Springfield: Smack Dab in the Land of Lincoln

Over the course of our short careers with the public sector, Lindsey and I have made our way through a number of state capitals.  Every place is the same – buzzing beehives of political activity 4 days a week followed by an eerie silence that follows the city until the politicos return Monday morning.  Our Sunday evening in Springfield was case in point.  At 8 PM, our only available food options were Bennigan’s at the Hilton down the street or delivery Chinese.



The State House Building from our Hotel



Illinois State Capitol Rotunda

[Sidebar: Dear Springfield, why is your town so small, and your Hilton so tall?] 

  

The Unusually Tall Hilton (with a Bennigan's!!!!)

However, the difference with Springfield is the persona that extends into every aspect of the city.  I’ve never been in a place before where a person so long dead seemed very much alive.  On every street, in every store, you can’t help but see some kind of painting, statue, mural, inscription, heck I’m sure there was bathroom graffiti if we looked hard enough (keep your top hat comments to yourself.) 

Of course I’m talking about Abraham Lincoln, the 16^th President of the US.  I’ve listened to many friends and professors pontificate extensively about Abe’s greatness, but that impact takes on a different meaning when you’re standing feet away from his remains.  So often when our friends and family come to DC, at some point in time we discuss the dichotomy of experience in our nation’s capital; us ‘natives’ become sensitized to the monuments, the motorcades and the media because it is a part of our lives.  We’ve almost come to expect the ‘show’ that is DC, while outsiders see these institutions as the values they represent.

Hanging out with Abe and the Family

So, in a way, it was nice to feel the ‘outsider’ experience today.  As Lindsey and I strolled through Lincoln’s tomb, one of the striking moments for me was standing in front of Lincoln’s tomb, and then turning around and seeing the dates inscribed on the wall.  Of his 4 children, three died at a young age (4, 11 and 18 – though only two died prior to Lincoln’s assassination), and only one would go on to live a full life.  For a man who in consistently portrayed as a great orator and politician, my feeling in that moment was one of truly understanding  a man who had felt great sorrow and loss in his life.  A man who had been an uneducated soldier, suffered personal tragedy, professional loss (two senate races and a presidential election), and yet delivered the leadership, character and sense of purpose that carried a divided nation through a troubled period. 



Lincoln's Tomb

Linds and I in front of Lincoln's Sculpture

President Lincoln's Tomb

Perhaps this understanding is why then-Senator Obama chose to make the old State House in Springfield the site where he announced his candidacy.  Obama said the location reminded him of the ‘essential decency of the American people’.  Regardless of your opinion of the President’s politics, there is something to be said for the lasting impact of one of our nation’s great unifiers.    

 

The Old State House Building