Springfield Tour

[David Lockmiller]

(10-11-2022 12:20 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Another Lincoln statue has been vandalized.

https://abc7chicago.com/abraham-lincoln-.../12312823/

The news announcer did more damage with his limited comment that followed the facts of the news report:

"A statue of Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln Park was targeted by anti-colonizer activists Monday. The group dumped red paint on the statue and spray painted "Avenge the Dakota 38" on the ground. The graffiti messages 38 Native Americans who were hanged by the United States government in 1862 over a land dispute in what is now Minnesota. President Lincoln approved the death sentences."

That last sentence is essentially what the members of the San Francisco School Board said of President Lincoln's actions regarding the "Dakota 38" and their basis for renaming Abraham Lincoln High School here in San Francisco.

Professor Burlingame came to the rescue with his email on the "Dakota 38" that I forwarded to the members of the San Francisco School Board members BEFORE their vote to rename.

[Gene C]

(10-12-2022 12:16 PM)Dave Bruce Wrote:  Yes, everyone from the past is a villain. They don't meet our extraordinarily high standards...sigh...

Last time, or maybe the time before that, the friendly staff at the Cozy Dog Drive In helped us with their historical insight to determine that a disputed photo of Abraham Lincoln was indeed not Abraham Lincoln.

On our visit next week, Scott and I can ask them to help us settle this controversial issue about villains of the past. Was Abraham Lincoln or Stephen Douglas a villain?
And while we're at it we will check to see if at the Lincoln Presidential Museum, has John Wilkes Booth managed to sneak back into the main plaza?
https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/201...oth-statue

Yes, sometimes we do some serious research.
I can't promise a repeat of the exciting find a few years ago when the Lincoln Presidential Library had the special Marilyn Monroe exhibit with her little black dress. As those of you present may remember I found a small piece of black fuzz on the carpet at the exhibit that could only have come from Marilyn's dress. Unfortunately I placed that historic item in my pants pocket and forgot to take it out before we did the laundry. It must have been caught in the lint filter because it's never been seen since.

You never can tell what exciting historical find is around the corner when you join us.

[Gene C]

The weather looks almost perfect for the Springfield Tour, with high temps at 60-70 and lows in the 40's. No rain and near peak fall foliage
(according to the weather channel) Nice downtown motels range from $89 to a lot more (according to Trip Advisor)
We spend most of our daytime hours on Fri & Sat seeing the sites, evenings we have dinner together -(Chesapeake Seafood, Saputos, Star 66 Cafe) or more casual if you want to, nights recharging for the next day.

Our schedule is very flexible,
If your interested, let us know through the forum or private message, and we will answer your questions.

[David Lockmiller]

(10-15-2022 07:56 AM)Gene C Wrote:  The weather looks almost perfect for the Springfield Tour, with high temps at 60-70 and lows in the 40's. No rain and near peak fall foliage
(according to the weather channel) Nice downtown motels range from $89 to a lot more (according to Trip Advisor)
We spend most of our daytime hours on Fri & Sat seeing the sites, evenings we have dinner together -(Chesapeake Seafood, Saputos, Star 66 Cafe) or more casual if you want to, nights recharging for the next day.

Our schedule is very flexible,
If your interested, let us know through the forum or private message, and we will answer your questions.

Might I suggest that you all take a trip down to Lincoln homesite outside Decatur. Take the old 36 route from Springfield. You will enjoy driving on old 36 and you will pass through Buffalo (remember this when you drive back to Springfield on old 36).

At the old homestead, you can look at the Sangamon River as Lincoln actually saw it at that time of year. Imagine him felling trees in the nearby woods and how he felt as you look around the area at that same time of year - this is where he lived when he first came to Illinois. And, you can imagine Lincoln breaking through the ice in the river and almost dying; and, would have but for the extended help of good neighbors.

On the way back, stop in the bar in the middle of the block in Buffalo and have a beer or two. You will know that you are in the right bar when you look up at the ceiling. Say hello for me. You will see both alternating St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs posters on the walls. You cannot survive as a business in this area of Illinois without being impartial. But the old owners were die-hard St. Louis Cardinals fans (no doubt).

If you have a good time at both locations, toast me for the suggestion of a complete early nostalgia Lincoln roundtrip.

[Amy L.]

In case you're in Springfield this weekend (or online this Saturday) there will be a lecture at the Center for Lincoln Studies in Springfield.
Saturday, October 22nd, 2022 from 6-8:30 pm

https://www.uis.edu/event/mary-and-james...ure-series
"...Lecture Series discussion on 'Lincoln and African Americans' with professors Jonathan White, Matthew Norman, and Fred Hord.
"Our three speakers will discuss the many African Americans of the Civil War era and their connection to Abraham Lincoln. Their scholarship centers on African Americans' voices to explore how they felt about the president. Michael Burlingame, holder of the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS, will moderate and provide an overview."

