthday Party at the National Museum of Surveying, which opened late last year on the north side of the Old State Capitol square on the 500 block of East Washington Street.
• 11 am – Annual American Legion pilgrimage to the Lincoln Tomb
• 11 am – Annual Abraham Lincoln Association Symposium at the Old State Capitol. This year, "Lincoln and the Election of 1860" will be discussed by Jonathan Earle, and "Lincoln, Civil Liberties and Dissent" will be discussed by Jonathan White.
• 1 pm – Abraham Lincoln Association luncheon. Russell McClintock will discuss "Lincoln and the Coming of the War". This is sold out.
• 2 pm – Valentine Open House at the Vachel Lindsay Home hosted by Mary Lincoln’s sister, Ann (portrayed by Kathy Reed); period refreshments will be served. At 2:45, Ann will reminisce about her relationship with Mary and her family.
• 2:30 pm – Abraham Lincoln Symposium Roundtable at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library featuring speakers Jonathan Earle, Michael Holt, Russell McClintock, and Jonathan White (with Brooks Simpson as moderator).
• 2:30 pm – Annual VFW pilgrimage to the Lincoln Tomb
• 5 pm – Reception to benefit the endowment for the Abraham Lincoln Association at the Crowne Plaza Hotel ($75)
• 6:30 pm – The annual Abraham Lincoln Association Banquet at the Crowne Plaza Hotel featuring Allen Guelzo, author of "Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation" (a book I have – I believe it won the Lincoln Prize) and "Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President". The State Journal Register says this costs $85, a few tickets are still available, and I’m not sure if the $85 includes the $75 for the reception or not. The ALA website (via the above link) makes it look as if the $75 is for the whole thing. I’m also not sure why they don’t hold it at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel downtown like they used to.

Sunday, February 13th, 2011:

• 8:30 am – Lincoln’s Birthday Worship Service at the First Presbyterian Church (the church the Lincolns attended, at 7th and Capitol)

That’s all the events that I know of. I’ll likely be at many of them, including the Painter Lectures, the Symposium and the simultaneous reading of the Farewell Address. In fact, I would’ve come out with a Farewell Address Lincoln T-shirt design but over the holidays I forgot about it and now it’s a little late. I’ll probably still do one anyway because I like that speech. Right now I’m working on getting the "Purpose" design reprinted – there will be new colors added to the design this time – I’ll let you know about that and other plans for Lincoln Apparel this year after the holiday weekend. Have fun on Lincoln’s Birthday this year and be sure to check out – and wear – my Lincoln Apparel T-shirts!

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Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum (Photo Copyright © 2009 Chris Umhoefer)

Today, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, my favorite museum in the country, is officially 5 years old. (What other museum would a Lincoln fan have as a favorite?) It opened on April 19, 2005, at the end of a 4-day log celebration, and I was there for much of it. I still remember the light show a couple nights before it opened (it was one of the most awesome things I’ve seen), and the crowd of 25,000 or more people (much of it standing room-only) watching the dedication, where then-President George W. Bush and future president Barack Obama both spoke. I was actually one of the lucky people who got a seat, though I had to sit pretty far back (about in the middle of what is now Union Square Park).

After the dedication, I took my first tour of the museum. It took me over 6 hours to go through it all. (I still find it hard to believe that the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau recommends 2 hours – it takes at least 3-4 hours for the average person to go through the museum, based on my observation). I read everything in the Museum that I could, and looked at all of the lifelike exhibits, staring and wondering with awe in many cases. Of course, I visited both of the Museum’s theaters that day (both of which feature incredible special effects), saw the temporary exhibit “Blood on the Moon” (about Lincoln’s assassination), and looked with awe (again) at the actual Lincoln artifacts scattered throughout the Museum and in the Treasures Gallery. (Man, these were the actual things Lincoln wrote and touched, I told myself as I could feel Lincoln’s spirit coming over me.)

Lincoln would be proud!

That day, the museum had its first 3,500 visitors, and today the museum remains by far the most visited Presidential museum in the country – with over 2.2 million visitors thus far, and about 400,000 to 500,000 visitors each year. The visitors come from places far and wide – all 50 states, and every continent – and as a volunteer there for 5 years so far, I’ve met people from England, France, Japan, China, and Brazil.

