Hours are seasonal. Please call 217-524-3971 for more information.
Visitor services
Public restrooms.
Regular Events
Directions
The Old State Capitol is located in downtown Springfield on the corner of 6th and Adams Sts.
Site Description
During the dramatic years leading to the Civil War, the building had an important role in the political struggle between Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861) and Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). Lincoln visited the building frequently as both a lawyer and a politician, serving in the building during his last term in the Illinois House of Representatives and delivering the famous 1858 ôHouse Dividedö speech in Representatives Hall, and using the governorÆs rooms as a headquarters during the 1860 presidential campaign. The building was the scene of the assassinated PresidentÆs final laying-in-state on May 3-4, 1865.
Have a correction or additional information about this site? See something amiss? Email cwdt@civilwar.org!
