Springfield’s Lincoln Home closed due to government shutdown

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Springfield’s Lincoln Home National Historic Site is closed due to the federal government shutdown.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that a recorded message on the home’s phone line says the park is closed and will reopen once the shutdown has ended. The closure started Saturday morning. The home’s visitor center is usually open daily and tours are given inside. It’s the only home Abraham Lincoln owned. National Park Service data show the site drew about 240,000 visitors in 2016.

The shutdown doesn’t affect other Lincoln sites in Springfield because they are operated by Illinois state government.

The Lincoln Home was closed for 16 days during the last federal government shutdown in October 2013. About 30 employees were furloughed with only law enforcement personnel left at the site.

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Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com