Springfield

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Lincoln Statues

There are at least 250 statues of our 16th President of the United States around the world. That’s about 150 more statues than that of our first president, George Washington.

On top of these monuments and statues, between 15,000 to 20,000 books have been written about Lincoln, more than any other American historical figure. And there is only one other world figure that has more biographies written about them that tops Lincoln and that’s Jesus Christ.

There were more than enough statues and monuments in Springfield, Illinois. So I sketched a few.

The lucky nose bust of Lincoln outside his tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery. This was a continuous-line sketch. This is such an iconic statue I sketched it four times.

Near the old state capitol is the group of statues called “Springfield’s Lincoln” by Larry Anderson. The statues represent the Lincoln family on October 4, 1854 as the head of the household pauses before the capital before delivering a speech about the spread of slavery into U. S. Territories. His wife Mary, straightens his tie.

“A Greater Task” in the square in front of Union Station, Springfield.

Perhaps one of the oddest representations of Lincoln is to be found at the State Fairgrounds. This is the whimsical “The Railsplitter” statue (featured sketch).

To me in Lincoln History there are two hallowed locations that are a must visit for any Lincolntonian. These are the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC and the Lincoln Tomb in Springfield. Below is a sketch of the tomb.

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House of A. Lincoln

Springfield is the capital of the state of Illinois. Just east of the State Capitol building is a preserved neighborhood which is now a National Historic Site. Walking these streets makes you feel like you’re back in the 1860s.

A sketch looking down 8th Street.

I was here to see and sketch the house on the corner of Eighth Street and Jackson Street. In fact, I was looking forward to sketching this house more than any other structure on my midwestern jaunt.

I headed to the intersection early in the morning to avoid the crowds surrounding the house or the tourists standing behind me wondering or asking what I was doing. The only other people out and about were maintenance workers, gardeners, and park rangers arriving to work.

I sat on the curb, across the intersection from the house, opened my sketchbook, and started to draw. Before me was the only house that Abraham Lincoln ever owned.

The Lincolns lived in Springfield for seventeen years (1844-1861). They raised their four boys here, three of which were born in the house. Lincoln practiced law here, he walked to his law office from this house. When Lincoln bought the small cottage in 1844 in was a small single story house. The cottage expanded with his growing family to be the two story house that exists today.

Lincoln left the house for the last time in February 1861. A few blocks to the northeast, Lincoln boarded a train at the Great Western Station (more about this in another post) to Washington DC as President-elect on his way to become the 16th president.

After my sketch (featured sketch) I joined the first tour of the day (you can only visit with a National Park guide).

The inside of the house was even more impressive than the outside for within these walls is where the Lincoln family lived. Seeing where they ate, lived, wrote, read, played, and slept really humanizes the Lincolns, a contrast to the stern and stale history books of old. About 40% of the furniture and furnishings are original to the Lincolns.

It was here in front of the fireplace in the sitting room that Lincoln was told that he was the Republican nominee for president. His life and the country would be changed forever.
In Lincoln’s bedroom sits his writing desk. He loved this desk and it is believed that he wrote his “house divided” speech while sitting at this desk.
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The Donner Party in Springfield

I have been to many endpoints of the members of the Donner Party: Alder Creek, Donner Lake, the Pioneer Monument, Johnson’s Ranch, Oak Hill Cemetery, and San Juan Bautista. And I have sketched them all. But I had never visited their starting point; until now.

The Pioneer Memorial is near the site of the Breen cabin, one of the Donner Party members. The monument lies near the eastern shore of Donner Lake.

Some of the key members of the party, the Donners and the Reeds, were wealthy residents of Springfield.

It is from the square near the Old State Capitol that about 90 members of a group of immigrants set out for California on April 15, 1846. The ill-fated group has gone down in history as the Donner Party.

The plaque commemorating the start of a very tragic journey.

I sketched from back the Old State Capitol, which is currently closed for restoration. The Donner plaque is on a building on the left of the sketch which is a stairway that leads to underground parking.

On the square is the law office of Lincoln & Herndon. Much more about one of these law partners in other posts.
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Midwestern Presketching

Before any great or small journey I do some presketching.

On my October Fall break I planned to visit two midwestern states: Missouri and Illinois. I had been to Illinois before but only to Chicago. Now I planned to visit it’s capital, Springfield. And Missouri, Gateway to the West, would be a first visit for me.

My starting point would be St. Louis, Missouri. I had a few sites, destinations, and sketches on my list, chief among them was the National Museum of Transportation.

This 42 acre museum is in the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood. Its collection of railroad history includes: Aerotrain No. 3, Big Boy No. 4006, Norfolk & Western Y-class No. 2156, UP Centennial No. 6944, the Silver Charger No. 9908, and the steam locomotive that I was really looking forward to seeing/ sketching: Southern Pacific’s GS-6 No. 4460 (featured sketch).

I also want to sketch the world’s tallest arch, the 630 foot Gateway Arch in St. Louis. I booked at ticket to take me up to the top to see the city of St. Louis and the mighty Mississippi River.

Illinois is known as the “Land of Lincoln” and the epicenter of Lincoln is the state capital of Springfield. It was here that Lincoln lived for 17 years before he left from the Great Western train station to become the 16th President of the United States. In Springfield are the station where he departed, his home, Presidential Museum and Library, and his tomb.

I had much to sketch and many miles to traverse on my short Midwestern jaunt so I drew it out as a map.

Before any trip I like to draw a map to help me visualize where I am going. I like to add travel times (St. Louis to Springfield: 1 hr 27 min) because it helps me plan my time deciding how much time to spend in either city. I’ve always been about seeing less while having quality time on the ground.

In circular inserts I illustrated four of my sketching targets: Lincoln’s house in Springfield, the Lincoln bust at his his tomb (visitors rub his nose for good luck), the National Museum of Transportation (featuring Southern Pacific’s No. 4460), and the Gateway Arch on the banks of the Mississippi in St. Louis.

Let’s go!