PARK AT A GLANCE
Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois, preserves the only house that Abraham and Mary Lincoln owned. The house was purchased in 1844, two years after their marriage. They lived in the house until moving to Washington D. C. in 1861 when Lincoln was elected president. The house remained in the family and was used as a rental property after Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865. Mary and sons Robert and Thomas moved to Chicago, for Mary was too heartbroken to return to their Springfield home.
Robert, the Lincolns’ only son who lived into adulthood, donated the house to the state of Illinois in 1887 under the conditions that the state maintain the house and that no entrance fee would ever be charged for people to tour the house. The state turned it over to the National Park Service in 1972 for the creation of Lincoln Home National Historic Site.
During the 1970s, the National Park Service acquired the four blocks surrounding the Lincoln House. Any building that was not standing in 1860 or could not be restored back to its 1860s appearance was torn down. Thirty or so original home lots are now part of the park, and 15 of the lots have houses that existed when Abraham Lincoln lived in Springfield. Most are now used as offices, but three are open to the public, and each has exhibits inside that cover different topics.
The main activity at the park is touring the Lincoln House, and the only way to get inside is on a guided tour given by a park Ranger or volunteer. The tour is free, but participants must get a ticket at the Visitor Center in order to attend. On a busy day, waits of two to three hours are not uncommon. During this time, visitors can watch a 25-minute film about Lincoln’s time in Springfield and walk around the historical village.
Though not part of Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Lincoln’s Tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery is just a 2.5-mile drive away. The tomb is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. Allow a half hour for a visit.
OPERATING HOURS
The Visitor Center and Lincoln Home are open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. Tours of the house run constantly.
The Dean and Arnold houses, the two other houses at the park where visitors are welcome inside, are open daily from 9 AM to 4:30 PM.
The grounds of the Historical Village are open from dawn until sunset year-round.
Keep in mind that times can always change, so be sure to get the latest schedule on the National Park Service’s Operating Hours and Seasons web page for Lincoln Home National Historic Site.
FEES
There is no fee to enter Lincoln Home National Historic Site or to tour the Lincoln House. There is a $2 / hour parking fee. No cash is accepted. The fee is paid when exiting the parking lot. While Robert Lincoln stipulated no fee for touring the house, he didn’t say anything about parking fees—which didn’t even exist in 1887.
SCHEDULING YOUR TIME
Visitor Center
allow 30 to 45 minutes
House Tour
allow 45 minutes (not including possible wait time)
Historical Village
allow up to 1 hour
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Last updated on December 2, 2024