We came onto a national park visitor center, and walked into a nice room with a gift shop in the back, restrooms in front of us, and many displays and such all around, one of Lincoln's face, one of a model of the town of Springfield, and even one of Lincoln as a rail splitter. We got ready to go for the next tour, and I went to the restroom, and upon coming out, was rushed outside to go to the tour. We went outside in amongst many old, wood, painted houses. There were all different kinds and very pretty. We walked into one house that said you should start your tour in and sat down where the guide was supposed to start the tour at. A man who was pretty tall and bald with a national park outfit on with green clothes and a cowboy hat came into the place and did a great speech about where Lincoln was in his life when he lived in this house. The weird thing was, he said it in a unique way, quiet but trying to make it sound powerful, like the man liked to hear himself speak. But anyway, it was weird.
He told us Lincoln had lived there in his 30's, 40's, and 50's. He said that we also couldn't touch anything inside, for the obvious reason, and that we could not lean on anything because it will make an alarm sound. He prepared for us to go in, and we went across the street to a brown painted wood house, two floored, pretty big, and having sheds behind it. On walking in, we saw the staircase by the door and the little area where you get dressed, on which there was a top hat, canes, and umbrellas. To the right was a front and back parlor, a formal area in which Lincoln would have entertained guests. They were both in the same room, but could be separated by a movable door. The front had good chairs and furniture, with a fireplace. The back had a desk and bookshelf, where Lincoln worked. It was really cool.
Left of the door was an informal den, where the Lincoln's would read stories together and discuss things. Behind the informal den was a little dining room, followed by a kitchen. After seeing all this, we went upstairs, and saw a guest room or Robert Lincoln's room, which was pretty comfortable looking, with a nice bed. We then saw A. Lincoln's and Mary Todd Lincoln's rooms, which were separate to give Lincoln some privacy and to declare they were rich. Lincoln's had a desk and cabinet full of clothes, and a nice bed up against the wall. Mrs. Lincoln had a rocking chair and low, little bed, which wasn't actually that bad. It was really cool, and the kids room was good too. We then saw their outdoor bathroom with three slop jars, and then left. It was fun and interesting to see the house. We got into our car again, and drove to the tomb of Abraham Lincoln, a few miles away.
In a huge cemetery full of all kinds of graves, unknowns and last names ones, we saw a sign saying Lincoln Tomb. Following that, we soon came upon a great monument, a tower going up very high with a statue of Abraham Lincoln on it, him leaning against a desk, holding the Emancipation Proclamation in his hand. Beneath him was an eagle, with a broken chain (the chain of slavery) in it's mouth. On the two corners were big statues of two forces in the military, infantry and Calvary. (Infantry is on your feet, cavalry is on your horse) They were civil war people, with muskets and horses. Behind on the other corners were Navy and Artillery(Navy is on your boat, Artillery is beside your cannon.) Navy had two guys with sailors hats and artillery was a few guys with a little cannon and that stick that goes into the cannon. It was really cool to see all that. We read about the tomb, learning it was broken and repaired a few times, and that all the things I just said were them. We went inside of the tomb, and found ourselves in a circular room, with all kinds of great rocks and stone in the walls. In the middle was a little statue of Lincoln sitting down on a chair, and there was two doors, one going right and one left. A sign said to go right. We did so, and walked through an array of many plaques and statues, first a biography about him, telling about his whole life, then the Gettysburg Address, and then The Second Inaugural Address. They were all very good.
The statues were one when he was a child, one as a rail splitter, one as a lawyer, one as a politician, one as a father, and one as a president. Then I entered a room with a large red and white and blue coffin, with flags decorating the fallen leader. To my back was four other graves, his wife,Mary Todd, and his sons Willie, Eddie, and Thomas "Tad". They were all in a wall that had names and dates on it. Robert, Lincoln's first son, was buried at Arlington Cemetery. His wife said he lived in A. Lincoln's shadow all his life so he should be his own person and be buried there. He, said he wanted to be with his family. Just another example of how annoying girls can be.
Anyway, It was crazy to see his real casket with him in it. It was also sad, that his life was cut short, and also moving. I left and then we left the tomb. It was very cool to see where Lincoln and his family were, and where they are now.
Happy Late Birthday, Danielle! We love and miss you! You're awesome!,
Andrew.
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| Lincoln's House |
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| Lincoln's Tomb |
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