Two railroad lines parallel each other through downtown Springfield, Illinois.

On both of these lines are two train stations that feature strongly in Lincoln history.

It is from one of these stations, the Great Western Depot, on a cold rainy morning that Lincoln said his farewell to Springfield, at the time not knowing that he would never return alive.

On February 11, 1861 Lincoln gave a two minute speech from the back of his passenger car, Lincoln’s assistant secretary John Hay noted that it was “the key-note of the journey”:

“My friends, No one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of that Divine Being, who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him, who can go with me, and remain with you and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.”
This was the last speech Lincoln ever delivered in Springfield.

Lincoln left Springfield on a 13 day journey chronicled in the excellent history, “Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Day to Washington” by Edward Widmer. The journey really endeared Lincoln to the American people as he was previously known as an unknown westerner who won the presidency my a slim margin.

On the railroad journey, Lincoln travelled 1,904 miles on eighteen different railroad lines that covered eight states. Along the journey Lincoln gave over 100 speeches.

The Great Western Depot was the first building I sketched when I arrived in Springfield (featured sketch).

On that other Springfield train depot Lincoln returned four years later. This time in much different circumstances.

After his assassination at Ford’s Theater, Lincoln body traveled back to Springfield on much of the same rail that brought him to Washington.

The funeral train stopped at many of the same cities and towns four years earlier. One deviation from the previous trip is that the train stopped in Chicago. So when the funeral train arrived in Springfield on the morning of May 3, 1865, the journey terminated at the Chicago & Alton Depot on Jefferson Street.

The historic depot had been replaced with a modern AMTRAK station but the funeral train’s arrival in Springfield is memorialized by a black monument on the platform.