Civil War Military Encampment
May 1-3, dawn until dusk. Fri-Sun. Infantry, artillery, mixed military and civilian camps illustrate 1860s life. Lincolnfuneralcoalition.org. Lincoln Park, 1501 N. Fifth St
Viewing of Replica Coffin and Hearse
May 2, 9am. Part of the Lincoln Funeral Reenactment. Free to public. lincolnfuneraltrain.org. Amtrak Station, 100 N. Third St., 872-7245.
Procession from train station to Old State Capitol
May 2, 10am-4pm. Procession includes the recreation of the original Lincoln hearse, horse-drawn carriages, military and civilian Civil War reenactors, plus other period groups. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration Event. Free to public. lincolnfuneraltrain.org. Amtrak Station, 100 N. Third St., 872-7245.
Opening Commemorative Ceremony
May 2, 11am. Conducted by dignitaries, color guard and Civil War reenactors. Seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. lincolnfuneraltrain.org. Near Old State Capitol at Washington and Sixth Streets.
All Night Vigil
May 2-3, 12pm-6am Sat-Sun. All night vigil featuring hearse and coffin to begin following opening ceremony. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration event. Near Old State Capitol at Washington and Sixth streets.
Civil War Refreshments
May 3, 10am-1pm. Enjoy Civil War-style refreshments on the lawn. Proceeds support Edwards Place restoration fund. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration event. $10 admission. Edwards Place, Springfield Art Association, 700 N. Fourth St., 523-2631.
Procession to Oak Ridge Cemetery
May 3, 12pm. Procession leaves from Sixth and Washington, follows much of historic route to Oak Ridge Cemetery. A Lincoln Funeral Commemoration event. No reserved seating, no parking available inside cemetery. Free to public. Old State Capitol, 1 Old State Capitol Plaza, 785-9363.
Oak Ridge Cemetery Ceremony and Cannon Salute
May 3, 3-4:30pm. Clergy members, Civil War reenactors present the eulogy, speeches, salutes at Old Public Receiving Vault. Music by special choir and Civil war era-style musicians perform music from original ceremony. Ceremony concludes at 4:30pm with 36 cannon salute. No parking, no reserved seating. Free to public. Oak Ridge Cemetery, 1441 Monument Ave., 789-2340.
- VanillaMan - Friday, May 1, 15 @ 12:30 pm:
Its going to be big.
Everyone will need lots of sun screen and sun protection
- Barton Lorimor - Friday, May 1, 15 @ 1:20 pm:
I just came back from running a few errands downtown. Pretty cool to see so many tour groups with little kids going to the Statehouse, the Old Capitol, the Museum, and the home. I even saw a bunch of re-enactors in full costume walking around.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 1, 15 @ 1:27 pm:
I do wish I could be down there and experience these events.
One in a lifetime, for sure
- Wordslinger - Friday, May 1, 15 @ 1:39 pm:
Sounds like Springfield really has it going on. Beautiful day, wish I could be there for it.
We’re all so steeped in Lincoln - and, unfortunately, some of the horrible abuse he takes in crass advertising — that I think we lose sight of his humanity, his universal significance and the reverence in which he has been held by those seeking the better angels of their nature all over the world.
Tolstoy thought him the greatest figure in history, writing in 1909:
– The greatness of Napoleon, Caesar and Washington is only moonlight to the sun of Lincoln… His example is universal and will last a thousand years.
–He was bigger than his country, bigger than all the presidents together… and as a great character, he will live as long as the world lives….
– His genius is still too strong and too powerful for the common understanding, just as the sun is too hot when its light beams directly on us.–
- anonin' - Friday, May 1, 15 @ 3:15 pm:
Lots of tents already pitched in Lincoln Park very neat
- Mama - Friday, May 1, 15 @ 5:26 pm:
Lincoln Book Signings
May 2, 2015 - May 2, 2015 3 pm - 5 pm
Lincoln Funeral Commemoration Event 1. Richard ‘Dick’ Hart, prolific Springfield-area historian, and former president of the Abraham Lincoln Association, signing his 275-page, heavily illustrated work “The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln: May 3rd and 4th, 1865” (published by the Abraham Lincoln Association, Feb. 2015) – a must-have reference work, with index, for the city’s most historic event. 2. Sean Conant, youthful filmmaker about the 5 manuscript copies of the Gettysburg Address, a native of new Hampshire, will sign his edited volume “ The Gettysburg Address: Perspectives on Lincoln’s Greatest Speech,” (published by Oxford University Press, April 2015), which includes 16 essays by such luminaries as Jean H. Baker, Allen Guelzo, Chandra Manning, Craig L. Symonds, and Sean Wilentz; with a foreword by Harold Holzer.
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Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum
212 N. Sixth Street Springfield, IL 62701