New Salem, Menard County, Illinois

New Salem is the name of a former village in Menard County, Illinois in the United States (previously Sangamon County). It was located northwest of Springfield approximately 3 mi (5 km) south of Petersburg. It was the location of the 1831 homestead of future U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. It is not the same as the present village of New Salem in Pike County, Illinois.

Original New Salem

New Salem was founded in 1828, when James Rutledge and John Camron built a gristmill on the Sangamon River. Over the first few years of its existence, the town grew rapidly, but after the county seat was located in nearby Petersburg, the village began to shrink and by 1840, it was abandoned. The fact that the Sangamon River was not well-suited for steamboat travel was also a reason for the town's decline.

Lincoln arrived in New Salem by way of flatboat at age 22, and he remained in the village for about 6 years. During his stay, Lincoln earned a living as a shopkeeper, soldier in the Black Hawk War, general store owner, postmaster, land surveyor, rail splitter, as well as doing odd jobs around the village. As far as historians know, Lincoln never owned a home in the village (most single men did not own homes at this time) however he would often sleep in the tavern or his general store and board (take his meals) with a nearby family.

The village was home to a cooper shop, blacksmith shop, four general stores, a tavern, a grocery, two doctors offices, a shoemaker, a carpenter, a hat maker, a tanner, a schoolhouse/church, and several residencies. During its short existence, the village was home to anywhere from 20-25 families at a time. It is important to remember that New Salem was not a small farm village, but instead a commercial village full of young businessmen and craftsmen trying to start a new life on the frontier.

Reconstructed New Salem

This village was rebuilt on foundations of the original village by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The location is presently a historic park, called [http://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com/ Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site] , featuring buildings, mostly log cabins, and costumed interpreters representing the era of Lincoln's residency. 22 of the buildings are reconstructed and one log cabin, the Onstot Cooper Shop, is original, although it had been previously moved by Henry Onstot to Petersburg in 1840. In 1922, it was returned to New Salem on what archeologists believe was its original foundation.

Lincoln's New Salem was visited by approximately 600,000 people in 2006. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

Active recreational infrastructure centers on the "Mentor Graham Trail", 0.75 miles (1.2 km) long, and the "Volksmarch Trail", 6 miles (10 km) long.

The state park contains 200 campsites, including 100 electrical hookups.

External links

* [http://www.lincolnsnewsalem.com/ Lincoln's New Salem official website]