Lincoln Home Site, Arnold House, 810 East Jackson Avenue, Springfield, Sangamon County, IL

Significance: The Arnold House was built in 1839 or 1840 for Reverend Francis Springer who was a minister and educator. Reverend Springer made significant contributions to the social and religious life of the area during the period 1839 to 1892. Besides being a family home, Springer utilized the house as a classroom. His school, "English and Classical School," was designed to provide "the means of a thorough English and Classical education." Springer also organized the "Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Springfield" in his home on September 19, 1841. On December 24, 1849, Francis Springer and his wife Mary sold the property to Charles Arnold. Mr. Arnold resided in the house until the 1870's. He was a local politician who served as Sheriff of Sangamon County for two terms. Charles Arnold was a friend and political ally of Abraham Lincoln. Directly across Jackson Street from the Lincoln home, the Arnold house has been greatly altered over the years. In the early twentieth century, it was moved from the front to the rear of the lot. Originally a frame, story-and-a-half cottage, the building was later veneered, and subdivided into three separate living units. The Charles Arnold House and grounds complement the Lincoln home. As such, they were a part of the urban environment in which the Lincolns and their neighbors lived.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-161
Survey number: HABS IL-1123-A
Building/structure dates: ca. 1840 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 19q1
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 71000076