Presidential House Visit: Springfield Redux

Abraham Lincoln Home
Springfield, IL

I was a little nervous to see the Abraham Lincoln Home in Springfield again. What if it was totally different from how I remembered it? What if it was a big disappointment?

I shouldn't have worried. It was completely different from how I remembered, but it was also a much richer experience. Having seen the Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home so recently, I had a different perspective and a deeper understanding of what this house meant for Abraham Lincoln.

The formal parlor

For one thing, the size must have been a welcome relief. In the cabin where he grew up, the ceilings were too low for his 6'4" frame, and he would have had to crouch to fit. In his home in Springfield, the ceilings are are all twelve feet high. Walking through the house, I could imagine him finally being able to be comfortable in his own home. He had enough room at last.

Abraham Lincoln's Original Writing Desk

Wardrobe possibly made by Lincoln's father

Lincoln's Bed

Another surprise for me on the tour was the focus on Mary Lincoln, as they refer to her at the site. History has been harsh on Mrs. Lincoln, but the home she made for her family is stylish and comfortable, but not ostentatious. Also, I was surprised to learn that Mary did all the cooking for the family herself in the well-equipped kitchen. I always thought of her as a spoiled, difficult woman, but the evidence at Springfield contradicted that assessment.

Mrs. Lincoln's Bed

Kitchen where Mrs. Lincoln did her cooking

The historical neighborhood

While I was in Springfield, I also stopped by Abraham Lincoln's tomb. I was pleasantly surprised to find it much as I remembered it, although now you can no longer go up to the balcony section.

Lincoln's Tomb

But what I was most excited to see at Oak Ridge Cemetery was the John R. Tanner mausoleum. It is still there, in all its beehive glory, although things were not exactly as I remembered it. The grave we thought belonged to John R. tanner's second wife was actually that of his daughter-in-law (the mistake was easy to make considering the words "Wife of John R. Tanner" are emblazoned on the tombstone). His actual second wife was only 11 years younger than him, which is not nearly as large an age difference as my dad had thought. 

John R. Tanner Mausoleum

Daughter-in-law of John R. Tanner (not trophy wife)

Second wife of John R. Tanner, Edith English Tanner

I'm glad I came back to Springfield. I felt like I came away knowing more about Lincoln and the life he chose for himself.