Lincoln Home Renovation. Photographs and Ephemera, 1987-1988

This collection consists of photographs and ephemera created during the renovation of the Lincoln Home in Springfield, Illinois, which took place from May 1987-June 1988.

The Lincoln Home, located on the corner of Eighth and Jackson Streets in Springfield, Illinois, was home to the Lincolns from 1844 until they left for the White House in 1861. Over the seventeen years that the Lincolns resided there, three sons were born and one son died. Lincoln learned of his election to the presidency in this house in 1860. Once the Lincolns left the home, it was rented to a succession of tenants until, in 1882, Robert Lincoln donated the house to the State of Illinois. The State appointed custodians to live in the Lincoln home and conduct public tours. The home became a National Historic Site on August 18, 1971, and the National Park Service took over management of the Lincoln Home in 1972. In 1987, the home underwent a thirteen-month, $2.2 million dollar renovation, rehabilitation of its structure, and redecoration of its interior. The renovation was completed in June 1988.

This collection includes fives photographs, eight 35-mm slides, and one photographic negative that document the renovation and construction process of the Lincoln Home in 1987-1988. Also included are ten samples of wallpaper from the redecoration process of the interior of the home. Labels on the back of each sample indicate which room of the Lincoln Room the wallpaper was used. Rooms include the main hallway, formal parlor, front bedroom, family room (parlor), dining room, and Lincoln's bedroom.

Cathy Mancuso donated materials in this collection to the Library in 2009.