Abraham and Mary Lincoln’s house in Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

TOUR TICKETS

The main attraction at Lincoln Home National Historic Site is of course Abraham and Mary Lincoln’s house where they lived from 1844 until departing for Washington, D. C., in 1861 when Lincoln was elected President of the United States. The only way to see the inside of the house is on a guided tour given by a park Ranger or volunteer. The tour is free, but you must get a ticket at the Visitor Center in order to attend.

Lincoln House tours are given almost constantly throughout the day, but only 15 people are allowed on each one. During the summer, particularly on the weekends, tickets are often gone by 2 PM for the last tour at 4:30 PM. I arrived at 12 PM on a Saturday in August—as busy as the park gets, according to a Ranger—and was able to get a ticket on the 1 PM tour, but only because I was by myself. The family behind me couldn’t get a ticket until 2 PM, a two-hour wait. While you can watch the park film (30 minutes) and walk around the Historical Village (1 hour) while you wait, killing two hours or more at the park is impossible for most people (be sure to drive to Lincoln’s Tomb if you run out of things to do). As with any activity that requires a first-come, first-served ticket, the earlier you arrive, the quicker you’ll get into Lincoln’s house.

Groups of 15 or more people must make a reservation in advance to see the house. Reservations are made through the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. For tours in April, May, and October—prime school group season—it is recommended that you make a reservation six months in advance.

The tour of the Lincoln House lasts 45 minutes, though only a half hour is spent inside the house. The tour begins in Theater 2 of the Visitor Center. The guide gives basic information and tour rules, and then the group walks down the street to the house.

The tour covers two floors. There is a wheelchair lift for accessing the first floor (parlor, sitting room, and dining room), but accessing the second floor requires climbing stairs. Those who cannot do so must exit the house when the group heads upstairs. Motorized wheelchairs, scooters, and Segways are not allowed in the house. The National Park Service does have standard wheelchairs for guests who need one. If you require using the wheelchair lift, please inform a Ranger when getting your ticket.

Abraham and Mary Lincoln’s house in Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

LINCOLN HOUSE

The house in Springfield is the only house Abraham and Mary Lincoln ever owned. They purchased it in 1844 from the Reverend Charles Dresser, the preacher who married them in November 1842, and they lived there for seventeen years before moving to Washington, D. C. in 1861 when Abraham was elected president. Prior to the purchase, they stayed in a boarding house. Their sons Edward, William, and Thomas (aka Tad) were born in the house (Robert, the oldest son, was born in the boarding house). Edward died in 1850 just shy of his fourth birthday, and his funeral was held in the parlor.

Dresser built the house in 1839. It was much smaller than it is today: a one-and-a-half story cottage consisting of only two rooms downstairs, a loft, and a kitchen. The Lincolns added a full second floor in 1855-56.

Model of the Lincoln’s house in Springfield when it was purchased in 1844, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

The Lincolns left Springfield twice, once from 1847 to 1849 when Abraham was elected to the United States Congress and again when he was elected president. During these times they rented out their Springfield house. In fact, the house remained in the family even after Abraham died, and it was still used as a rental. Mary was too heartbroken to return to Springfield, so she, Robert, and Tad moved to Chicago. William had died from typhoid fever in 1862 at age 11 while the Lincolns were living in the White House.

Robert, the only son who lived into adulthood (Tad died in 1871 at the age of 18), took over managerial duties of the house and rented it out for 22 years before donating it 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 it. This is why today there is no fee for the house tour, but there is a fee for parking. Robert didn’t mention parking, which didn’t even exist back in 1887. If the government can’t get you one way, it will get you another.

In 1972, the National Park Service acquired the house for the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. The house was restored between 1987 and 1988.

When the Lincolns moved to Washington, they sold a lot of their furniture. Over the years, their descendants who acquired pieces or the people who purchased some have donated much of it back to the park. Today, about 60 percent of the furniture in the house is original.

FIRST FLOOR

FORMAL PARLOR

The parlor was the most finely decorated room in the house, and it was off limits to the children. The marble table, most of the seating, and the candelabrum on the mantel belonged to the Lincolns. The carpet and wallpaper are not original to the room, but the patterns are of the time period.

Parlor of the Lincoln House in Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

SITTING ROOM

The sitting room was used as the main family room. The game table and chairs are original. The brown box on the game table is a stereoscope that was used to view 3D images, similar to the modern View-Master that was first manufactured in 1939, and is still made today. The stereoscope did belong to the Lincolns. The cost was $23 when they bought it in 1857 ($700 today). A new View-Master costs $10.

Sitting room of the Lincoln’s house in Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

DINING ROOM

The dining room table was definitely owned by the Lincolns. It is probable that the serving / card table under the mirror, the dining room chairs, and the sideboard are all original pieces. All of these furnishings were donated back to the house by various people who have credible ties to the Lincolns.

Dining room in the Lincoln House in Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

KITCHEN

The stove in the kitchen is original to the Lincoln House. It was purchased in June 1860, a month after Abraham was nominated for President of the United States by the Republican Party. No other furnishings in the room are original.

Kitchen in the Lincoln House in Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

SECOND FLOOR

GUEST BEDROOM

All of the furniture in the guest bedroom belonged to the Lincolns. The bed is the only original bed in the house.

Guest Bedroom in the Lincoln House in Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S BEDROOM

When the upper floor was added to the house in 1855-56, Abraham and Mary designed it so that they had separate bedrooms. In Abraham’s room today are his original wardrobe, dresser, and desk. The bed is a period piece. When the Lincolns rented their house upon moving to Washington, the new tenant purchased Lincoln’s bed and some other furniture. However, he later moved to Chicago and lost everything in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

The wallpaper is a reproduction of the original. During the renovation of the house in 1987-88, a piece of the wallpaper was found. There is an existing record of Mary Lincoln’s purchase of the wallpaper from France. From the original swatch, the pattern was found and recreated for the house.

Original dresser and desk of Abraham Lincoln on display in his bedroom, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

MARY LINCOLN’S BEDROOM

The oldest piece of furniture in the house is the dresser in Mary Lincoln’s room. This belonged to her when she lived in Kentucky (where she was born).

In addition to Mary, her two youngest sons, William and Tad, slept in the room on a trundle bed. The oldest son, Robert, had his own room.

Mary Lincoln’s bedroom, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Mary Lincoln’s bedroom, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

ROBERT LINCOLN’S BEDROOM

When the upper floor edition was completed, Robert was the only son who got his own room. When he moved away for school in 1859, William and Tad moved into it.

Robert Lincoln’s bedroom, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

HIRED STAFF’S ROOM

The Lincolns always had a female servant working for them. She was paid a salary and was given meals and a small room on the second floor. Most employees were teenage girls from immigrant families.

The flooring in the room is original, and it is the only original flooring in the house.

Hired staff’s bedroom, Lincoln Home National Historic Site

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