Over the next couple of weeks we will begin releasing details for the next Springfield Tour.
This also means I need to finish uploading my pictures from last year's trip.

This year will be our 5th annual trip, so mark your calendar and plan on joining us for this Thursday, October 12 through Sunday, October 15.
We also plan to go somewhere we have not visited on previous trips. More on that later

We do plan on also visiting New Salem. Joe has written an excellent book about New Salem, so you have plenty of time to read it and it will make your visit more meaningful.

https://www.amazon.com/New-Salem-History...924&sr=1-7

More details to follow.

I have corrected the dates for the Springfield Tour in the above post to
Oct 12 through 15

(04-24-2017 08:43 AM)Gene C Wrote:  I have corrected the dates for the Springfield Tour in the above post to
Oct 12 through 15

I'll see if I can make it! I still have to schedule for fall semester, I'm sure my parents and professors won't mind me being away for a few days. I went out on my own for the first time to STL during intersession to get certified as an auctioneer.

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$375.60 roundtrip on United from my neck of the woods with a layover at Chicago O'Hare.

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I could fly another airline to Chicago and take Greyhound or Amtrak. Greyhound want $65 roundtrip. $196.38 roundtrip on Spirit. Southwest $325.96 roundtrip. American $325 roundtrip. Amtrak $37.80. Will finalize my plans and make a decision as to whether or not I'm going by Independence Day

This is the first of two installments of photo's from the 2016 Springfield Tour.
We had a light, on and off again, misty rain that lasted until early afternoon as we started our tour of some of the cemeteries in the New Salem - Petersburg area. It was a little cool as we started out, but not cold. I was very impressed with the care most these cemeteries are given. Joe was an excellent guide. Every time I go more of the pieces of history fall together and I get a better understanding of who did what and their involvement in Lincoln's life. As we all share what we have read and learned, our modern world takes a back seat to the world of Lincoln and the 1830's. In the small community of New Salem, friendships and neighbors take a more personal, intimate role than they seem to do today.

After reading Joe's "New Salem - A History of Lincoln's Alma Mater", I was surprised to see how many of his friends and neighbors were close to his own age. (within 10 years) We see photo's of many of these people in their 50's through their 70's with the faces worn by the years of hard living, and that's how I see them during Lincoln's time, but many of them were in their 20's and 30's when they all lived in New Salem.

Later that afternoon, Scott and I visited the Lincoln depot, as Joe and David had other appointments. We had the small place to ourselves, and it wasn't hard to image what is would have been like in Lincoln's day. It is a very nice building, very clean and polished. I imagine in the 1850's -1860's it was a bit more dusty, had the look and feel of an active railroad station and not a museum. The seating was wooden benches, not the most .
comfortable. Immediately next to the Lincoln Depot is the "Unfinished Mural". It would have been very nice had it been finished, but there is enough completed to give it a certain character and mystique.

That night after a great dinner we strolled through the Lincoln neighborhood. At this time of the year (early October) it's cool with hardly anyone else present. There is a unique feeling in the air, for a few moments you wish time travel were possible.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/105898294@N05/DQ6H0A

Unfortunately, Flickr has made some changes in the past year and it doesn't work as well as it used to.

Notes to photo's are in the lower left corner, use your mouse. Click to enlarge. Hope you enjoy, and consider joining us this year. More to follow.....

Great photos, Gene - especially of the Lincolns' Home!! Thanks for sharing!!

I second Eva. Thanks for sharing, Gene! It looks like the cabin in which Ann Rutledge died is now on someone's lawn?

They tore down the cabin and removed all trace of it to put up the sign.


Here is some more information from the Illinois Times about the "Unfinished Mural"
from September 2014.

http://illinoistimes.com/article-14420-m...uptus.html

Below is my final group of pictures for the Springfield Tour 2016

These are for the Lincoln Tomb and Oak Ridge Cemetery. It was cloudy with a misty rain, so most of the exterior pictures did not turn out well.
Inside the tomb, there are several statues of Lincoln at different stages of his life. None from his youthful years in Kentucky and Indiana. The lighting inside is somber, casting shadows which to me creating a respectful and thoughtful atmosphere of a man of great ability and character, who's life was cut short.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/105898294@...2678653074

At the end of the photo album, are a few pictures of the memorial for Roy Bertelli, Mr. Accordion. It seems Oak Ridge sold him this choice plot, and then regretted it. When they approached Mr. Bertelli about their mistake, they were not very tactful and angered Mr. Bertelli. It was then, that Mr. Bertelli had this memorial built.
After all that, Mr. Bertelli then decided to be buried instead at the local Veterans Cemetery, Camp Butler. His beloved accordion however, rests peacefully at Oak Ridge.
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/19409

Thanks, Gene! Previously I had never heard about Roy Bertelli.

