Lincoln’s Springfield neighborhood at Lincoln Home National Historic Site
The National Park Service acquired the Lincoln House from the state of Illinois in 1972, and four years later it began purchasing property surrounding the house, eventually owning four blocks (12 acres). Any building that was not standing in 1860 or could not be restored back to its 1860s appearance was torn down. This included a modern Piggly Wiggly grocery store, a souvenir store, and a house next to the Lincoln House that was in poor condition and considered a fire hazard. 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.
Rosenwald and Beddle houses at Lincoln Home National Historic Site
Shutt and Dubois houses at Lincoln Home National Historic Site
Walking around the historic village is a great way to spend time while waiting for a tour of the Lincoln House, which on a busy summer weekend can be up to three hours. There are a dozen wayside exhibits on the grounds that discuss aspects of Abraham and Mary Lincoln’s life in Springfield and that give details about the various houses.
Wayside exhibit in front of Abraham and Mary Lincoln’s house in Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln Home National Historic Site
Most of the houses now standing are used for offices. However, there are three that are open to the public, and each has exhibits inside that cover a different topic. See the following web pages for more information on these houses and their exhibits.
Corneau House
This house was not open when I visited. The exhibits cover Abraham and Mary’s neighbors.
Corneau House at Lincoln Home National Historic Site
If you have a long wait for your tour of the Lincoln House to begin, you can kill an hour to perhaps an hour and a half exploring the neighborhood at Lincoln Home National Historic Site if you read all the information in the Dean, Arnold, and Corneau houses. If you have a longer wait than that, you’ll need to find something else to bide the time.
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Last updated on May 5, 2025
