Places of interest

Springfield has several sites and buildings connected with the life of President Lincoln. The Old State Capitol, built from 1837 to 1853, served as the center of government from 1839 to 1876. It was rebuilt in the 1960s as a state historic site. Lincoln delivered one of his most famous speeches there in which he said: “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe the government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free.”

Lincoln's house was restored and designated a national historic site in 1971. His law offices and the Globe Tavern, where his first inaugural speech was written, are marked with bronze plaques. Lincoln's Tomb is in the Oak Ridge Cemetery, northwest of the city; his wife, Mary, and their sons Edward, Willie, and Tad are also buried there.

Another site of historical importance is the Centennial Building, constructed between 1918 and 1923 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the statehood of Illinois. The State House, built from 1868 to 1888, is 361 feet (110 meters) high at the top of its dome. Camp Butler National Cemetery is the site of a former Civil War prison camp. The Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War have their headquarters and a memorial museum in Springfield. The home of poet Vachel Lindsay is also preserved as a museum.

Every August Springfield hosts the Illinois State Fair, which was started in 1893. The educational institutions in the city include the University of Illinois at Springfield, founded in 1969 as Sangamon State University; Springfield College in Illinois, established in 1929; and the Lincoln Land Community College, established in 1968.

Economy

Springfield is a wholesale and retail center for corn (maize), wheat, soybean, and livestock produced in and around the city. It is one of the richest crop-farming and livestock-raising areas in the United States. Products manufactured in Springfield include industrial tractors, garage equipment, electric meters and electronic equipment, brick and concrete products, and paints. The city is the national headquarters of several insurance companies. Tourism contributes significantly to the economy of the city.

History

Elisha Kelly, the first settler, built a cabin in about 1818 on what is now the corner of Klein and Jefferson streets in Springfield. The city had a population of less than 3,000 when the seat of government was transferred there from Vandalia in 1837. Lincoln moved to Springfield from New Salem on April 15, 1837, and lived there until he became president in 1861. Population (2000 census), 111,454.