A Visit with Vachel: Vachel Lindsay Home Guided Tour

At the center of our nation stands the historic residence of Vachel Lindsay—renowned poet, illustrator, and pioneering film critic. From this lifelong home in Springfield, Lindsay traveled across America, captivating early twentieth-century audiences with his dynamic spoken-word performances. Celebrated internationally during his lifetime, Lindsay’s legacy continues to inspire across generations.

As part of the Springfield Art Association’s A Visit with Vachel programming, we invite you to explore the Vachel Lindsay Home and experience the enduring impact of his life and work. Each attendee will receive a complimentary copy of The Little Turtle and be entered into a drawing to win a two-volume set of Lindsay’s collected works.

Reservations are strongly recommended due to limited tour capacity and can be made on this page. If you need assistance making your reservation online, please email [email protected].

There is no charge for the tour, but donations to support the historic site are appreciated. You can make a donation online at http://historicspringfield.dnr.illinois.gov

Please report to the front door of the house at 603 S. Fifth Street 5-10 minutes before your reserved tour time to check in and begin your tour.

Please take note of the following:

• The Vachel Lindsay Home has several small interior spaces.
• Guests will not be permitted to touch any furniture, artwork or other artifacts in the house, regardless of whether they are wearing gloves/using sanitizer.
• The Vachel Lindsay Home is two stories and requires the use of stairs to access all entrances and exits. Please keep this in mind when making your reservations.
• Pets are not allowed inside the Vachel Lindsay Home. Service animals are welcome. Please note we do not have a pet boarding facility on-site and we do not allow pets to be left outside unattended. Questions about this policy should be directed to our site superintendent at [email protected].

Parking

Metered street parking is available along Fifth Street in front of the house. Please note the City of Springfield does not currently require you to pay the parking meters; however “no parking,” “2-hour limit” and similar signs will be enforced.

Vachel Lindsay Home guests are also welcome to use the free parking lot for the Dana-Thomas House located on the corner of Fourth Street and Lawrence Avenue. It is approximately three blocks from the Lindsay Home.

Photography Policy

Photography, video and other recording are permitted throughout the site, both indoors and out, with the exception of drone photography.

Additional Information

More information about the site, including educational resources for teachers, are available at http://historicspringfield.dnr.illinois.gov

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We look forward to seeing you soon!

Host or Publisher State Historic Sites Springfield