Located in the rich agricultural heart of Illinois, Springfield combines the small town elements of a friendly, safe environment with the metropolitan advanages of culutural and recreational opportunities. The seat of state government, Springfield is also downstate center for conventions and tourism, retail and wholesale operations, and agricultural production. Its consumer market extends into a 10-county region, serving more than 500,000 people.

Springfield has a rich history, much of it tied to its most famous and influential citizen, Abraham Lincoln, our country's 16th president. Historic sites around the community include The Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the Lincoln Tomb and Lincoln's New Salem, the 1830s pioneer village where Lincoln lived for six years. The Old State Capitol is located in the center of the city, where it sits atop the Illinois State Historical Library.

Other historic sites include the Executive Mansion, the present State Capitol, the Dana-Thomas House (built by architect Frank Lloyd Wright) and the Vachel Lindsay Home. Springfield is also home to a number of museums, including the Illinois State Museum, the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Museum and the Illinois State Military Museum at Camp Lincoln. Construction has begun downtown on the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

Cultural opportunities abound. The 2,017-seat Sangamon Auditorium at the University of Illinois at Springfield offers a full range of music, theater and dance performances. It is also home to the award-winning Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and the Springfield Ballet Company. Theater lovers can take advantage of first-class productions by the Springfield Theatre Centre and two summer programs -- The Muni, which delights summer audiences with a series of lavish musicals, and Theatre in the Park, a variety series of family entertainment presented in an outdoor amphitheater at New Salem. The Springfield Municipal Band and the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon both offer evening entertainment during the summers.

The Springfield Art Association, housed in the restored, historic Edwards Place, offers an active schedule of monthly shows and art classes. The Springfield Area Arts Council promotes numerous community events in the visual, literary and performing arts. Countless other guest lectures, exhibits, performances and programs are available through the Illinois State Museum, the Prairie Capital Convention Center, local colleges and universities, and various community groups.

Spring and summer bring a number of outdoor activities to the city. The Old Capitol Art Fair in May attracts artists from around the country. In June, the International Carillon Festival features musicians from around the world. Summer is also the time for nearby county fairs as well as the Illinois State Fair. The International Ethnic Festival, the LPGA Rail Classic and Springfield Air Rendezvous also highlight Springfield's summer activities. Winter brings First Night Springfield, a New Year's Eve celebration that features a rich blend of arts and entertainment for the family.

Recreational opportunities are many and varied. Springfield has 42 parks, which include 11 public and private golf courses, 29 tennis courts, three public swimming pools, a public beach and an ice skating arena. A number of fun-filled and educational activities are sponsored by the Springfield Recreation Department. In addition to the local YMCA and YWCA, more than a half dozen health and fitness facilities in Springfield offer a variety of services. Bicyclists and inline skaters enjoy miles of paved trails over abandoned railbeds through the woods. Those same trails provide excellent cross-country skiing conditions in the winter.

Families can cool off in the summer in a water park or play miniature golf at several locations. Summer activities for children are plentiful, ranging from nature, sports, theater and art camps to Summer College for Kids at Lincoln Land Community College.

Lake Springfield, with its 60 miles of shoreline, provides boating, fishing and other opportunities for water sports. Located near the lake, Lincoln Memorial Garden and the Henson Robinson Zoo both offer a number of seasonal nature programs and special events. Nearby Lake Sangchris offers a peaceful atmosphere for canoeing and fishing.

Educational opportunities are abundant in Springfield. Springfield College in Illinois offers associate degrees in liberal arts, sciences, teacher education, music and art. Lincoln Land Community College offers over 100 associate degree programs. The University of Illinois at Springfield offers 20 bachelor's degree programs, 18 master's degree programs and one doctoral program, emphasizing studies in political and public affairs, business and management, and health.

The Springfield Public School District is a strong public school system that includes a comprehensive special education program, a modern cooperative vocational training center, and a gifted magnet elementary school. There are also a number of parochial schools in the area.

Springfield shopping offers something for everyone. White Oaks Mall, central Illinois' largest enclosed shopping mall, delights shoppers with the variety and number of stores. The city also has many interesting specialty shops and antique stores.

Springfield has a relatively low cost of living, which makes more moderate salaries competitive. Affordable single-family dwellings and apartments are located throughout the city's residential neighborhoods, with many bordering or near parks. Springfield's location provides easy access to major metropolitan areas -- Chicago (45 minutes by plane, 3 hours by car or train) and St. Louis (30 minutes by place, 90 minutes by car or train).

Springfield is diverse, proud of its past and confident of its future.