National Historic Landmark

Lindsay, Vachel, House

Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois
Listed
November 11, 1971
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
71000297

About this property

The Vachel Lindsay House is a historic house museum at 603 South 5th Street in Springfield, Illinois. Built in 1848, it was the birthplace and lifelong home of poet Vachel Lindsay (1879–1931). It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971. The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency operates the house as a museum and offers tours of the home that emphasize Vachel Lindsay's poetry and art. It is open seasonally. The Vachel Lindsay House is located near Springfield's downtown area, at the southwest corner of South 5th and East Edwards Streets. It is a two-story wood-frame structure, with a front-facing gable roof and clapboarded exterior. Its main facade is five bays wide, with a hip-roof single-story porch extending across the center three bays, with square posts and a dentillated cornice. The entrance is framed by a Greek Revival surround, but the doorway itself is a later Victorian feature. The first floor contains an entry hall, two parlors, library, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, and pantry. The second floor includes a central hall, sewing room, five bedrooms, bathroom, and trunk room. Rooms have been decorated in the late Victorian style, and included the bed in which Vachel Lindsay was born, a desk he built, and the table at which he did much of his writing. Nicholas Vachel Lindsay was born here in 1879, and at first sought to become an artist. He discovered a talent for poetry, and his first volume was published in 1913. "The Congo", was published in 1914, and brought him fame. His approach to poetry was unusual and distinctive for the time, using colloquial language, which he delivered in a sing-song chanting style during his public appearances. Lindsay's house was sold to a non-profit foundation by his heirs, and opened as a house museum in 1960. National Register of Historic Places listings in Sangamon County, Illinois Vachel Lindsay Home, at Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

Location

603 S. 5th St.
Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois
39.79588, -89.64983

Categories

LITERATURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Lindsay, Vachel, House

This page lists Lindsay, Vachel, House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Lindsay, Vachel, House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Executive Mansion
Industrial
0.1 mi
Hickox Apartments
Industrial
0.1 mi
Dana, Susan Lawrence, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Christ Episcopal Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Hickox, Virgil, House
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Lindsay, Vachel, House listed on the National Register?

Lindsay, Vachel, House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 11, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Lindsay, Vachel, House?

Lindsay, Vachel, House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Lindsay, Vachel, House a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Lindsay, Vachel, House has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Lindsay, Vachel, House?

The period of significance for Lindsay, Vachel, House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Lindsay, Vachel, House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Lindsay, Vachel, House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Sangamon County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Sangamon County.

Explore SangamonCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Lindsay, Vachel, House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report