Home Shop History Merchandise Contact Area History Lincoln The vision of a rascally pair of speculators, Peter Lukins and George Warburton, Petersburg began as a real estate venture. Later going on to become president, Abraham Lincoln worked as a young man to survey what would soon be the county seat. Though nearby New Salem was eventually abandon, it still remains closely attached to the city today. With a colorful local legend crediting the town's name to a round of cards, it's said that if not for a winning hand todays residents would be living in Georgetown. Built on the bluffs overlooking the Sangamon River,Petersburg takes great pride in a history of lush architecture. With a resurgence of restored Victorian-era homes, you'll find a growing number of quaint bed-n-breakfast inns available for that special overnight stay. Surrounded mostly by farmland, Petersburg is arboreal in contrast. Maples and oaks stand as a majority of the foliage that line the streets. History awaits around every turn, yours to discover. Famous for the book of poetry "Spoon River Anthology" and more, the childhood home of Edgar Lee Masters stands at the corner of 8th and Jackson with tours available Memorial through Labor Day. Rumored to be Abraham Lincoln's first girlfriend, Ann Rutledge is buried in Oakland Cemetery and Major Benjamin F. Stephenson MD, father of The Grand Army of the Republic, counts his final resting place as the Rose Hill Cemetery. New Salem State Park lays 3 miles to the south, with a village that operates as a living museum throughout the summer, an amphitheater and a sizable growth of old forest for hiking. Just outside the gates, The New Salem Country Opry boasts the longest running country music show in Illinois, with shows every Saturday night. Spend a day, take away a lifetime of memories. Estep & Associates has spent years dedicated to bringing the wonders of past to new homes. Copyright ©: 2008, www.estepmercantile.com