Hi Spirit of Liberty. Good morning everybody!
I’m from Lincoln, Illinois... named for Abraham Lincoln, in 1853- by Abraham Lincoln, in 1853. Think about that for a minute. It’s the only town named for Lincoln, while Lincoln was alive.
Lincoln rode trails on horseback in the day, around a circuit of courthouses of about 200 miles in length, connecting the surrounding counties to each other.
One of those courthouses existed in a village named Postville. The railroad laid a line across central Illinois, missing Postville by almost a mile. Typically, settlements withered up and died when this happened. Local businessmen bought lots along the track and intended to start a town. They needed a name. They asked Lincoln, a friend and well liked and respected local politician, if he minded if they named the town after him. He agreed with some reservation.
As was the custom, in naming a town, a christening took place. Lincoln took a watermelon from a wagon that sat close by, cut it open and scooped out a cup of flesh and juice, proceeding ceremonially... pouring out the content onto the ground and saying a few words of note. “I don’t know why you would name something Lincoln, because nothing ever amounted to much named Lincoln.” Seven years later, he was President of the United States.
Site of Christening by Lincoln, Lincoln, IL
Postville Courthouse, Lincoln, IL (Lincoln practiced law here- now a replica: original structure purchased by Henry Ford, and moved to Greenfield Village, Dearborn, MI)
Lincoln College and Heritage Museum, Lincoln, IL (named for Lincoln, while Lincoln was President- and has an acclaimed museum with an extensive Lincoln collection)
Mt. Pulaski Courthouse, Mt. Pulaski, IL (original courthouse where Lincoln practiced law, and the village is named for Casmir Pulaski, a Polish General considered a hero of the Revolutionary War)
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Springfield, IL
Lincoln’s Home, Springfield, IL
Lincoln’s Tomb, Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, IL
Rt. 66 Cozey Dog Drive In, Springfield, IL (part of the diner / dive / drive-in genre)
New Salem Village, Petersburg, IL (recreated pioneer village and living history- Lincoln was a store merchant here)
The Arch and Museum of Westward Expansion, St. Louis, MO (Lewis and Clark Exploration began here)
Mississippi River Paddleboat Tour, St. Louis, MO
St. Louis Cardinals Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Busch Gardens, St. Louis, MO
Annheuser Busch Brewery, St. Louis, MO
Six Flags Over Mid America, St. Louis, MO
St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO
RT 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum, Pontiac, IL
Dixie Truck Stop, McLean, IL (RT 66 Memorabilia)
Atlanta, IL (stretch of original RT 66 / typical small town USA)
I’m sure nikos has recommendations for Chicago, especially with regards to local ethnic restaurants, so I’ll just throw out the biggies that I’m familiar with.
Museum of Science and Industry
Museum of Natural History
Adler Planetarium
Shedd Aquarium
Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field
Willis Towers (formerly the Sears Tower)
Brookfield Zoo
Lake Michigan / Lake Shore Drive / Magnificent Mile / Grant Park
The trip I'm taking involves the Illinois Route 66 Association; it's a two-day tour where you drive your own vehicle with about 200 of your closest friends, stopping off at designated Route 66 points of interest! When I took the tour in 2014, Lincoln was our stop for the night; Sunday morning the college opened the museum specially for us to tour before continuing on our journey.
Not sure what this year's tour will bring, but in 2014 I stopped at:
The Arch & Museum of Westward Expansion-not part of the tour; I went a day early just to do it (yes, I rode the elevator to the top of the Arch!)
RT 66 Hall of Fame and Museum
McLean Truck Stop
Village of Atlanta (saw the Hot Dog Muffler Man and the clock tower!)
Funk's Grove
Springfield (didn't see ANY Lincoln stuff, which is why I want to spend a few days on my own!)
Bloomington
Also made it to Ted Drewes!
I was going to take the Mississippi Paddleboat tour, but the river was too high and it was canceled. Might try again this year.