In and Around Springfield, Illinois Quiz

Answer: 2

Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818. The first capital was Kaskaskia, a small town in Randolph County in the southern part of the state. The capital was moved to Vandalia in 1819, and in 1837 was moved yet again, to Springfield, which has remained the capital ever since.

Answer: Sangamon

Sangamon County was named for the Sangamon River, the main river which flows through it. The waters of the Sangamon River are very muddy. It should not be surprising that Springfield is the county seat; of the 50 state capitals, Lansing, Michigan is the only one that is not also a county seat.

Answer: Mostly flat

Springfield was built on the Illinois prairie and is mostly flat; there are a few very small hills. Springfield lies in what is called the Lower Illinois River Basin. The land is very flat because it was leveled by glaciers during the last several ice ages.

The glaciers also deposited a deep layer of very rich soil, which makes the farmland around Springfield some of the most fertile and valuable in the country.

Answer: Lake Springfield

Lake Springfield is a man-made reservoir that covers 4,260 acres (17.2 square kilometers). It was created by damming Sugar Creek, a tributary of the Sangamon River. Work began in 1931 and was completed in 1935. In addition to supplying water to Springfield and many other smaller cities, Lake Springfield provides many recreational activities.

It is a popular boating venue, and its waters contain over 20 varieties of game fish, including bass, catfish, trout, crappie, and bluegill.

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln moved into the old brick building in 1843, when he shared offices with his partner, Stephen T. Logan. When Logan left the following year, Lincoln formed a partnership with William H. Herndon. The two practiced law in the building until 1852, when they moved to another building on the west side of the square; that building has long since been torn down, but the original office is still standing and has been restored to its former glory. Since 1985, the building has been owned and maintained by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Answer: Oak Ridge Cemetery

The Springfield city fathers wanted Lincoln to be buried in downtown Springfield, on a site near where the present Capitol Building stands. But Mary Lincoln insisted he be buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, which was located in a rural setting a few miles north of the central business district.

The tomb was not completed until 1874. Two years later, a gang of criminals attempted to steal Lincoln's body and hold it for ransom. Major reconstruction projects were undertaken in 1900-01 and 1930-31. In addition to President Lincoln, the tomb contains the remains of his wife and three of their sons.

Lincoln is not the only famous person buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Lincoln's law partner, William H. Herndon, is buried here, as is the poet Vachel Lindsay, labor leader John L. Lewis, several Civil War generals, Illinois governors, and other notable figures from Illinois history.

Answer: World's first "drive-thru" restaurant

The Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop opened in 1921 and has been in continuous operation ever since. It was the first restaurant in the world to offer "drive-thru" service for motorists. Located at 118 N Pasfield Street, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The Maid-Rite is not Springfield's only claim to culinary fame. The horseshoe sandwich, consisting of a thick slice of toast, covered with hamburger, french fries, and a thick cheese sauce, was invented in Springfield. And The Cozy Dog Drive In, on South 6th Street, claims to be the home of the original corn dog, although this is disputed by several other restaurants.

Answer: Frank Lloyd Wright

Susan Lawrence Dana (1862-1946) was the only child of Mary and Rheuna Lawrence; her father had become wealthy selling supplies to the army during the Civil War. After her husband died in an accident in 1900, she commissioned Wright to remodel the Victorian mansion she had inherited from her parents. Work began in 1902, and the old house was completely transformed; only one room of the original dwelling was left untouched. The project cost $60,000, an immense sum at the time. The house is especially noted for its art glass windows. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

The house was purchased in 1944 by Charles C. Thomas. He and his wife were devoted to maintaining the mansion and its original furnishings. Following Mrs. Thomas' death, the house was purchased for $1 million in 1981 by the State of Illinois, and is now managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. It is open to the public for tours six days a week.

Answer: Civil War

The Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Museum has a fascinating collection of Civil War artifacts. One of the most famous is the actual flag on which John Wilkes Booth snagged his spur while jumping from the Presidential Box at Ford's Theatre after killing Abraham Lincoln. The Grand Army of the Republic was the name of the Union Army veterans' organization following the war. The museum is open to the public, and admission is free!

Other museums of interest to history buffs that are located in Springfield include the Illinois State Military Museum, the Air Combat Museum, and the Korean War National Museum.

Answer: A carillon

A carillon is a bell tower. The Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon is one of the largest in the world. It stands 132 feet high, and houses 67 bells that weigh a total of 82,753 pounds. Each June an International Carillon Festival is held which attracts people from all over the world. The building is also used for other functions throughout the year. For a nominal fee, visitors can tour the carillon and take an elevator to one of three observation decks. Believe me, the bells are beautiful when they are rung, but they are also very loud!

If you decide to visit the carillon, you might also want to check out some of the other attractions that Washington Park offers which include a botanical garden, a duck pond, rose garden, and walking and biking trails.