Lincoln's Springfield Neighborhood

by Bonnie E. Paull

When an emotional Abraham Lincoln took leave of his Springfield neighbors, never to return, his moving tribute to the town and its people reflected their profound influence on the newly elected president. His old neighborhood still stands today as a National Historic Site. The story of the life Lincoln and his family built there returns to us through the careful work of authors Bonnie E. Paull and Richard E. Hart. Journey back in time and meet this diverse but harmonious community as it participated in the business of everyday living while gradually playing a larger role on the national stage.

Genres: Nonfiction

226 pages, Hardcover

First published April 6, 2015

Reviews

[Rick Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting aspect to the story of Lincoln’s life

This is a very interesting set of vignettes of the Lincoln family in their neighborhood. It reads somewhat like a guidebook to the restored neighborhood. The most interesting part to me was the story of how integrated Lincoln’s neighborhood actually was. Irish folks, Germans immigrants, free black families, along with servants and slaves, all lived together in apparent harmony and genuine concern for each other. This book makes me want to go back and spend a day with them. Highly recommended for folks who love Lincoln.

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lincoln and history lovers should absolutely read this book. Full of historical facts about Lincoln and his Springfield neighborhood you will enjoy. I live in this neighborhood and learned a lot from this book. I would recommend reading this if you plan on making a visit to him home or the Springfield area. Very well written.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting story of Lincoln's mixed race neighborhood in Illinois before his election to the presidency. I'd expected the story to be even more interesting but it was repetitive in places and very dry.