Crowne Plaza Springfield Convention Center

The Old State Capitol is a reconstruction of Illinois’ fifth statehouse, the first to be located in Springfield. The building served as the seat of state government and a center of Illinois political life from 1839 to 1876. During the dramatic years leading to the Civil War, the building had an important role in the political struggle between Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861) and Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). Lincoln visited the building frequently as both a lawyer and a politician, serving in the building during his last term in the Illinois House of Representatives and delivering the famous 1858 “House Divided” speech in Representatives Hall, and using the governor’s rooms as a headquarters during the 1860 presidential campaign. The building was the scene of the assassinated President’s final laying-in-state on May 3-4, 1865.

When visiting Springfield, please remember to include the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon in Washington Park - you’ll never forget it.

In 1902, Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned to undertake the design and construction of a massive renovation of the Lawrence family home in Springfield, Illinois. The home was to be more than a mere residence -- it was to be a showcase. Upon its completion in 1904, the new edifice completely engulfed the original home. It immediately became a symbol of artistic and architectural excellence. It now stands as the finest example of the creativity and uniqueness characteristic of the Prairie School of Architecture." From Governor James R. Thompson's Executive Order August 23, 1983.

Dedicated in 1874, Lincoln Tomb is the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary, and three of their four sons, Edward, William, and Thomas. The eldest son, Robert T. Lincoln, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Also on the site is the public receiving vault, constructed ca. 1860, the scene of funeral services for Abraham Lincoln on May 4, 1865. In 1960 the Tomb was designated a National Historic Landmark and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.

Abraham Lincoln left his home of seventeen years to serve as president of a nation on the verge of Civil War. Though he never returned to his beloved Springfield, the home he left behind survives today as a tribute to his extraordinary life as a husband, father, lawyer, and the political leader who guided the nation through one of its most trying times.

Knight’s Action Park & Caribbean Water Adventure have long been Springfield’s home for entertainment, excitement, and refreshing summer fun. Began as a golf driving range in 1952 by Golfing Pro George Knight, Sr., Knight’s Action Park has been a part of the Springfield area for over forty-five years. Today, Illinois favorite family fun park is home to water slides, batting cages, a fifty tee driving range, bumper boats, the classic Big Wheel, a giant wave pool, and much more. It is “where the action is” in central Illinois.

Combining scholarship and showmanship, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in downtown Springfield, Illinois communicates the amazing life and times of Abraham Lincoln in unforgettable ways.

Visitors to the main museum in Springfield are treated to world renowned natural history exhibits and a wonderful view of the arts within and beyond Illinois' borders. Educational programs, films, and special events enhance the changing exhibitions.