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Presidential Burial Sites are Better Than You Think

Noah Nelson
4 min readFeb 16, 2021
Abraham Lincoln

Most people never see a president in their lifetime. They don’t ever come close to one. But that’s just for living presidents.

Since it’s inception in 1789, 45 men have served as president of the United States. As of this writing, five former presidents are still living and 39 are buried somewhere on American soil.

While it’s a rare occasion to see or meet a current or former president, you can visit the burial sites of those who have passed on. They make wonderful day trips that spark conversation, enrich the mind of American history and come along with great stories to tell.

Growing up a half hour away from Springfield, my parents and I visited Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb quite a bit during my childhood. Whether it was for his birthday or on a hot summer day, each visit was memorable. We would learn something new about the nation’s sixteenth president. We would meet first-time visitors from out of state or across town. Each visit were some highlights of my childhood.

When visiting, mourners walk into the bottom door of a large mausoleum to find a darkened room. They then must walk around to the back of the building where Lincoln’s large stone sits.

It’s a breathtaking visit, one you don’t want to miss when exploring the capitol city. Better yet, pairing a…

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Noah Nelson
Noah Nelson

Written by Noah Nelson

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alum | Author of “Life: A Collection of Short Stories” and “Dana and Me” | Featured Writer on ILLUMINATION (23x).

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