The Surratt Society is going to celebrate the Lincoln Bicentennial in 2009 by taking a trip out to Springfield, Illinois, the Land of Lincoln.

The cost covers transportation, 6 nights lodging, 6 breakfasts, 4 dinners (all lunches and 2 dinners are on your own), 13 tours, 1 day with a step-on guide, 1 walking tour of downtown Springfield, special programs at two of the dinners.

We will be leaving from the Surratt House in Clinton Maryland, at 9:00 a.m.  There is plenty of room to park your cars and the police will patrol the area while we are gone.

A $200 deposit each is due upon registration.  This deposit is non-refundable after March 1, 2009.  Full payment is due by April 20, 2009.

This tour will be on air-conditioned coach bus.  There will be walking involved so bring comfortable shoes.

On day one, Monday, June 8, we leave Surratt House at 9:00 a.m., make a stop for lunch (on your own), overnight in Dayton, Ohio, and have dinner (on your own).

On day two, June 9, we should arrive in Springfield about 3 or 4 in the afternoon.  (Keep in mind that Springfield is an hour behind our time.)  We will check into our hotel, the Mansion View Suites (214-544-7411) and go to dinner, after which we will tour the Mourning Museum and visit the Lincoln Tomb to witness a flag retreat ceremony.

On day three, June 10, we will visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and meet with state historian Tom Schwartz for a tour.  Here you will enjoy lunch (on your own).  Next we visit the Lincoln-Herndon Law Office, after which we go to the Lincoln Home Visitor Center and the Lincoln Home.  We go to dinner and after dinner meet Garrett Moffett for a 1-1/2 hour walk of Lincoln’s Springfield.

On day four, June 11, Garrett will join us on the bus as we tour Edwards Place, the Old State Capitol, the G.A.R. Museum, lunch (on your own), tour the depot, the Elijah Iles House, and the Vachel Lindsay home.  We will have dinner at Pasfield House Inn with a special program yet to be determined.

On day five, June 12, we will head to New Salem; lunch (on your own), then we head to Bloomington for a tour of the David Davis Museum.  Dinner will be at Central Station with a program called “Outrageous Etiquette” presented by The Tea Ladies.

On day six, June 13—alas we have to leave Springfield and head back to Maryland.  We will overnight in Zanesville, Ohio, and do dinner there (on your own).

On day seven, June 14, we are now on the last leg of our journey.  We will stop for lunch (on your own) and should get back to Surratt House by about 5 or 6 p.m.

I can think of no better way to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth than to be with him on his home turf.  This promises to be a very interesting tour and I hope you can join us.

We need a minimum of 25 people ON THE BUS LEAVING FROM SURRATT HOUSE for this tour to go.

Fill out the Registration Form and mail to:

If you have any questions, you may call the Surratt House at 301-868-1121 or email Joan at Joan.Chaconas@pgparks.com.

The Lincoln Bicentennial Trip At A Glance

• Transportation on an air-conditioned bus
• Six nights lodging
• Six breakfasts, four dinners (all lunches and two dinners will be on your own)

• The Lincoln Tomb where we will witness a flag retreat ceremony
• The Mourning Museum: mourning customs and rites
• The Abraham Lincoln Museum where we will be met by Thomas Schwartz, Director
• The Lincoln Home and Lincoln Home Visitors’ Center
• Edwards Place which contains the “Lincoln Courting Couch” from the Ninian Edwards Home where Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd were married
• The Old State Capitol which holds a wealth of Lincoln history
• The Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Museum, a small museum full of Civil War artifacts
• The Lincoln Depot where Lincoln gave his farewell tribute to his friends before leaving for Washington
• The Elijah Iles House: Iles was a friend of Lincoln’s and served with him in the Black Hawk War.  He was a strong supporter of Lincoln’s campaign for political office.
• The Vachel Lindsay Home.  In 1846, this was the home of Mary Todd’s younger sister, Ann Todd Smith.  In 1878, it was home to Lindsay, the poet who wrote the poem “Abraham Lincoln Walks At Midnight.”
• New Salem, the pioneer village where Lincoln arrived at age 22 and tried out several occupations before focusing on law and politics.
• The David Davis Mansion.  Hear the story of Judge Davis, whose influence on Abraham Lincoln’s legal and political career was crucial to President Lincoln’s success.
• A dinner and program by The Tea Ladies: “Outrageous Etiquette”
• A dinner at Pasfield House Inn with program
• A Lincoln oriented walk with a guide in the downtown Springfield area
• A step-on guide with us one full day