Springfield, IL, June 2012: "Lincoln Lincoln, I've been thinking..." Edition

One night Jefferson started asking questions about Abraham Lincoln. He was looking at a penny and, naturally, had some questions about one of our strangest looking presidents. Well, this seemed like just as good an excuse as any to head to Springfield, IL, for answers. First stop: Cozy Dog.

Look, I don't know if they invented the corndog or not. They say they did and they make a darned fine corn dog (I'm detecting cumin in that batter). In any event, how can you not eat at a place with two dancing corndogs on the road sign and the word FOOD sitting atop the building?

We ordered the family platter. I know you're doing the math. Three of us and four corndogs.










I think you know who ate the fourth corndog.

We have a friend who, whenever he travels, tries to "bag a capitol." We bagged this one.
 










Always (ALWAYS!!) consult roadfood.com prior to taking a trip. That's how we found out about Cozy Dog. And that's how we found out about Charlie Parker's Diner. It is unlikely to show up on your GPS. It is well and truly off the grid. 










We got up EARLY to beat the crowd.

That is a pancake, delivered with care on a 16-inch pizza pan. Jefferson ate about 1/8 of it. Still a bargain at $5.

On to the Lincoln house. Well, the Lincoln house gift shop. Apparently Jefferson thinks that Abe Lincoln was some sort of magician.

Springfield was full of reenactments the day we were there. There was a medical camp set up around the old state capitol and some sort of POW camp set up around the Lincoln house. This guy walked up to us and just stood and stared into the distance. I realized I was supposed to talk to him, but after I started, I wasn't sure if I was talking to the guy or the guy he was supposed to be. There's a sign on the street that says "this is the most popular spot from which to take a photo of the house." I have to say, it's a good spot.










Lincoln's desk.

Lincoln's outhouse has three holes in it, just enough for the Warriors Three.

The Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is great. It contains a rotating array of artifacts that will blow your mind (handwritten copies of the Gettysburg Address, Mary Todd's fan stained with Lincoln's blood). Although I have to say that the wax figures are super creepy. Here's the Lincoln family with little known Cousin Opie.










I'm not sure what's going on here, but it seems like evidence of his hillbilly roots.

It's art!

The last stop before home was Lincoln's tomb.

What a handsome boy.