Springfield, the state capital, is located in central Illinois in
Sangamon County and serves as the county seat. It lies south of
Peoria along
Interstate 72 and historic
Route 66, on the banks of the
Sangamon River near
Lake Springfield.
The city became the capital in 1837 with the assistance of a young lawyer and politician named Abraham Lincoln. He lived in Springfield until he left to become the 16th President of the United States in 1861.
Springfield enjoys a diversified economic base. The city is headquarters for 12 nationally known insurance companies and more than 165 state, regional, and national associations. More than one million visitors a year come to see historic Lincoln sites.
The Susan Lawrence Dana home, built in 1904, is an example of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.
The city is home to Robert Morris College, University of Illinois at Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College and Springfield College in Illinois among the several instituions of higher learning here.
Golfers have a choice of several courses including Piper Glen Golf Club, The Rail Golf Club and Lincoln Greens Golf Course.
