It is easy to be down on Springfield. Really easy. It's easy to complain about a lack of things to do, a lack of things to taste and see.
Springfield lacks a lot of things. It's a smaller city, with a smaller urban sweep. It's naturally not going to have as many things as a city with a larger metropolitan area. I understand that, and I've decided that I need to focus on the things I like about Springfield instead of forever dwelling on the things I don't like.
1. ALPLM- The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is awesome. It's nice, and it brings events and activities that Springfield didn't have before. When people come to Springfield to visit, it's always a place to take them for an enjoyable afternoon.
2. Improving Downtown- Little by little the downtown in Springfield is improving. There are some nice places to eat downtown and some cool shops have been established there over the last five years. The downtown events are getting better every year.
3. Hoogland Center- Hoogland Center offers some musical and theater acts that Springfield might otherwise lack. Saw the Avett Brothers there earlier this year, and I was really impressed. It's a nice facility in a good location.
4. History- I kind of like Springfield's history. There are some interesting things lurking back there that are non-Lincoln related.
5. Route 66 Drive In Theater- It's cool that we have a drive in theater here. Although I don't use it very often, I like knowing that I can.
6. The Horseshoe- I rarely eat horseshoes because I'd like to live for a few more years, but they are awesome. Definitely one of Springfield's treasures.
7. Magic Kitchen- Okay, I'm a Magic Kitchen junkie. I literally find myself fiending for Thai food. I can't help myself. It's an addiction. But yeah, I'm grateful for Magic Kitchen. Mostly the one on Lewis where the Romanesque used to be. The food is killer, the restaurant is cleaner, and they always know my order when I walk through the door.
This is all I can think of for right now. Want to list some of your favorite things about Springfield? Feel free to add a comment.
10 comments:
Springfield is a town that you must leave in order to appreciate it. I've never left, but have grown to appreciate it as I've grown older.
1. Washington Park - Many sunny afternoons wasted away there. Many times looped around on the bike. Many times walked around with the dogs.
2. Farmers Market downtown - I didn't make it down there that many times this year, but always a treat.
3. DH Browns - The bar that I consider my own Cheers. I have a photo on the mirror near the waitress station. I also worked and drank there most of my early twenties. I had a history of ex-gf's and girls come in and drink their sorrows away.
4. The Interurban trail - a great bike/walk trail/route to Chatham.
5. Baskin Robbins - Two words: Baseball Crunch.
Shoo, great list. Those are indeed good things that I had forgotten. Love Washington Park and the Interurban Trail. Two great perks to Springfield. I've never been to DH Browns, though I've heard it's a great place. Thanks for those.
As for the issue of leaving to appreciate it, that didn't really work for me. We lived in Richmond, VA for 4 years, and we loved it. So much history. A 2 hour drive to the beach. A 2 hour drive to the mountains. Driving distance to Washington DC, Philadelphia, Charleston S.C. And Richmond itself was a great city. We loved it so much there, but we made the decision to move back for family. We often look back and wonder at that decision. Richmond felt like a home to us. We had carved out a nice little life there. Springfield just hasn't felt like a home yet. It's taking a lot of adjustment.
As usual John, great post. We have had many discussions in the past and how frustrating it is to see the low self-esteem that many of the city residents have about Springfield. Sure, there are many great places to live in this state and country but Springfield is in the upper tier of its size.
Let me list a few things that we DON'T have:
1. Traffic
2. High Taxes
3. High Real Estate Prices
4. A depleted downtown
5. Traffic
6. Expensive Energy
7. Dying Industry
8. High Unemployment
9. Traffic
10. $8/hour parking
That's just to name a few. I love this city and then many things it offers its residents. Good and diverse food choices. Museums. Parks. Highways. Weekend events (just pay attention and you'll see we have plenty of them). A growing and renown University. Public Access television. Channel 20. Springfield bloggers. This list can never end.
Note to Shoo: I met my wife at Brown's. You were probably there when it happened.
Micah, I'll drink to that.
Micah, I technically met my wife at Browns as well.
Then let us drink to meeting wives at Brown's. Cheers.
A place I like to take my dogs to walk is river side park. The park has some great views of the river and is very quiet and peaceful.
I also usually go connoeing down the sangaman once or twice a year.
Are any of the other museums besides the Abraham Lincoln museum worth going to?
I agree with all of the aforementioned great things about Springfield. Here's some more in no particular order
1. Maid Rite - allegedly the first drive trough in America and I love the rootbeer.
2. State Fair - I'm a Northender and there's nothing quite like the State Fair.
3. Lincoln Memorial Gardens - I hadn't been out there in years until Trina, Ileana & I went for a walk this summer. It's really a great place.
4. Friendly people - I work downtown and most of the people I come accross smile, nod or say hello. I don't know that you get that in every city.
5. Cheap beer - no matter what bar you like to drink at (by the way, I have always thought Browns is the most aesthetically pleasing bar in Springfield) the beer is reasonably priced in Springfield.
6. State Capitol Building - it's really a breathtaking building and when the new Capitol Avenue renovations happen, it'll be an even more dramatic approach when heading west.
7. Dana Thomas House - love it at Christmas time.
8. Just Two Guys - best TV this side of Decatur.
I could go on and on. I LOVE Springfield as you well know John. I really think that Springfield is on an upward swing and keeping young, creative people in town helps that upward movement. Great post.
Thanks everyone for the added commentary. These are all positive things about Springfield.
And especially thanks to ALincoln for his kind words about the Just Two Guys program. Best TV this side of Decatur is the best compliment we've ever had. It's definitely going in my book of compliments.
Springfield is one of the crappest places I have ever been. It's dirty, it's boring, & it's downright lame. After you see the museum, there is nothing to see. Don't waste your time coming to this hellhole. Things Springfield has to offer:
1. Really bad drivers
2. Rude people
3. 2 attractions that one can see in an hour
4. Lack of a nightlife
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