I feel lucky to live in Mr. Lincoln’s Hometown, within walking distance of his wonderful museum (and many of the other Lincoln sites). It has helped bring additional tourists to Springfield, brought greater vibrancy to our downtown, and most importantly, has introduced additional people to the Lincoln story. I highly recommend visiting it, whether you’re from Springfield and haven’t visited it yet (come on, you know you have to), or you’re from another state or country and you’re looking for something fun and interesting to see. Of course, make sure you see the other Lincoln sites too – like his Home and Tomb, and the Old State Capitol and the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices – all iconic places that contribute greatly to the Lincoln legacy.

Today, beginning at 10:30, there will be a ceremony at the Museum celebrating its 5th anniversary, and cake will be served. It looks like it will be a wonderful day in Springfield, like the day the museum was dedicated. I hope you come see it soon!

(By the way, if you follow the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum on Twitter or fan the ALPLM on Facebook you can win a neat prize! I’m already a fan and a follower, of course.)

Some pictures from the dedication in 2005:

President George W. Bush speaks to a crowd of over 25,000 people during the dedication ceremony for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum on April 19, 2005.

A Lincoln presenter at the Old State Capitol during the dedication of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, April 18, 2005.

A Lincoln presenter performs a re-enactment of Lincoln's Farewell Address to a crowd of several thousand during the dedication ceremony of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, April 18, 2005.

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I normally attend the Painter Lectures at the Lincoln Home and the Lincoln Symposium at the Old State Capitol. This year I’m definitely attending the special artifact display at the Museum on the 11th, and possibly the penny unveiling earlier that day. The discussion on the 14th at the Hilton also sounds interesting since it involves emancipation, a Lincoln subject I have always been interested in. I’ll probably be at the discussion at the Lincoln Home on the 13th as well.

I’ll be wearing my Lincoln T-shirts throughout the celebration (one of which is pictured above, which is a limited edition T-shirt for the Bicentennial). You can find them at the Lincoln Apparel website and at Springfield Novelties and Gifts in historic downtown Springfield on 6th Street, between Monroe and Adams.

Happy Lincoln’s Birthday!

Thursday, the 11th (Lincoln’s Birthday Eve):
* Unveiling of the new, redesigned Lincoln penny at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, beginning at 9:30 in the morning. Thousands of collectors are expected. The penny is being redesigned for the Lincoln Bicentennial; tomorrow is the last day Lincoln will be 200 years old.
* Artifact Vigil at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum: Several Lincoln artifacts will be on display, including a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, the inkwell Lincoln used to write his First Inaugural Address, the original clock from the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, and more. Admission to this special event will be free after 5:30. There will also be presentations in the Union Theater at 6:30 and 8:15. The event will run until 10:00 pm.
* At the Vachel Lindsay Home at 6, Marc Aronson, author of "A History Beyond Black and White", will be giving a presentation.

Lincoln’s 201st Birthday, Friday, February 12th:
* This year’s theme for the annual Painter Lectures at the Lincoln Home is "Election of a President". It runs in the morning from 9 until noon. It is free.
* There will be a luncheon at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library (costing $25) featuring author Richard Fox at noon.
* The annual Abraham Lincoln Symposium at the Old State Capitol will be from 1 to 4 in the afternoon. This year’s theme is "Lincoln’s Critics". This event is free.
* The annual banquet will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. It will be easier to get into than last year, when President Obama attended. It costs $85, and Harold Holzer will be the speaker.
* At Lincoln Land Community College, John Lupton will give a talk at 9 on Lincoln forgeries. It is free.
* Also at Lincoln Land, there will be an exhibit of Lincoln posters.
* There will be children’s storytelling programs (featuring Springfield Lincoln presenter Fritz Klein) at the Old State Capitol at 10 and at the Lincoln Home at 1.
* A time capsule featuring items from the Lincoln Bicentennial will be filled at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum during a brief ceremony at 1.
* The annual American Legion pilgrimage to the Tomb will be at 10:30.

Saturday, February 13th:
* The VFW will hold a pilgrimage to the Lincoln Tomb at 2:30.
* There will be a presentation entitled "Working for the Father: Lincoln’s Hired Help and Faith Communities" at the Lincoln Home at 1. It is free.

Sunday, February 14th:
* There will be a presentation at the Hilton entitled Emancipation and the Dream of Freedom: From Slavery to the White House at 1.

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I’m glad I was able to complete the project this year. It’s hard work, doing lots of walking around downtown, through historic neighborhoods, and crisscrossing the city to get pictures in neighborhoods on different sides of town. And sometimes it can be frustrating, when you don’t get a shot and then you have to take it again, or when the weather doesn’t cooperate. But it was fun, and it was worth it in the end.