Gene, enjoyed your account and photos of the 2016 tour. I spent 2 nights at a B&B at the end 8th & Edwards several years ago. It was early Spring and few people. I walked the neighborhood at varying hours both days. My favorite times were sunset into early evening. I so related to your experience when you said " That night after a great dinner we strolled through the Lincoln neighborhood. At this time of the year (early October) it's cool with hardly anyone else present. There is a unique feeling in the air, for a few moments you wish time travel were possible."

The only thing missing -Gene and Joe to share their expertise and other forum members who share a love of Lincoln.

One of these days I will make it for the tour. It's a little difficult to hop from CA to Springfield for a weekend but I haven't given up!

This years exciting tour begins Friday, Oct 13 in the Mattoon/Charleston area of Illinois where we will visit the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, which is the final home for Thomas and Sara Lincoln. Just down the road we will pay our respects to them at the Shiloh Cemetery.
http://lincolnlogcabin.org/

We will even stop at the Goosenest Prairie Gift Shop so you can purchase an official souvenir.

Over to Charleston is the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum, Dennis Hanks gravesite, Murals on the Square, at least two interesting bookstores, plus an interesting side attraction to be mentioned at a later time.

From there it's on to Springfield, where on Saturday morning we visit New Salem, featuring famous author (New Salem - A History of Lincoln's Alma Matter) and historian Joe Di Cola as our guide. There we can visit the site and learn the true story where Lincoln's friend Rowan Herndon accidently ? shot and killed his (Rowan's) wife.
Does her ghost still haunt the little village of New Salem?

But wait, there's still a lot more!
I haven't even mentioned the relaxed, informal dining experiences which are a highlight each year. Or the sites we plan on seeing that afternoon.

If interested, send me an email or private message and I can send you our planned schedule and more details. Don't wait to long, sometimes the motels fill up.

You can purchase a copy of Joe's book from Amazon or your favorite walk in bookstore.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Salem-History...ph+de+cola

Thanks, Gene!

Let me just add that Joe is also the author of another wonderful book: Chicago's 1893 World's Fair.

https://www.amazon.com/Chicagos-1893-Wor...la+chicago

(07-13-2017 10:52 AM)Gene C Wrote:  This years exciting tour begins Friday, Oct 13 in the Mattoon/Charleston area of Illinois where we will visit the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, which is the final home for Thomas and Sara Lincoln. Just down the road we will pay our respects to them at the Shiloh Cemetery.
http://lincolnlogcabin.org/

We will even stop at the Goosenest Prairie Gift Shop so you can purchase an official souvenir.

Over to Charleston is the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum, Dennis Hanks gravesite, Murals on the Square, at least two interesting bookstores, plus an interesting side attraction to be mentioned at a later time.

From there it's on to Springfield, where on Saturday morning we visit New Salem, featuring famous author (New Salem - A History of Lincoln's Alma Matter) and historian Joe Di Cola as our guide. There we can visit the site and learn the true story where Lincoln's friend Rowan Herndon accidently ? shot and killed his (Rowan's) wife.
Does her ghost still haunt the little village of New Salem?

But wait, there's still a lot more!
I haven't even mentioned the relaxed, informal dining experiences which are a highlight each year. Or the sites we plan on seeing that afternoon.

If interested, send me an email or private message and I can send you our planned schedule and more details. Don't wait to long, sometimes the motels fill up.

You can purchase a copy of Joe's book from Amazon or your favorite walk in bookstore.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Salem-History...ph+de+cola

Sounds like fun. I won't be able to make it this year, as I am transferring to Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY after taking the fall semester off. It has a much better communications program and cost less than Springfield. It is one of the few community colleges to have dorm rooms.

Quote:Over to Charleston is the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum, Dennis Hanks gravesite, Murals on the Square, at least two interesting bookstores, plus an interesting side attraction to be mentioned at a later time.

Gene,

Tell me you're not going to the spot where, when I was a student at Eastern Illinois University, I got drunk for the first and only time in my life."

Best
Rob

(07-13-2017 11:47 PM)Rob Wick Wrote:  Gene,

Tell me you're not going to the spot where, when I was a student at Eastern Illinois University, I got drunk for the first and only time in my life."

Best
Rob

That was the interesting side attraction, now I'll have to pick a new one.