I made a pitstop in Springfield, Illinois during a rainstorm and stopped by the Lincoln Mausoleum, which some people insist on calling a tomb. It is located in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Under reconstruction on the exterior, I focused on the interior. Its history is convoluted, so I will defer to other websites for the mausoleum’s history.

To make a long story short, a proper, stately burial place was planned almost immediately after Lincoln’s assassination, and construction began soon after while his body was kept nearby in the cemetery.

The interior is graced with copies of many of the most famous depictions of the president, placed in niches throughout the square hallway ground plan.

There is a long hallway back to the tomb chamber.

The flags symbolize Lincoln’s ancestry and also the states where he lived, in addition to the flag of the presidency, which I did not realize existed.

With the exception of Robert Todd Lincoln, who is buried at Arlington Cemetery, the rest of the President’s family is interred here.

After an attempt at stealing Lincoln’s body, he was interred in a vault deep in the ground behind the large granite sarcophagus.

I was lucky to have the entire mausoleum to myself and view the various sculptures and inscriptions. It is a very interesting place to take in.