I originally intended to show Springfield in the summer, and I tried to keep that theme as much as I could, but because it lasted so far into October some fall color crept into the later pictures. Still looks neat, though. Perhaps in a subsequent year, I will capture all of the shots in the summer.

The last 23 pictures are:

* Skyline from the 500 block of East Madison Street: This picture was taken from the top level of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum parking ramp. You can get a beautiful view of the city from here. The picture is aimed down 6th Street towards the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, where you can see the entrances of both. You can also see some of the buildings on the east side of 6th Street, such as the Illinois Building and the Springfield Marine Bank, and the Hilton and President Abraham Lincoln hotels.

* 900 block of South 2nd Street, Looking South from Canedy Street: This shot represents the Aristocracy Hill neighborhood, just to the south of downtown. This neighborhood contains many Lincoln era houses, including some on this block, and is a diverse, though upscale neighborhood. Technically, the Vachel Lindsay Home and the Lincoln Home are both part of this neighborhood as well. The neighborhood was named Aristocracy Hill because the Governor’s Mansion is located within it.

* 500 block of South Walnut Street, Looking South from Governor Street: This shot represents the Pasfield House neighborhood, just to the west of downtown. Most of the homes in this neighborhood were built just after Lincoln’s time. It is an upscale neighborhood containing large houses and big trees. There is a small Civil War museum on the right (west) side of the street, at the Governor Street intersection.

* Lincoln Totem Pole: So, what’s this doing outside the Illinois State Museum? After Lincoln’s assassination, the Tongass tribe of Indians in southeast Alaska adopted the Lincoln story as tribal legend. The story goes that when Alaska was purchased and became a U.S. territory, slaves among the Indian tribes there were freed by Lincoln’s acts as President. To commemorate the event, the tribe erected a totem pole in his honor. The original pole is now in a museum in Juneau, Alaska (after having been moved from Saxman, Alaska), and a copy is in the Illinois State Museum. This one outside the museum is a fiberglass replica of the totem pole. It is 50 feet tall and the carved statue of Lincoln on the top is 5 feet 10 inches tall (6 inches short of Lincoln’s 6 foot 4 inch height). I suspect a lot of people don’t notice this pole (it’s by the parking lot, near the Spring and Edwards intersection), but it goes to show how Lincoln is remembered by many different cultures.

* Skyline from Douglas Park: Through the trees at the southeast corner of this large northwest side park, at Walnut Street and Madison Street, you can see the downtown skyline, which is particularly beautiful during the afternoon and evening. I took the picture during this time. The Hilton, the State Capitol and the Ridgely Building are visible from here.

* 1500 block of South 4th Street, Looking North from Spruce Street: This shot represents the Near South neighborhood, to the south of Aristocracy Hill. This is a middle class neighborhood that was developed around the turn of the 20th century. It has big trees and a diverse range of housing styles, including brick apartment buildings which were a new style of living at the time. The east-west streets in this neighborhood are all named after trees.

* 1800 block of South State Street, Looking South: This narrow tree-lined brick street is located on the southwest side. It contains older, mostly one and a half story middle class homes built in the early 20th century. I’m unsure of the neighborhood name, but this atypical typical block is representative of many neighborhoods in this section of town built at around the same time. There is no cross street dividing the 1700 and 1800 blocks.

* 1400 block of South Lincoln Avenue, Looking North from Leland Avenue: This tree-lined brick street is in one of Springfield’s rich neighborhoods, just to the south of Washington Park, on the west side of the city. Large, old houses and mansions are common in this neighborhood. The neighborhood was developed at around the turn of the 20th century. This shot looks north towards Washington Park, visible in the distance.

* Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon: This is in the western portion of Washington Park, a very large 280 acre west side park. It is one of the largest carillons in the world. It contains 67 bells and is over 12 stories tall. Concerts are held here during the summer and at Christmas time. The carillon was built in 1962.

* Washington Park Gazebo: This is in the eastern portion of Washington Park, near the Lincoln Avenue/South Grand Avenue intersection. It’s surrounded by lots of trees, and a grassy open area. Events are sometimes held here.

