A Lincoln Field Trip, 1951

abraham lincoln lived most of his life in illinois this field trip is to points of importance in lincoln's life there a good starting point for a field trip is a there are museum different kinds of museums this museum deals with history in it are many things that played a part in the history of our country this room is devoted to the story of abraham lincoln here are many of the things that he owned documents books and even clothes in another room is a series of dioramas model scenes which depict incidents in lincoln's life when lincoln was a boy his family lived in kentucky they were poor and their home was a log cabin like many other settlers the family moved west as they crossed a river in wintertime lincoln's dog fell in the river and young abe walked through the ice to rescue him by 1832 when lincoln was 23 he had lived in new salem illinois for two years at this time he owned a general store in partnership with william berry this diorama shows in great detail the things that lincoln sold the village of new salem has been entirely reconstructed and it is possible now to visit it and see how the early settlers lived this is another kind of museum here is the store that lincoln ran inside the store is filled with goods of the period on the shelves are bolts of cloth chinaware clocks buckets on the other side of the store carpenter's tools and farming equipment across the village street was the tavern owned by anne rutledge's father in those days a tavern was simply a hotel in which travelers rested on their journey the most important room served as kitchen dining room living room and even bedroom up to this time lincoln had had less than one year schooling he became friendly with henry onstart a cooper or barrel maker and in the evenings lincoln read by the light of onstart's fire which he replenished from time to time with the wood shavings from the floor the people of new salem began to move away and dr renyer moved from his log cabin at new salem to petersburg four miles away his home is now used as the petersburg city hall lincoln so educated himself that he was able to be elected to the illinois house of representatives in 1834 he began to study law he began practice two years later and in another year he moved to springfield in lincoln's time the old state house was only two stories high since then a ground floor and a dome have been added in those days the center of springfield's activity was the square in which the courthouse stood and round about it can be found many of the sites of buildings important in lincoln's life on the south side of the square was the cm smith store where lincoln wrote the first inaugural address at 103 south 5th street stood joshua's speed store this was where lincoln lived when he first came to springfield in the next block north on 5th street were the offices of stewart and lincoln the first law firm with which lincoln was associated on the north side of the square was the office which lincoln chaired as junior partner in the law firm of logan and lincoln long narrow windows such as these were in this building in lincoln's day one of lincoln's closest friends was ninian edwards his son's home in 14 acres of ugly lawns was the social center of the city lincoln's second law partner stephen t logan lived in a home at this intersection springfield is the capital of illinois the governor's mansion is a lovely white tree shaded building the centennial building commemorating illinois's first 100 years of statehood is on the site of ninion edward's home where lincoln was married the state capitol building dominates the city its dome can be seen from any direction lincoln was a member of the state house of representatives from 1834 to 1842 in these years he gained much experience in politics and law his statue at the front of the walk of the capitol building depicts him at this time a young man in his thirties already an important person in the politics of illinois up to this time his life had been hard he had had to meet many obstacles and was not always successful he ran against stephen a douglas for the united states senate and was defeated although lincoln lost the election his debates with douglas during the campaign made him a figure of national importance in beardstown some 60 miles away lincoln spoke in the square during the lincoln douglas debates on the south side of the square is the town hall and courtroom here was tried the famous almanac case with lincoln defending during one of his appearances in beardstown before the circuit court lincoln was a successful lawyer and it was possible for him to move to the white house on the corner of 8th and jackson the house was originally one and a half stories high lincoln had the second story added in 1856 here lived lincoln and his family three of his sons were born here inside behind the stairs was the dining room the drawing room has been refurbished with the kind of things that the lincoln's might have had it was before this fireplace that lincoln received the delegation who invited him to accept the republican nomination for president of the united states we can imagine what must have occurred and this diorama of the scene provides an illustration during his campaign lincoln followers crowded the streets around his house wishing him well and urging success after his election lincoln said goodbye to his springfield friends from the platform of the train as it stood in the station it was a cold day and he wore the familiar shawl around his shoulders the station still stands although now it is used only for freight springfield with its many sites of historic importance is a living museum of lincoln history occasionally temporary museums can be found the illinois state fair is held each year in springfield in the illinois building a kind of museum could be found many historical objects that illustrate the way of life in illinois many years ago are on display here is the piano that once stood in the drawing room of ninion edward's home and was played at lincoln's wedding lincoln was inaugurated as president of the united states on march 4th 1861. he was reelected for a second term a month later eleven days before the close of the civil war lincoln was shot by john wilkes booth at ford theater the following day on april 15 1865 lincoln died lincoln's body was brought back to springfield which had been his home for so many years he is buried in oak ridge cemetery his tomb is a solemn memorial dedicated to his struggle to ensure the unity of the country through a government of the people and for the people which should also be by the people the monument to lincoln bears bronze figures commemorating the civil war which was a bloody part of this struggle to all the different kinds of lincoln museums come many thousands of visitors to learn through this experience more of the history of their country lincoln's greatness is commemorated not only in oak ridge in springfield but also in the great memorial in washington this diorama is a model of the washington memorial the different kinds of museums concerning lincoln have provided the material for a lincoln field trip there is no end to the variety of field trips that can be made museums can be found in a multitude of forms buildings cities reconstructed towns wildlife preserves industries temporary exhibits and in the memories of living people what kind of field trip would you like to make and how would you go about it you