I regard Abraham Lincoln as one of the five or so greatest humans who ever walked upon the earth, so of course it was imperative that I drive down to Springfield, the capitol of Illinois, to pay my respects at his tomb in the city's Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Although President Lincoln was not born in Springfield, he did adopt it as his home in 1837, and spent twenty-four years there working as a lawyer or in politics.
Mural featuring Abraham Lincoln graces a building in Springfield, Illinois
The city of Springfield has embraced it's role as the caretaker of Lincoln's legacy. The city is not only home to Lincoln's Tomb, but also to the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, as well as several other smaller memorials to the great man.
Even the city of Springfield's bicycle racks pay tribute to President Lincoln
Springfield is a fairly small city, with just over 110,000 residents. Getting around is easy, as the city utilizes the basic grid street layout, and the streets are designated north, south, east & west to help establish which quadrant of the city you are in.
Oak Park cemetery, where Lincoln's tomb is located (and incidentally, the second most visited cemetery in the U.S. after Arlington National Cemetery in D.C.), is in the Northwest quadrant of the city, though close to the city center.
Main entrance to Oak Ridge Cemetery
Lincoln's Tomb, designed by architect Larkin G. Mead jr.
Children leap to touch the nose of a copy of the bust of Lincoln sculpted by Gutzom Borglum
Rear-view of Lincoln's Tomb
The Arkansas marble memorial, ten feet below which lie the remains of President Abraham Lincoln
Of the several statues of Lincoln in the tomb, this is my favorite
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