* Lake Springfield: This 8-square-mile lake is located on the southeastern edge of the city. The southern and eastern shores of the lake are outside of the city and are still largely undeveloped. The lake is surrounded by parks, and it has beaches, a zoo, and a large nature center (Lincoln Memorial Gardens) along its shores. This shot was taken from Spaulding Dam on the north shore of the lake. It was a nice day to take a picture of the lake, and I got a boater in the picture.

* Skyline from the 800 block of East Madison Street: Taken facing the Old State Capitol, you can also see the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, the State Capitol, the Myers Building, and the Illinois Building from here. I think the fall color made this shot more vibrant than it would have been if it was taken in the summer.

* Lincoln Statue on Lincoln Tomb Upper Deck: This is the oldest Lincoln statue in Springfield. It was dedicated in 1874, when the Lincoln Tomb was finished. It depicts Abraham Lincoln emancipating the slaves, with his arm outstretched and holding a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. Since one of the things that made me a Lincoln admirer is emancipation, it is one of my favorite Lincoln statues in the city. Because the statue is up so high, you can see more detail in the picture than you can with your eyes alone.

* Governor’s Mansion: This beautiful Georgian mansion, located on the block bounded by 4th, 5th, Jackson, and Edwards Streets, was built in 1855, and is the 3rd largest governor’s mansion in the country. The grounds of the mansion are beautifully landscaped with trees and fountains. Joel Matteson was the first governor to reside here. Lincoln attended many events here. The mansion is open for tours and it contains several Lincoln-related artifacts, including paintings and a sculpture.

* Brinkerhoff Home: This is a big, beautiful house on the north end near Lincoln Park, on the Springfield College campus. It was built in 1869. The home is surrounded by lots of trees and sits at the top of a big hill. Events related to Springfield history occur here.

* Lincoln Tomb: The final resting place of Abraham Lincoln. It is located in Oak Ridge Cemetery, a large, beautiful, peaceful 365-acre cemetery on the north end. It is the largest cemetery in Illinois and the second most visited in the country. The Tomb itself is 117 feet tall. It was designed by Larkin Mead of Vermont. Outside is the famous bust where people love to rub Lincoln’s nose, and it contains a statue of Lincoln and four statues depicting the Civil War on its upper deck. There are 50 state shields carved into the tomb, in the order in which they came into the Union. Inside the tomb are 9 “statuettes” of Abraham Lincoln, which are all replicas of Lincoln statues elsewhere. In addition to Mr. Lincoln, Mary and the Lincolns’ sons Willie, Tad, and Eddie are buried here. Robert is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

* 1200 block of North Monument Avenue, Looking North from North Grand Avenue: This shot represents the Oak Ridge neighborhood on the north end, north of Enos Park. It is a middle class neighborhood built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This street is a tree-lined boulevard with historic streetlights and brick landscaping that leads into Oak Ridge Cemetery.

* Inside the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices: This picture was taken in the law office of Lincoln and Herndon in the back of the Tinsley Building on the third floor. This office was used by Lincoln from about 1849 to 1853.

* It Will Become All One Thing: At the intersection of 1st Street and North Grand Avenue on the north end, there is a small park with benches and a large wooden sign with this unifying quote from Abraham Lincoln’s House Divided speech. The sign is visible as you are going south down Monument towards North Grand Avenue (away from Oak Ridge Cemetery). The area around this small, but beautiful, park contains many big trees, which are visible in the background.

* State Capitol Rotunda: Taken inside the State Capitol facing straight up into the rotunda from the 1st floor. Pretty, isn’t it?

* Inside the Old State Capitol: This picture was taken inside Representatives Hall where Lincoln served in the Legislature. The desk with the hat on it is where Lincoln sat. The desk itself isn’t the actual desk that Lincoln sat at, that is on display in the north side of the room (not in the photo). Lincoln gave his famous “House Divided” speech (among others) underneath the big portrait of George Washington in the center of the room. Today, this room and the Old State Capitol itself is often used for Lincoln-related events. The entire Old State Capitol is open for tours.

* Inside Lincoln’s Home: I had to take two tours of the home to get this shot properly. It can be difficult when you have to stay at the pace of the tour and there are lots of people on the tour. It was taken inside the formal parlor on the north side of Lincoln’s home, which was used for formal events, like when the Republican delegation from Chicago came and told him he had won the 1860 Republican nomination for President. Many of the items in this room (like the couch, and the portable writing desk) are items Lincoln owned.

