Old State Capitol State Historic Site

The Old State Capitol is a Greek Revival building in the heart of Springfield's downtown, restored to its 1850s appearance when it served as the Illinois state legislature. The building witnessed Abraham Lincoln's legal and political career at close quarters — he tried cases in the Supreme Court chamber and addressed the legislature from the floor of the House. It also served as the location where Lincoln's body lay in state in May 1865, after the presidential train returned his remains from Washington.

Guided tours of the interior run regularly throughout the day. The legislative chambers have been furnished with period-appropriate desks and equipment, and interpretive panels explain the major debates that played out in this room. The surrounding Lincoln Home neighbourhood extends a few blocks to the south; the walk between the two sites passes the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, another worthwhile stop.

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A story
It was in this chamber on 16 June 1858 that Abraham Lincoln, just nominated as the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, stood before his fellow legislators and declared: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." The speech, which argued that the United States could not endure permanently half slave and half free, was widely criticised at the time as too radical. Lincoln lost the Senate race to Stephen Douglas but won the presidency two years later, and the "House Divided" speech became one of the most cited in American political history.