Vacation, Part 2

Visiting Lincoln's New Salem was a great view into the past.  New Salem is the reconstruction of the village where Abe spent his early adulthood.  Lincoln spent six years in New Salem and it is said that his years there were a turning point in his career.  He clerked a store, split rails, enlisted in the Black Hawk War, served as post master and a surveyor, he had a business that failed and then was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 1834 and 1836.  He was unsuccessful in a bid for the assembly in 1832.

In the summer of 1832, William Berry bought part interest in this mercantile store.  Later that year Lincoln bought the other interest in this store with a promissory note.  Stores were a popular social place for locals.  It wasn't long before a larger store with more stock of goods came available across the street and Berry and Lincoln purchased it.  

The Schoolhouse and Church was originally a Baptist Church.  Mentor Graham taught reading, writing and ciphering.  Graham ran a subscription school and received his pay in goods such as corn, wheat, firewood, chickens and meat.  

The interpreters were so knowledgeable!  This woman was gardening and telling us about the size of the gardens that were needed to feed large families.  

Anyone home?

Watching the chickens.  

It was fun to take a step back in time and think about how life would've been in the 1830s. 

We headed south to St. Louis for more fun!  

We visited the Old Courthouse to get our tickets to The Arch.  

We visited the galleries of the Westward Expansion.  

Our tram for the "Journey to the Top."

Tram selfie.  

View of the construction for the new Arch Visitor Center.  

The Arch family selfie.  

Riverboat Cruise.