* Lincoln Family Statue in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum Plaza: The ceremonial 88th shot. I took it on Monday. I always do this one last, it seems like a fitting tribute to Lincoln and Springfield for finishing the project. This life-size statue of Lincoln and his family (including Mary, Willie, Tad, and Robert) inside the central plaza of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum is a popular picture-taking spot for tourists. Eddie is not included in the statue since we do not know what he looked like. Behind the Lincolns, a replica of the White House is visible.

The final 23 shots:

Skyline from the 500 block of East Madison Street	900 block of South 2nd Street, Looking South from Canedy Street
500 block of South Walnut Street, Looking South from Governor Street	Lincoln Totem Pole
Skyline from Douglas Park	1500 block of South 4th Street, Looking North from Spruce Street
1800 block of South State Street, Looking South	1400 block of South Lincoln Avenue, Looking North from Leland Avenue
Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon	Washington Park Gazebo
Lake Springfield	Skyline from the 800 block of East Madison Street
Lincoln Statue on Lincoln Tomb Upper Deck	Governor's Mansion
Brinkerhoff Home	Lincoln Tomb
1200 block of North Monument Avenue, Looking North from North Grand Avenue	Inside the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices
It Will Become All One Thing	State Capitol Rotunda
Inside the Old State Capitol	Inside Lincoln's Home
Lincoln Family Statue in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum Plaza

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The 21 new pictures since the last post on this are:

* Union Square Park: This downtown park, popular with tourists, is across 6th Street from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, which you can see in the distance. It takes up almost an entire city block; Union Station takes up the northern portion of the block, the park takes up the rest. Many Lincoln-related events take place at this park.

* Lincoln Square Apartments: Luxury apartments in a great downtown location. I toured one of these once on the downtown Upper Story Tour, and they are very nice. Maybe someday I’ll live here. The building was built in 1984, though it looks much older than that. It emulates its historic downtown surroundings, as if it’s been there since Lincoln’s time. I took the photo from the 5th/Monroe intersection and captured some of the vibrancy surrounding it.

* (Benjamin) Edwards Place: This mansion in the Enos Park neighborhood is the oldest home still on its original foundation in Springfield. It was built in 1833. It was home to Benjamin Edwards, Ninian Edwards’ brother. The Lincolns were married at Ninian Edwards’ home which was on the 500 block of South 2nd Street where the Centennial/Howlett Building is now. However, the Lincolns visited the Benjamin Edwards home many times and the home was a focal point for activity during Lincoln’s time. The home is open to the public for tours and the Springfield Art Association (which owns the home) occupies an annex.

* Lincoln Park Pavilion: This is in Lincoln Park, a large, beautiful Northend park in a historic neighborhood encompassing over 150 acres. The pavilion in this park looks like an old stone country home on top of a big hill. It is located in the southern portion of the park, and you can see it from the little park road once you get into the park from the southeast entrance near 5th and Black. I took the photo from the grass “staircase” across the park lagoon from the pavilion. I wanted to capture the rural feel of the pavilion in this picture.

* Lincoln Bust at Lincoln Tomb: This is the one where everybody wants to rub his nose. It’s supposed to bring you good luck, and Lincoln’s nose is all shiny from all the rubbing. The bust was sculpted by Gutzon Borglum, who also did busts of Lincoln on Mt. Rushmore, in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and in the U.S. Capitol. I took this photo at sunset since I feel it captures the mood of the Lincoln Tomb nicely.

* 400 block of South 8th Street, Looking South from Capitol Avenue: This historic tree-lined street is in the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, preserved to its 1860 appearance. The Lincoln Home itself is visible down the street to your left. It was very difficult to get this shot without people in it.

* Lincoln School: I thought I’d do a school for this project, since a lot of Springfield’s school buildings are historic and have character. I chose this one since not only is it historic, it’s named after Lincoln. It’s located in the Pioneer Park neighborhood. The picture was shot from the 12th/Capitol intersection. This is the only shot in the project that I did on a cloudy day, but I think the clouds made it interesting.

* 700 block of North 5th Street, Looking North from Miller Street: This shot represents the Enos Park neighborhood, a diverse neighborhood just north of downtown. This neighborhood contains many Lincoln-era homes and lots of big trees and large, old colorful houses. There’s lots of character in this neighborhood. This block contains some beautiful old rowhouses, called the Enos Flats, visible on the right side of the street. Also visible are a couple of large brick homes, and a mixture of other historic homes.

