Springfield’s former Illinois capitol, built in Greek Revival style from 1837 to 1840, became the state’s political center after lawmakers, including Abraham Lincoln, helped move the capital from Vandalia. The yellow limestone building housed the legislature, governor, and supreme court until 1876, then served for decades as the Sangamon County courthouse after major alterations. It is most closely linked to Lincoln, who served here in the legislature, argued cases before the court, delivered his 1858 House Divided speech, and lay in state here in 1865. Restored in the 1960s, it remains both a museum and an active civic stage.