Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site
Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site is a reconstruction of the former village of New Salem in Menard County, Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln lived from 1831 to 1837. Its location is 3 mi south of Petersburg. It dates back to 1828.
A museum, 3 mi south of Petersburg
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 19°, with about 15" of snow a year. When to go ↓
Springfield Township is the nearest base
Springfield Township is 13 miles southeast, with 5 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Established in 1828
Lincoln's New Salem dates from 1828. About ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Sep and Oct
April, May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 65–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 12 miles away
Abraham Lincoln Capital (SPI) has airline service, about 12 miles from Lincoln's New Salem.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Picking a season
A visit to Lincoln's New Salem can follow the seasons below.
Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site
Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site is a reconstruction of the former village of New Salem in Menard County, Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln lived from 1831 to 1837. While in his twenties, the future U.S. President made his living in this village as a boatman, soldier in the Black Hawk War, general store owner, postmaster, surveyor, and rail splitter, and was first elected to the Illinois General Assembly.
- Type
- Museum
- Established
- 1828
- Elevation
- 558 ft
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1972)
- Wikipedia readers
- 9.9K a year
Where to sleep near Lincoln's New Salem
Nearest for a night are Springfield (57) and Capital Township (56).
- 1Lincoln Tomb
- 2Lincoln Home
- 3Springfield 1908 Race Riot
- 4Old State Capitol State Historic Site
- 5Dickson Mounds
- 6Illinois State Museum
- 7Henson Robinson Zoo
Springfield
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
112,989 people
16 mi southeast of Lincoln's New Salem
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Lincoln's New Salem | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | 16 mi southeast | 25 min | 57 42 hotels · 3 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 6 campgrounds | 112,989 | $162K | D− |
| Capital Township | 16 mi southeast | 25 min | 56 42 hotels · 2 motels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 6 campgrounds | 111,143 | $163K | — |
| Petersburg | 3 mi north | 5 min | 3 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 2,125 | $178K | — |
| Springfield Township | 13 mi southeast | 20 min | 5 1 hotel · 2 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 5,485 | $91K | — |
| Fancy Creek Township | 10 mi east | 15 min | 2 1 inn or B&B · 1 campground | 5,806 | $320K | — |
| Lincoln | 28 mi northeast | 40 min | 12 11 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins | 12,981 | $124K | C+ |
| West Lincoln Township | 26 mi northeast | 40 min | 9 8 hotels · 1 motel | 7,252 | $133K | — |
| Jacksonville | 27 mi southwest | 40 min | 9 5 hotels · 1 motel · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 17,752 | $128K | C |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Lincoln's New Salem
Within 64 miles you can add these well-known places.
Big draw114 mi LandmarkLincoln Tomb
216 mi National Historic SiteLincoln Home National Historic Site124K visitors a year316 mi National MonumentSpringfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
416 mi MuseumOld State Capitol State Historic Site
530 mi MuseumDickson Mounds
616 mi MuseumIllinois State Museum
722 mi Zoo & aquariumHenson Robinson Zoo
63 mi City parkRobert Allerton ParkPhoto credits
Lincoln Tomb: David Jones, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Lincoln Home National Historic Site: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Old State Capitol State Historic Site: Shadow2700 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Dickson Mounds: MattHucke, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Illinois State Museum: Mike Linksvayer from Oakland, California, CC0 · Henson Robinson Zoo: Robert Lawton, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Robert Allerton Park: D. Finnigan, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Your questions on Lincoln's New Salem
What town is Lincoln's New Salem near?
Petersburg, IL, about 3 miles north.
When is the best time to visit Lincoln's New Salem?
April, May, June, September and October, with highs of 65–83°.
What is the closest airport to Lincoln's New Salem?
Abraham Lincoln Capital (SPI), about 12 miles away. The nearest big hub is St. Louis Lambert (STL), about 89 miles.
Where should I stay near Lincoln's New Salem?
Springfield (16 mi, 57 places to stay), Capital Township (16 mi, 56 places to stay) and Petersburg (3 mi, 3 places to stay).
Tips for visiting, from Petersburg
People in Petersburg have not posted tips yet; their Town Square is open.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.