[Gene C]

Thanks Amy.
We are planning on going. Scott has heard two of them speak before, it will all be new to me.
I don't normally go to lectureships. The time will be a bit challenging. That time of day is usually when I sit in front of the TV and take my pre bed time nap.

[STS Lincolnite]

(10-15-2022 09:07 AM)David Lockmiller Wrote:  Might I suggest that you all take a trip down to Lincoln homesite outside Decatur.

Thanks for the suggestion David.

A visit there probably won't work out this trip (just due to some time and some of my other obligations). But Gene and I had already talked about visiting that site next spring or fall. As you mentioned it really is quite a picturesque spot on the banks of the Sangamon River. There are some other things of interest in Decatur itself too including several Lincoln statues and the site of Lincoln's first political speech.

We have some other ideas of what to visit next year in spring and/or fall so if you can't make it out this year we will have some interesting and "new" things planned for next year!

[Gene C]

I had to back out on the Springfield Tour at the last minute due to health reasons (high blood pressure)
The medication I was taking wasn't as effective as I thought it was. Seems a change of diet is in order.

[Gene C]

Scott and I are working on the schedule for our Springfield Tour 2023, with a focus on Coles County and Decatur, IL
Tentative date is for a three day weekend in Oct.

We will be using Guy Fraker's two books about the Eight Judicial Circuit as an important source for our tour.

Details to follow.

[Gene C]

Tour dates are Thursday thru Sunday, Oct 26-29.
Arrive Thursday evening for a meet and eat, then depart for home on Sunday AM. With tour stops in between.

We're working on the schedule, but if you plan on joining us, it's been 4 years since we've done this,
and if there's something that you really, really, really want to see, let us know and we'll fit it in. Really.
We still plan to visit New Salem and some Springfield sites.

[Gene C]

We plan on starting our tour in Charleston, IL which is about 1 1/2 hours east of Springfield.
We start at the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic sight just south of Charleston. Then it's on to the Moore Home State Historic Site, home to his step sister Matilda and Lincoln's last visit with his step mother. Just down the road is the Thomas Lincoln Cemetery where is father and stepmother are buried.

Back to Charleston where we visit the Lincoln Douglas Debate Museum (if open), the Old City Cemetery where cousin Dennis and a few other well known people are.
A few murals in the downtown area, a nice local bookstore, lunch and a few other locations if there is time. I'm hoping we will have time to take a slight detour to the Books On The Square in Virdon, located just south of Springfield. It's everything you've ever dreamed of in an old used book store. You'll love it.

On to Springfield, where depending on the time, we will visit some downtown historic sites, and a nice diner at a local restaurant..

If you can't make it Friday, we would love to have you join us Saturday morning when we plan to visit New Salem
and then visit the two final resting places for Ann Rutledge, as well as pay our respects to some of Lincoln's friends in nearby local cemeteries. . In the afternoon its a visit to two well known book stores, the Lincoln Museum and Library, and stroll through the Lincoln's Neighborhood during the early evening and whatever else we can squeeze in.

Sunday we usually visit the Lincoln Home and neighborhood, the Lincoln Tomb and Oak Ridge Cemetery.

If interested, have any questions, please send me or Scott a semi private message.

[Anita]

Gene, you and Scott have put together an exciting, jampacked itinerary for this years Springfield tour. I'll be with you in spirit. Looking forward to your recap with some photos.
You may pick up some ideas for new trivia questions!

[RJNorton]

Gene, I see no mention of the Cozy Dog Drive In....is it not on the itinerary this year?

[Gene C]

Yes it's a planned stop.
Since Joe won't be joining us this year there is no one to tease about eating here.
Scott and I will have a Cozy Dog toast (or a cozy dog in a bun) in honor of past attendees.
I had asked the folks at Cozy Dog if they could make an Italian Cozy Dog, but Joe wasn't to impressed with my idea. He said something about no evidence that Lincoln ever eaten an Italian Cozy Dog, so he wasn't interested.

If I recall, the last time we went there, we had an on-line discussion whether a certain photo of Mary was an inauguration photo.
The experts at Cozy Dog were able to clear up the matter and to confirm that it was not a photo of Mary.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Gene, it's so cool you are still doing the trip. I couldn't belive it but just checked it out - it's ten years ago you have done it the first time. Kudos! I just wish it were less expensive and not that far away.