5/12/10 - Lincoln's New Salem State Histroric Site

In 1831, at the age of 22, a young Abraham Lincoln decided to live in the village of New Salem while co-piloting a flatboat down the Sangamon, Illinois and Mississippi waterways. As you walk New Salem's pathways, you get a glimpse of life in an 1830s trading center. As the town developed, so did his career. Lincoln developed from a self-admitted "aimless piece of driftwood" to a merchant, surveyor, postmaster and captain of the local militia. And finally it was here, where by the flicker of candlelight, he began to study law. Lincoln stayed in New Salem for six years.

Scenes of the small village.

Community cooper lived in the house on the right and his workshop was on the left.

Inside the workshop

Lincoln's 1st store.

US Flag has 24 stars.

Inside the Lincoln store.

Carding Mill and wool house.

Ox were the power for this mill. They stood on the platform on the right and as they walked the wheel turned and generated the power for the carding mill.

Lincoln boarded at the Rutledge Inn for 37 and 1/2 cents per day. Alledgedly Lincoln's sweetheart Ann Rutledge was the innkeeper's daughter who died at the age of 19.

Lincoln was appointed Postmaster and served that position for three years until the post office was moved to Petersburg.

Two sisters and their families lived in this two part structure. Their was an open air part in the middle that served as the gathering area.

A sawmill and gristmill.

There were a lot of stairs getting over to the gristmill area....

At this rate with all the stairs we've been climging.....I can stop going to Curves!!!