Candlelight Walks Begin at Lincoln’s New Salem

Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site will welcome guests to its annual Candlelight Walks each evening from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. on the weekends of October 3-5, October 10-12, and October 17-19, 2025, marking an expansion to three weekends this year in response to growing interest.

Situated in Menard County, just outside Petersburg and about twenty miles northwest of Springfield, the historic site recreates the 19th-century village where Abraham Lincoln lived and worked before rising to prominence. As dusk falls, visitors will stroll along lantern-lit paths past furnished log homes, shops, a tavern, a schoolhouse, a gristmill, and various outbuildings, while volunteer interpreters and staff, dressed in period attire, share stories of daily life during Lincoln’s era.

Attendees are invited to linger by campfires and warm apple cider, as the glow of candles and lanterns helps evoke a sense of what life was like in early 1800s Illinois. The event offers both an educational experience about Lincoln’s formative years—as clerk, postmaster, steamboat pilot, and legislator—and a festive, family-friendly evening.

“This event is fun and family-friendly, but it is also an opportunity for visitors to learn more about life in the 19th century,” said Representative Wayne Rosenthal. Representative Mike Coffey added that the walk “really demonstrates how life was in the 1800s,” and is “designed for all ages as a great way to learn more about our 16th President and how he lived and worked in the village of New Salem.”

For those seeking an evening of history and community under candlelight, this year’s expanded schedule offers more opportunities to participate.

“Abraham Lincoln is the greatest President in history, and the candlelight walk really demonstrates how life was in the 1800s,” stated Rep. Mike Coffey (R-Springfield). “The event is designed for all ages and it’s a great way to learn more about our 16th President and how he lived and worked in the village of New Salem.”