Easy Access Springfield

426 S. Seventh St. (Cross Street: Edwards)
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 492-4241, TTY 217-492-4244
www.nps.gov/liho
Accessibility page:
https://www.nps.gov/liho/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm

The only home that Mr. Lincoln ever owned is the centerpiece of a historic site run by the National Park Service, located at the intersection of South Eighth Street and Jackson Street. The four-square block pedestrian zone that makes up Mr. Lincoln's Neighborhood contains twelve structures that have been restored to their 1860 appearance. Three can be visited by the public-the Lincoln Home (guided tour only) and the Dean and Arnold Houses, which have exhibits. The latter has a ramp at the rear while the Lincoln and Dean properties have platform lifts that cleverly recess into the ground. The second story of the Lincoln Home is not accessible but pictures of the second story, narrated by a guide, can be provided upon request. There is also a video of the tour of the house is available on the Lincoln Home National Historic Site YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/@lincolnhomenationalhistori6895. The park film, "Abraham Lincoln: A Journey to Greatness," is also screened on the hour and half hour in Theater 1 of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center. To visit the Lincoln Home, one must first pick up a free tour ticket from the Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center Information Desk. Tours are free but our tickets are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

The National Park Service accommodates visitors with disabilities in a variety of ways from loans of wheelchairs and portable assistive listening devices to provision of a sign language interpreter. Please call ahead or speak with a staff at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center Information Desk to arrange for accessible accommodations or access to accessibility devices, resources, and options.

Hours

• Daily: 8:30am-5pm
• Closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas

Admission

• Free
• To tour the Lincoln Home, visitors must first pick up a ticket with an assigned time at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center.
  • Tickets are issued in-person, on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • For individuals or groups under 15 individuals, tour tickets cannot be reserved in advance.
  • Tickets cannot be issued or reserved online or over the phone. Tickets are only issued in-person, on the day the visitor wishes to take the tour.
• For groups of 15 or more, call the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, 217-789-2360, or reserve online at
  https: //visitspringfieldillinois.com/GroupTour/GroupTourAdult

Parking/Loading Zone

• Street parking
• Private parking lot—designated accessible spaces
  • Entrance on 7th St. south of Visitor Center
  • Parking is $2/hour-credit/debit card only
  • Ramp from designated parking to sidewalk
• Bus and oversized vehicle parking lot is located on north side of visitor center

Educational Programs

• Type-docent-led tours
• Ages served-all
• Disabilities served-all, no targeted programming

Features for People with Service Animals

• Natural surface/grassy dog relief area
  • Location-yard next to visitor center
  • All animal waste should be immediately collected by the animal;s handler and disposed of in a trash receptacle. Trash receptacles are available throughout the site. There are no plastic bags available, so please remember to bring your own

Features for People with Hearing Loss

• Print information-site brochure and tour booklet/script
  • Tour booklets are also available in a variety of non-English languages
• Assistive listening devices-portable for tours
  • Headset and receiver available for checkout at Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center Information Desk
• Assistive listening system-theatres
  • Headsets for checkout at Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center Information Desk
• Sign language interpreter-on request
  • 2 weeks advance notice required
  • Contact liho_information@nps.gov or call 217 492-4241
  • When making the request, please include your name, email address, phone number, date and time of planned visit to the Lincoln Home, planned length of time to visit the Lincoln Home
• Captioning of videos
  • Theater 1
  • English captions
• Strobe fire alarms in public areas and restrooms-visitor center only

Features for People with Vision Loss

• Orientation/Guide for Lincoln Home Tour
  • With advance notice, rangers may be able to provide a wider tour of Lincoln's Neighborhood.additional houses
• Information in alternative formats
  • Braille site brochure and tour booklet
• Tactile exhibit in Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center
  • Includes materials and textures of items in the Lincoln Home (e.g. curtain, marbles, doorknob, wallpaper, chair fabric)
• Lincoln Home Tour Sensory/Tactile Book
  • Available for checkout at Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center information Desk
• Outdoor Wayside Exhibit Audio Description
  • Audio descriptions and narration of the outdoor wayside exhibits located around the site is available via the NPS Mobile App. The NPS Mobile App is available for iOS and Android through the App Store and Google Play by searching "National Park Service"
  • In the NPS Mobile App, under Lincoln Home National Historic Site, wayside audio description is built into the screen-reader functions of the "Lincoln Home Outdoor Wayside Exhibit Tour" self-guided tour
• The Sensible Innovations Aware app provides wayfinding and turn-by-turn descriptive navigation instructions, available with audio narration, for Lincoln Home National Historic Site and the larger downtown Springfield area
  • Visitors can download the Aware App for free from the Apple or Google Play store by searching "Sensible Innovations Aware"
• Braille/Tactile Signage-restrooms in Visitor Center
• Interior Signage-large print, high contrast, non-glare
• Height clearance at least 80 inches
• No undetectable protruding objects in path of travel