* Lincoln Park Bridge: This stone bridge in Lincoln Park is over a century old. It spans the park lagoon, which contains beautiful waterfalls and fountains. It leads into a forest, where a path leads up a giant “grass staircase”. I took a picture of the bridge from opposite the staircase, with the forest visible in the distance behind the lagoon. The bridge has “LINCOLN” and “PARK” carved into the posts at this end (the end opposite the “grass staircase”), visible in the picture.

* State Fairgrounds Main Entrance: This is on 11th Street, at its intersection with Sangamon Avenue. There’s a large statue of Lincoln as a railsplitter just inside the gate. This isn’t my favorite Lincoln sculpture in Springfield (I always thought it was kind of tacky), but it’s still a representation of Lincoln and deserves to be included. I love getting the evening light on this shot – it’s as if the fair is about to begin.

* Adams Street Mall, looking West from 6th Street: Also known as the Old State Capitol Plaza, this busy brick pedestrian mall, which forms the south side of the square, is often used for outdoor events. I took the photo during one of these. The shops and restaurants that line the Adams Street Mall are visible to the left.

* 200 block of South 6th Street, Looking South from Adams Street: This busy downtown block is lined with a variety of shops and restaurants. The Tinsley Building, which contains the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, is visible on the right. To capture the vibrant urban feel I took the picture with people walking down the street.

* 1100 block of South Grand Avenue East, Looking East from 11th Street: This is in Old South Town, a quirky “mini-downtown” district on the near east side that is currently being revitalized. The district is about one mile southeast of downtown. The South Town theater marquee in this district is the oldest theater marquee in Illinois, dating from the 1910s.

* Skyline from 5th and Capitol: The harmony and contrast between nature and the city is visible in this shot. Through the trees, you can see buildings that punctuate the Springfield skyline. Down below, you can see the street, and people walking along it.

* 100 block of North 6th Street, Looking North from Washington Street: The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library is the edifice that occupies much of the right (east) side of this block, towards the end of it. On the west side of this block, there are shops and restaurants. This block is often busy with tourists and other people milling about. I tried to capture some of this in the shot.

* Skyline from Comer Cox Park: This is a large 40-acre park on the east side, along M.L. King Drive between Capitol Avenue and Washington Street. You can see parts of the skyline from it. The Pioneer Park neighborhood lies between this park and downtown.

* Vachel Lindsay Home: This Lincoln-era home on the 600 block of South 5th Street was home to Springfield poet Vachel Lindsay, who lived here from 1879 until 1931. The home is restored to its appearance during that time. This is also known as the C.M. Smith home, for the name of Lincoln’s brother-in-law, who lived here during Lincoln’s time. The home is owned by the state and is open to the public.

* First Presbyterian Church: This is the church that the Lincolns attended (though Lincoln was never an official member of the church). When Lincoln lived in Springfield, the church was located at 3rd and Washington. It was moved to this location at 7th and Capitol in the 1870s. The new church building incorporates some elements from the old one, though (such as the stained-glass windows). The pew the Lincolns rented is on display here.

* Pasfield House: This large historic house in the Pasfield House neighborhood, just to the west of the State Capitol, functions as a B&B now. It’s not Lincoln-era (it was built in 1896), but it’s still beautiful. As a nice added touch, there is a large color cutout of Abraham Lincoln waving at you from the front porch. I love it and I made sure to capture it in the picture.

* Lincoln Tower Apartments: This large apartment building is conveniently located near the State Capitol. Even though it’s a more modern building, I felt the need to include it as it is another major “downtown living” apartment complex.

* State Library: This beautiful building on the northeast corner of 2nd and Capitol is located across the street from the State Capitol. It houses the State Archives (different from the collection that the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library has, which is the Illinois State Historical Library). The names along the top of the building are the names of prominent Illinois authors, writers, and educators.

