Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site

When you are visiting downtown Springfield, be sure to stop in Abraham Lincoln's restored law office for a tour. It's on the south side of the square facing the Old State Capitol. During his nearly 25-year law career Lincoln used office space in several Springfield locations, but this is the only building which still stands. The street below was unpaved with wooden sidewalks for pedestrians. Seth M. Tinsley built the handsome brick Greek Revival structure in 1840-41 for commercial use, and it extended well west of what remains today. The building was almost new when Lincoln moved into it in 1843 with his second law partner, Stephen T. Logan, a cousin of Mary Lincoln. They rented offices on the third floor, prime space for the time, just above the federal courtroom and across from the new statehouse. During Lincoln's time the federal government rented the first floor for a post office and the second floor for a district courtroom, judge's chamber and clerk's office. In the 1840s the federal district included the entire state of Illinois. Lincoln appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel Pope in this building concerning 40 regular cases and 72 bankruptcy proceedings.