Accessible Entrance

• Level entry
• Door has at least 32" clearance
• Threshold less than 1/2" beveled
• Automatic or push button door

Assistive Equipment for Guests with Physical Disabilities

• Wheelchair
  • Available for checkout at Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center Information Desk
• Defibrillator for cardiac emergencies
  • Located in Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center, by restrooms

Accessibility-Historic Buildings

• Lincoln Home-guided tour
  • 9 steps from boardwalk to front door, 14 steps between first floor and second floor
    • Stairs are quite steep
  • Platform lift, rear of home-this must be operated by a guide and can be done by request
  • Corridor/path of travel at least 36" wide-if a visitor's wheelchair is too wide to fit in the Lincoln Home, wheelchairs can be checked out from the Lincoln Home Visitor Center Information Desk
  • Second story is not wheelchair accessible-visitor must be able to go up stairs in order to access second floor
  • Photos available of upstairs rooms with guide to narrate rooms-by request
  • Electric, motorized, and power chairs, scooters, segways, etc. are generally not allowed in the Lincoln Home due to width and weight
• Dean House-self guided tour
  • Platform lift, left of main entrance
  • Corridor/path of travel at least 36" wide
• Arnold House-self guided tour
  • Ramp at rear (south side) of home
  • Corridor/path of travel at least 36" wide

Exterior Access

• Corridor/path of travel at least 36" wide
• Surface material -brick, fine gravel, wooden boardwalk
• Note: Boardwalks and board curb ramps have irregular planks and may be slippery when wet
• Intersection of Eighth Street and Jackson Street do not have curb ramps. Nearest curb ramps to this street intersection are the south and north ends of Eighth Street and the east and west ends of Jackson Street that are on the edge of the 4-square block historic site

Interior Access

• Corridor/path of travel at least 36" wide

Elevator

• None
• All facilities on one level

Accessible Facilities/Amenities

• Visitor Center
  • Information Counter-36" max
  • Brochure shelf
  • Seating-chairs, benches with arms
• Gift Shop
  • Sales counter/section 36" max
  • Space to turn/maneuver
• Drinking Fountain
• Vending Machines
  • outside both south and north entrances
  • Soda and water, no food

Exhibits

• On accessible route
• Space to approach/view/maneuver
• Freestanding cases 36"-39" max
• Wall hung cases 36-39" max. bottom level
• Wall hung displays 54" to center line
• Items viewed from above, 36" to top of item/case
• Labels are viewable from seated position
• Note: Exhibits located in Dean and Arnold Houses as well as Visitor Center

Performance Spaces

• Theatre 1: Regular screenings of "Abraham Lincoln: A Journey to Greatness" park film
  • Location-Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center
  • Fixed seating-padded benches with backing
  • Wheelchair seating
    • Number of Spaces-5
    • Locations-Ends of back row
  • Companion seating
    • Fixed, alongside
• Theatre 2
  • Location-Lincoln Home National Historic Site
  • Fixed seating-padded benches with backing
  • Wheelchair seating
    • Number of Spaces—2
    • Locations—Integrated in back row
  • Companion seating
    • Fixed, alongside

Accessible Public Restroom

• Men's and Women's
• Location in Lincoln Home National Historic Site Visitor Center
• Access symbol identifies facility
• Entry door at least 32" clearance
• Threshold less than 1/2" beveled
• Space in restroom to maneuver-5' by 5' or T-shaped space to turn
• Wheelchair stall 60" by 58"/60" minimum
• Stall door at least 32" clearance
• Stall door swings out
• Grab bar behind and alongside toilet
• Lateral transfer space at least 30" wide
• Toilet height 17" to 19"
• Roll under sink with knee clearance at least 27" high and 30" wide
• Insulated sink pipes
• Mirror 40" or less from floor or tilted
• Towels/soap/vending within reach-48" or less from floor
• Faucet controls automatic or lever type
• Latch operable with closed fist
• Easy grasp/lever handle or none
• Baby changing station in both men's and women's accessibility stalls