Located right near the State Capitol building, this museum focuses on the natural and cultural history of Illinois. Some photos from a visit.

In 1876, a gang of Chicago counterfeiters hatched a bizarre plan to steal the corpse of President Abraham Lincoln and use it to spring one of their members from jail. During the Civil War, both the Union and the Confederacy tried to undermine each other’s economy by counterfeiting currency. Naturally it wasn’t long before ordinary … More Lincoln’s Tomb

In 1908, one of the worst anti-African-American race riots in US history happened in the town of Springfield IL—the hometown of Abraham Lincoln. On August 13, 1908, two African-American residents of Springfield IL were arrested for two separate crimes. George Richardson was accused of raping a white woman, and Joe James was charged with attempting to rape … More 1908 Race Riots

[NOTE: I’ve blogged all these “how-to” posts before, but am gonna re-run them on occasion, since folks may have missed them, and many of them have been updated or expanded since they were first posted.] Fortunately, modern technology has invented a device that uses energy to pump the heat out of an enclosed area and … More Life in the Van: Ice Fans and Swamp Coolers

The annual Route 66 Mother Road Festival happens to be this weekend in Springfield IL. The old Route 66 went right through town. The celebration has music, food and lots of classic cars. Some photos. (I’m not a gearhead, so I don’t know what most of these are—sorry. If anyone can ID them that’d be … More Route 66 Mother Road Festival

This museum celebrates musicians who lived in Illinois. Although located in the same building as the Lincoln Museum, it’s not affiliated with it. Some photos. (And I apologize if I plant a few ear-worms.)

Some photos from a walk around the Illinois State Capitol building in Springfield.

Yeah, you know the Lincoln story. This is the official repository for his papers, and also a museum. There are dioramas depicting events in his life, and a display of artifacts. Some photos from a visit.

It’s not hard to tell what this town’s claim to fame is. Everywhere in town are historical markers: “Lincoln’s first law office was here”, “Lincoln’s dentist was here”, Lincoln’s horse carriage was built here”. I’m surprised there is no “Lincoln took a shit here”.   🙂 I got here just in time for a cold front, … More Springfield

[NOTE: I’ve blogged all these “how-to” posts before, but am gonna re-run them on occasion, since folks may have missed them, and many of them have been updated or expanded since they were first posted.] Many times people ask me if I feel safe sleeping at night in Walmart parking lots, or if I keep … More Life in the Van: Guns