Downtown Springfield

The heart of the city

Springfield was born downtown, before there was a downtown, at the corner of Jefferson and Klein, where the first “permanent” structure was built. With the infusion of visitors

Welcome to Springfield

Early in 2007, several hundred journalists from around the globe came to record U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s announcement of his intention to seek election to the U.S. presidency. In the w

Discovering the man behind the myth

Nearly two centuries after his birth, Springfield’s best-known resident remains a revered icon, a leader who bore the weight of destiny to his untimely demise. Born in dire poverty

The seat of Illinois government

ILLINOIS STATE CAPITOL Construction began on the sixth and current Capitol in 1868 after officials determined that more space was needed for government business. The building too

Besides Abe...

The Air Combat Museum showcases the role of military aviation with an array of aviation memorabilia, including the gun sight from a Messerschmitt 109, and historical aircraft, includ

The center of Illinois art

Untitled Document HOOGLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS Now named after the family that nurtured Family Video stores to nationwide prominence, the former Masonic Temple began its new

Springfield outdoors

You’ve been doing a lot of walking, mostly from one historic site to the next. It’s not really the legwork that wears you out — you’ve simply taken in all the details

Get your kicks on Route 66

The Mother Road

There’s something about Route 66 that confounds the “more is better” school of thought. It may be Illinois’ biggest tourist draw, yet it’s so small-scale and

Quirky museums near Springfield

It takes more than a big rock on a ring finger to dazzle the eye — the smaller jewels arranged around it help make an even better impression. So it is with unique museums that surround

Just for fun

You did the right thing, for sure. You brought them here to learn about history, Lincoln, the Civil War — yadda, yadda, yadda. But kids are kids. And it’s a fact: All Lincoln and