Springfield

The city lies in a plain near the Sangamon River north of Lake Springfield and is located along historic Route 66.

Springfield was settled by European-Americans in the late 1810s, around the time Illinois became a state. The most famous historic resident was Abraham Lincoln, who lived in Springfield from 1837 until 1861, when he became President of the United States. Major tourist attractions include multiple sites connected with Lincoln, such as the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the Lincoln Home, the Old State Capitol, the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, and the Lincoln Tomb. Largely on the efforts of Lincoln and other area lawmakers, as well as its central location, Springfield was made the state capital in 1839.

As the state capital, the government of Illinois is based in Springfield.