State Journal Register: Three Lincoln sites will be open daily

http://www.sj-r.com/Sections/News/Stories/46788.asp

"It's been more than two years since operating hours at most state historic sites were cut because of Illinois' budget crunch.

But in April, three of the top-visited Abraham Lincoln sites - the Old State Capitol and the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices in Springfield, and Lincoln's New Salem in Petersburg - will return to a seven-day-a-week schedule, to coincide with the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.

The announcement was made Tuesday.

New Salem is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, while the Old State Capitol and Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices are closed Sundays and Mondays. The new, extended schedule will be in place from April 16 to Labor Day.

Robert Coomer, director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, said restoration of a full-time schedule has been "in the works for some time."

The local news has covered its construction, etc., extensively for the last few years.

:)

It's going to be really easy for people from Chicago to come in and there might actually be some stuff going on downtown now. Lunch time is always busy, but the night life could use a boost.

There were frequently people who drove far out of their way, or came specifically to see New Salem, only to find it closed. It had to hurt the tourist industry, which is important in Sangamon County.

A lot of people there considered it a real slap in the face to the Springfield area that was also losing a lot of state jobs. I guess you can tell when an election is coming up.