Home of Abe Lincoln
Known as the flower city and also home of president Abraham Lincoln. He lived here for 24 years. The only home he ever owned is open to the public, seven days a week, free of charge, and operated by the National Park Service. Springfield is home to the annual Springfield Old Capitol Art Fair, a spring festival held annually in the third weekend in May. Since 2002, Springfield has also hosted the ‘Route 66 Film Festival’, set to celebrate films routed in, based on, or taking part on the famous Route 66. Springfield has the area’s largest amusement park, Knight’s Action Park, and Caribbean Water Park, which is open from May to September. The park also features and operates the city’s only remaining drive-in theater, the Route 66 Twin Drive-In. The Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop in Springfield still operates what it claims as the first U.S. drive-thru window. The city is also known for its chili, or “chilli”, as it is known in many chili shops throughout Sangamon County. The unique spelling is said to have begun with the founder of the Dew Chilli Parlor in 1909, due to a spelling error in its sign. Another interpretation is that the misspelling represented the “Ill” in the word Illinois. In 1993, the Illinois state legislature adopted a resolution proclaiming Springfield the “Chilli Capital of the Civilized World”. Springfield is known for some popular food items: the corn dog is claimed to have been invented in the city under the name “Cozy Dog”, although there is some debate to the origin of the snack. The horseshoe sandwich, not well known outside of central Illinois, also originated in Springfield. Springfield, IL was once the site of the Reisch Beer brewery, which operated for 117 years under the same name and family from 1849 to 1966
