History Comes Alive launches sixth season
For the sixth consecutive summer, history is alive and thriving in Springfield. Whether you are a newcomer to Abraham Lincoln’s stomping grounds or a veteran Lincoln lover, there is a myriad of living history programs to discover in Springfield, thanks to the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau’s History Comes Alive living history program.
On June 9 the SCVB kicked off the annual History Comes Alive program with a press conference at Edwards Place. Edwards Place, which recently underwent a major first-floor renovation thanks to generous grants from the Jeffris Family Foundation plus many other private donors, served as the perfect location for such an event, as the renovations bring new life to the 19 th century Lincoln-era building. Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition executive director Sarah Watson along with Mayor Jim Langfelder and other tourism partners, including Mr. Lincoln himself as impersonated by Fritz Klein, came together to preview the living history offerings, many of which are free or of no cost to attendees and occur in and around Springfield June through August.
Highlights include walking tours that explore everything from haunted buildings to the often tumultuous relationship between Abraham and Mary Lincoln; guided tours by volunteers in period dress of historic landmarks such as Edwards Place and the Elijah Iles House; Civil War and Lincoln-era demonstrations at the Old State Capitol and the Lincoln Home; period-music concerts by 1860s rock stars and the volunteer vocal group, The Lincoln Troubadours; opportunities to spend time with Lincoln during luncheons and ice cream socials; and orations by Lincoln impersonators regarding his life and time in Springfield.
Although the conference emphasized the History Comes Alive programs offered in Springfield, both Watson and Langfelder acknowledged the radiating effects of tourism throughout Illinois. According to Watson, “These events are only possible because of the many partners from the public and private sectors of our community who believe the importance in telling the Lincoln story.”
By providing tourists with living history experiences they cannot find anywhere else, officials hope that Springfield visitors will eventually expand their search for Lincoln throughout the 42 Illinois counties which host Lincoln Heritage events, with Springfield serving as the hub of tourism. A wide variety of interactive programming and events gives visitors reasons to return often to the state where Lincoln lived and traveled for almost 30 years of his life. Other expressed goals for the program in 2015 are to attract more domestic travelers, encourage visitors to stay longer and expand on current programming catering to return travelers seeking new experiences.
There are several ways to learn about upcoming History Comes Alive events. Keep an eye out for the SCVB’s “Looking for Lincoln” sandwich-board displays in several places on the sidewalks of downtown. The boards will be updated daily with an easyto-digest schedule of the day’s living history events. Visitors are encouraged to log online to http://visitspringfieldillinois.com/History- Comes-Alive for more detailed information concerning events and programming.
Another goal of the boards is to emphasize the importance of community partnerships and promote the individuals and organizations that come together to make such programming possible. Organizers say dedicated volunteers make History Comes Alive possible.
For more information about the History Comes Alive program, look for the informational sandwich boards around town, visit http:// visitspringfieldillinois.com/History-Comes-Alive, or contact the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-545-7300.
Contact Nan Bulli at [email protected].