The 21 new pictures:

Union Square Park	Lincoln Square Apartments
Edwards Place	Lincoln Park Pavilion
Lincoln Bust at Lincoln Tomb	400 block of South 8th Street, Looking South from Capitol Avenue
Lincoln School	700 block of North 5th Street, Looking North from Miller Street
Lincoln Park Bridge	State Fairgrounds Main Entrance
Adams Street Mall, Looking West from 6th Street	200 block of South 6th Street, Looking South from Adams Street
1100 block of South Grand Avenue East, Looking East from 11th Street	Skyline from 5th and Capitol
100 block of North 6th Street, Looking North from Washington Street	Skyline from Comer Cox Park
Vachel Lindsay Home	First Presbyterian Church
Pasfield House	Lincoln Tower Apartments
State Library

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The design is entitled, “Back to Springfield”. I wanted to portray Lincoln as if he came back to his hometown for his 200th birthday this year. I always thought it’d be neat if Lincoln was around to witness the 200th year of his life. This inspired me to base the design on the last known photographic portrait of him taken on February 5, 1865. To represent Lincoln coming back to Springfield, I wanted him to be standing in front of a recognizable modern Springfield landmark he would be proud of, so I chose his museum. Since Lincoln is a figure to be celebrated, particularly during the year of his Bicentennial, I wanted to create a celebratory mood. The fireworks idea just kind of came to me after that and after all the other pieces fell into place.

This was my first full-color design, so I didn’t know how well it was going to turn out at the beginning. When I got done with it, I knew it was going to be awesome. Because this shirt turned out so well and has been such a great success so far, I plan on keeping the picture used in this design around for next year, but next year’s shirt will mention something other than the Bicentennial, so get yours while they last!

Enjoy the shirts!

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* Lincoln Statue in the Southeast Corner of Union Square Park: I took this one on a cloudy day last week to make it look like a storm was coming, since the statue is supposed to represent Lincoln just before he left Springfield to assume the Presidency in Washington. The train station adds to the effect (even though the station he left from was, of course, at 10th and Monroe and Union Station didn’t exist yet). I had a lot of trouble getting the light level right on this one.

* City Hall: Taken in the evening. It was kind of cloudy the day I took it, so I had my camera adjusted for the cloudiness. At the last minute, right when I was down to one picture left on my memory card, the sun came through the clouds and illuminated the building. I quickly took the last picture and it turned out beautiful.

* Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum: I decided I didn’t want to get any of the light poles in the picture, so I took it close up. Of course, you can’t get the whole building that way, but you can create neat effects. I took the picture so that it resembles the logo for the museum. I like the way the sun is shining on it, too.

* South Side of the Square: I love taking a picture of this at sunset. The sun illuminates all of the historic buildings on the south side of the square, causing them to “glow” and creating a very colorful picture.

* Horace Mann Building: Shot from 9th and Jefferson. I like to get a bit of the skyline in back of this one. I also took it in the evening, so that you can see the lights on in the building. I’ve always thought that this building is a good example of modern steel-and-glass architecture.

* Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library: Like the shot of the Museum, I took this one close up, focusing down the 6th Street side of the building. In past years I’ve taken this picture in the daytime, but this year I arrived at the building in the twilight as the sun was setting, and decided to see if I could take a decent picture. I was able to pull it off and capture some neat lighting effects created by the lights in the sidewalk that run along the edge of the building.

* City Hall Fountain West: At night this fountain (at the corner of 7th and Monroe) lights up in gorgeous red and blue colors. I took it at night to capture this effect.

* St. Nicholas Hotel: This building at 4th and Jefferson has a lot of history. Lincoln sat for sculptor Thomas D. Jones on the 4th floor of this building in 1861, just before he went to Washington. Douglas also frequented this hotel. Today it is an apartment building that houses the Caitie Girl’s restaurant on the first floor. (It’s a neat place if you haven’t been there.) I captured the hotel in the evening (including the annex to the south on 4th street) as people were walking into the building.

Pictures from the last week:

Lincoln Statue in the Southeast Corner of Union Square Park	City Hall
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum	South Side of the Square
Horace Mann Building	Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
City Hall Fountain West (at 7th and Monroe)	St. Nicholas Hotel

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The new design (pictured), which has already been a big success here in Springfield, features a color Abraham Lincoln standing in front of his awesome Presidential Museum, with colorful fireworks in the background. It’s as if Lincoln came back to Springfield to celebrate his 200th birthday. I made the shirt specifically to celebrate the Lincoln Bicentennial. Because so many people like it, I’ll probably keep selling it in the future. Since it’s still 2009, the gold text on these (below the picture) still mentions the Bicentennial, but next year’s will have something else there, so get yours while it lasts.

The T-shirts will be available in red, blue, and black. They will be 100% cotton, made-in-the-USA T-shirts. I don’t think that Lincoln would approve of sweatshop labor any more than he approved of slavery, so I always try to have my T-shirts made responsibly. And of course, they are designed by me and printed right here in Mr. Lincoln’s Home Town. I hope you like the shirt!

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