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 The “Abe and Mary: Quite Contrary”
walking tour takes visitors through downtown Springfield, past the
spots where a rough young lawyer and a Southern belle fell for one
another, where they broke up but reunited and married, and where
they lived happily until leaving for Washington.
The free tour will be offered every Tuesday at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
in June, July and August. It covers 1.5 miles and takes about an
hour. Guests should wear comfortable shoes, bring water and dress
appropriately for the weather, which can be quite hot.
The tour begins at the presidential museum (212 N. Sixth Street),
where you are encouraged – but not required – to visit the section
about Lincoln’s life before the presidency. The tour ends at the
First Presbyterian Church (Seventh Street and Capitol Avenue), but
guests are welcome to accompany the guides back to the museum.
“Essentially, we take visitors back to the 1830s-1850s and show them
parts of Springfield that helped define Abraham and Mary’s
relationship,” said one of the guides, Trevor Thompson. “By the end
of the tour, visitors can see how Springfield’s most famous couple
were ‘quite contrary,’ yet quite similar in their aspirations.”
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 To make a free reservation for the
tour, visit
www.presidentlincoln.illinois.gov.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to
telling the story of America’s 16th president through old-fashioned
scholarship and modern technology.
The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books,
documents, photographs, artifacts and art, as well as some 12 million items
pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history. The museum uses traditional
exhibits, eye-catching special effects and innovative story-telling techniques
to educate visitors.
It also has some 12 million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history,
making the library one of the nation’s leading institutions for genealogy and
history research.
[Shanta Thoele
Executive Secretary
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library]
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