Nearly 200 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln moved to New Salem, Ill., a log cabin village where he would stay until 1837. Now, the re-created historical site is set to get an $8 million makeover.
Per its website, the New Salem State Historic Site is located in Petersburg, Ill., about 20 miles northwest of Springfield, the state capital. Last month, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) announced that there would be improvements to the site.
“The funding, made possible by Governor JB Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan, will be used to repair up to 23 log village buildings and update the outdoor theater,” said a March 19 IDNR press release.
While Lincoln lived in the town in the 1800s, the IDNR said the original town only existed for around 12 years. The New Salem village standing today was constructed in the 1930s and 1940s as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps program established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It features 23 historically furnished buildings, including homes, stores, trades shops, a tavern, a school, a wool carding mill, a sawmill and a gristmill (a mill used for grinding grains).
“Scattered throughout the village are log barns and other outbuildings,” said the IDNR. “At the entrance to the historical village is a visitor center that houses museum exhibits and a 250-seat auditorium. Adjacent to the visitor center is a 500-seat outdoor theater. In addition, New Salem village is part of a 700-acre park with hiking trails, a campground, picnic areas, and playground equipment.”
Last year, 374,418 people visited the historical site, the IDNR said. That was an increase over the 359,950 visitors who checked out the site in 2023. Every October, it hosts a popular candlelight walk.
The State Journal-Register reported that members of the New Salem Lincoln League, a volunteer group designed to enhance visitors’ experience of the village, said recently that buildings at the site had partially collapsed roofs or mold growing on roofs. It said the gristmill is currently closed to visitors and a pedestrian bridge is slated for demolition.
“We are grateful for Governor Pritzker’s ongoing commitment to preserving New Salem and other state historic sites for future generations,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. “For decades, Illinois families have enjoyed visiting New Salem for class trips, historical demonstrations, scouting excursions, theater outings, candlelight walks, summer picnics, and more. We want to ensure visitors can continue enjoying all that New Salem has to offer for years to come.”
Since Pritzker took office in 2019, nearly $3 million in improvements have already been carried out at the New Salem village. These have included a roof replacement and new HVAC controls at the visitor center, stairway construction between the village and the grist mill, a bridge replacement on the Mentor Graham Trail and a planned major road and bridge improvement project, among others.