Lincoln's Tomb / War Memorial

On April 15, 1865, the life of President Abraham Lincoln was tragically cut short by an assassin's bullet. The leader of a war-torn union became a martyr for the union he labored so hard and deeply to save. At the wishes of his loving wife Mary, his beloved remains were returned to his hometown of Springfield, Illinois. The Lincoln Monument in Oak Ridge Cemetery was erected to preserve the honored memory of his self-less dedication in preserving the United States of America.

Also located within Oak Ridge Cemetery are the War Memorials. These memorials honor Illinoisians who served their country's call to service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. They were built to perpetuate the memory of the many soldiers who sacrificed their lives to keep the United States "the land of the free and the home of the brave" by their honored and meritorious service. The union preserved by Lincoln was defended and protected by these courageous men and women in the global conflicts of the mid-20th Century.

My husband and I were in Springfield and had to go right by here to get to the Fairgrounds, it's literally a block away.  I lived in Springfield a long time, and have a rather unhealthy obsession with old cemeteries, and yet I'd never seen Oak Ridge, which was a shame because I could probably spend a month in there and still not see everything there is.  It is an absolutely breathtaking cemetery...if you like that sort of thing.

We happened to wander in on a Monday, and being as summer hours literally just ended the week before, they were closed, so we didn't get to go inside the tomb.  For those of you smart enough to go when it is open, it is the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary, and three of their four sons, Edward, William, and Thomas. Their eldest son, Robert T. Lincoln, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Also on the site is the public receiving vault. Constructed ca. 1860 and the scene of funeral services for Abraham Lincoln on May 4, 1865, the vault is located at the base of a hill north of the Tomb. In 1960 the Tomb was designated a National Historic Landmark and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. 

    The 117-foot Tomb, designed by sculptor Larkin Mead, is constructed of brick sheathed with Quincy granite. The base is 72-foot square with large semi-circular projections on the north and south sides. Double sets of north and south stairs lead to a terrace, above which rises the obelisk. At the corners of the shaft, large pedestals serve as bases for four bronze sculptures, each with a group of figures representing one of the four Civil War services—infantry, artillery, cavalry, and navy. A taller base on the obelisk’s south side holds a heroic bronze statue of Lincoln. At the Tomb entrance is a bronze reproduction of Gutzon Borglum’s marble head of Lincoln, located in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Make sure to rub his nose for luck!

    Interior rooms of the Tomb are finished in a highly polished marble trimmed with bronze. The south entrance opens into a rotunda, where hallways lead into the burial chamber. The rotunda and corridors contain reduced-scale reproductions of important Lincoln statues as well as plaques with excerpts from Lincoln’s Springfield farewell speech, the Gettysburg Address, and his Second Inaugural Address. Lincoln’s remains rest in a concrete vault ten feet below the marble floor of the burial chamber. A massive granite cenotaph marking the gravesite is flanked by the Presidential flag and flags of the states in which the Lincoln family resided. Crypts in the chamber’s south wall hold the remains of Lincoln’s wife and three of their sons.
   

The remains of President Lincoln and his son Willie were placed and kept in the Receiving Vault from May 4 through December 21 1865. From December 21 1865 through September 19 1871, the President and his two sons, Eddie and Willie, were moved into a temporary above-ground tomb constructed on the northeast side of the hill where the current tomb now stands. The President’s youngest son, Thomas ("Tad”), died on July 15 1871 and was the first to be interred in the Monument, followed by his father and his two brothers on September 19 1871. Mary Lincoln passed away at her sister's home in Springfield on July 16 1882 and was laid to rest with her martyred husband and dear sons a few days later.

We drove around the cemetery grounds a bit, and stopped at the War Memorial on our way out.  My husband has an uncle who's name is on the Korean memorial, so we made sure to see that. The memorial’s central feature is bronze bell (12’ X 12”) with larger than life sculptures of men representing the four branches of the military – Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force. The Memorials’ granite base is inscribed with the names of 1,754 Illinois service members killed in action during the war. A carillon broadcasts timed musical selections every half hour.

The Vietnam Memorial honors the almost 3,000 Illinoisans killed or listed as missing in action during the Vietnam War. Symbolizing the unity of those fighting men and women in the Vietnam War, the circular plan of the memorial allows the visitor to enter the interior courtyard from any direction. The names of those who were killed in battle or those still missing are engraved on five black granite walls in the memorial; those killed in action have a hollow circle preceding their names. The missing in action have smooth-surfaced circles which indicate their fate has not yet been determined. Forming an interior courtyard, the five walls represent each branch of service which is designated by its insignia. The names of those who were prisoners of war and those highly decorated veterans within each service branch are also inscribed on the 15-foot high gray granite walls. Where these walls meet burns an eternal flame of recognition, of hope and of honor as the inscription reads "To Those Who Died Honor and Eternal Rest, To Those Still in Bondage Remembrance and Hope, And To Those Who Returned Gratitude and Peace."

There is also a truly impressive WWII Memorial, honoring the 987,000 Illinois men and women who served in World War II and the 22,000 who gave their lives. This memorial draws the visitor's focus to a world globe which symbolizes the epic conflict which involved over 200 countries. Being 12-foot in diameter, the globe is made of cement and chipped white marble and is aesthetically pleasing. In raised relief, continents and oceans hold more than 70 steel buttons signifying major events of the war.

The thing I actually liked best was that because we were there on a day that it wasn't technically open, we were literally the only ones there.  If you just want to walk the grounds and explore, I suggest going on an off day.  

HOURS FOR THE LINCOLN TOMB:May through Labor Day:
Post Labor Day and October:
November through February:
March and April:Mon–Sun  9am – 5pm
Tue –Sat  9am – 5pm
Tue –Sat  9am – 4pm
Tue –Sat  9am – 5pm
The Tomb's interior is accessible to persons with disabilities.
The exterior upper deck is not open to public access regardless of disability. 

HOURS FOR THE WAR MEMORIALS:

Central Standard Time:
Daylight Saving Time:Sun–Sat   7am – 5pm
Sun–Sat   7am – 8pm  

Directions are really simple.  Come in on North I-55/South 9th st.  Turn Left onto North Grand ave. There will be signs when you get close, turn Right onto Monument Ave, then Left onto West Oak Ridge st.