Old State Capitol

Old State Capitol is a historic site in Illinois, at a modelled elevation of 182 m. Elkhart Hill stands 221 m to the north-northeast, 18 miles off. The nearest named place is Old State Capitol Plaza, a park less than a tenth of a mile away. Historic Route 66 runs past it. 5 named summits stand within 25 miles.
The story
The Old State Capitol State Historic Site is a former capitol building for the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in Springfield, it is one of two preserved former Illinois capitol buildings (the other being in Vandalia). It was built in the Greek Revival style in 1837–1840, when Springfield became the capital city, and served as the state house from 1840 to 1876, when it was replaced by the current capitol. It is the site of candidacy announcements by Abraham Lincoln in 1858 and Barack Obama in 2007. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961, primarily for its association with Lincoln and his political rival Stephen Douglas.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Dates from 1837.
Wikidata Q998003, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Built
- 1837
How to reach it
- On the Historic Route 66, National
- 61.7 mi off the Great River Road, National
Overlooks nearby
- Capitol View · 1 mi
- Jake's Point Overlook · 29 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Old State Capitol Plaza: 0.0 mi
- Union Square Park: 0.1 mi
- Madison Park: 0.7 mi
- Enos Park: 0.8 mi
- Gehrmann Park: 0.8 mi
- Lincoln Family Statue: 0.0 mi
- 1908 Race Riot Tour Marker - Loper's Restaurant: 0.1 mi
- 1908 Race Riot Tour Marker - The Levee: 0.1 mi
- 1908 Race Riot Tour Marker - Payne's Hardware: 0.1 mi
- Globe Tavern Historical Marker: 0.1 mi
- Art Alley: 0.1 mi
- Sad Fido: 0.1 mi
- Lincoln Mural: 0.1 mi
- Migrating Mural: 0.1 mi
- Farmers Market Mural: 0.1 mi
- Lincoln Herndon Law Office: 0.1 mi
- Kidzeum of Health and Science: 0.1 mi
- Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum: 0.2 mi
- Union Station: 0.2 mi
- Vachel Lindsay Home: 0.4 mi
- Enos Park Sculpture Garden: 0.6 mi
- Garden of Hope: 0.7 mi
- The Neighborhood Garden: 0.8 mi
- Motherland Gardens: 0.9 mi
- Vinegar Hill Community Garden: 1.1 mi
- Lincoln's Home: 0.3 mi
- Route 66 Experience: 2.2 mi
- High Dive Show: 2.3 mi
- Milk a Cow: 2.3 mi
- Lauterbach Man Statue: 3.0 mi
- Margery Adams Wildlife Sanctuary: 1.5 mi
- Riverside Park: 4.4 mi
- Gurgens Park: 4.5 mi
- Carpenter Park: 4.7 mi
- Wanless Park: 5.7 mi
- Cotton Hill: 9.3 mi
- Walnut Hill: 13.4 mi
- Yellow Hammer Knob: 17.6 mi
- Elkhart Hill: 17.9 mi
- Polecat Hill: 21.9 mi
- Iron Spring: 1.7 mi
- Hampton Bluff: 18.4 mi
- Gurney: 22.3 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 25 miles of Old State Capitol. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart Hill | NNE 32° | 221 m | 17.9 mi |
| Walnut Hill | NNE 24° | 197 m | 13.4 mi |
| Polecat Hill | NNE 15° | 187 m | 21.9 mi |
| Cotton Hill | SSE 155° | 186 m | 9.3 mi |
| Yellow Hammer Knob | E 90° | 183 m | 17.6 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:03 | 18:35 | 19:11 |
| June solstice | 05:31 | 19:50 | 20:31 |
| September equinox | 06:47 | 18:22 | 18:57 |
| December solstice | 07:17 | 15:55 | 16:38 |
Local time (America/Chicago).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Oct.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 27 | 31 | 42 | 53 | 63 | 73 | 76 | 74 | 67 | 55 | 43 | 33 |
| Precip in | 2.2 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.3 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Springfield #2, 2 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
National Register of Historic Places, reference 66000331OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidata- National Register of Historic Places — Old State Capitol, reference 66000331, listed 10/15/66.
OpenStreetMap element way/85521829
Day trips start here
- Petersburg · 18 mi
Take the scenic way to Old State Capitol.
Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.


%20(14780566274).jpg?width=480)
%20(14780093881).jpg?width=480)
