Welcome to The Vachel Pages
dedicated to Vachel Lindsay, poet, artist, prophet, of Springfield, Illinois
This page was most recently updated November 12, 2008
Unless stated otherwise, all pictures at this and other Vachel pages produced by this
webmaster were taken by Job Conger. Visitors to this site are welcome to copy pictures
posted here for personal use. For larger, higher-defunition versions of these pictures,
write the webmaster, Job Conger - jobcongerat@eosinc.com
 1. Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site in the fall about 2005. |
 2. Vachel urged his friend V.Y. Dallman to create a lake to supply the growing city's water and to serve as a recreational area. Lake Springfield was dedicated in 1934 less than three years after he died. Pictured here is Linday Bridge which spans the lake near a public boat launching dock. |
 3. Two schools have been named after the "Prairie Troubadour." The first, Vachel Lindsay Elementary School, built almost on the shore of Lake Springfield is now used for administrative purposes. The second Vachel Lindsay Elementary School, pictured here is located on Springfield's southwest side. |
 4. This is the headstone of Vachel Lindsay's grave, located on the family plot at Oak Ridge Cemetery. More pictures of the site are posted elsewhere here at the Vachel Pages. |
5. I, Job Conger, your humble webmaster, am
passionate about Vachel Lindsay, a poet born and bred in Springfield, Illinois.
Besides authoring and publishing Vachel Lindsay, Strange Gold, a concise
biography and compendium of his poems and Lindsay lore, I recite his poems at the
drop of a hint. I have addressed high schools, civic organizations, literary clubs and
special events, sharing as much as time will permit. For information about how to arrange
a presentation for your special event, contact me.
Here I am, pictured in the Lindsay home parlor in 2007. I also welcome correspondence
with anyone who has questions about his life and poems, or has expertise about his life
and work to share.
OPEN HOURS REDUCED
Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site is now open Saturdays
only.
C o m i n g
Many events open to the public
for no charge are scheduled throughout the year. They include an anual architectural tour
of historic homes in the neighborhood. quilt shows, presentations about Springfield life
in the Lindsay family's time, and the popular Poetry in the Parlor series, an event Vachel
himself would attend. News of events, shared with this webmaster will be posted as tne
news reaches me, unfortunately sometimes, only a day or two before they occur. Please
visit this page ofen to learn what's happening and when.
What happens when friends treating Job to a birthday
dinner at Sebastian's downtown encounter visitors from Elkhart, Indiana and after dinner,
Conger recites several Vachel poems to their delight? Read all about it at my The Poet
Speaks page by clicking here.
Happy 129th Birthday,
Vachel!
Celebratinng a Favorite Poet Saturday, November 8
at Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site
The Vachel Lindsay Repertory Group read some terrific Vachel poems starting at 10::30 am, and I'm sorry I missed them. If I had read the State Journal-Register front page story about this wonderful annual event that morning, I would have arrived on time.
 1. Walter Lipe read a few Vachel poems and many of his own good poems starting at noon. |
 2. After his reading, he posed with two new fans who attended. |
 3, Bud Bartlett gave a very educatinal presentation about Vachel's pioneering efforts extolling the wonders of moving pictures, just coming into their own via silent movies distributed for theatrical distribution in Vaudeville houses. Vachel wrote the first book of cinema criticizm entitled The Art of the Moving Picture which remains in print today. |
 4. Bud read two poems Vachel wrote about early Hollywood actresses who had captured his heart and soul, and opened my eyes to the previously under-appreciated degree Vachel was a hit in the movie community. All in all a fine presentation. |
 5. Illinois Historic Preservatiion Agency DIrector Jan Grimes talks with Lindsay scholar Dennis Camp in the Vachel house kitchen. |
 6. Outside in the heated tent enclosed with clear wintow panels, birthday cake, hot cider, coffee and mixed nuts were served to all comers. |
 7, Shown here is the ceremonial 129th Birthday cake. |
 8. Anne is one of several dedicated volunteers at Vachel house whose generous contributions of time, knowledge and convivial graciousness make every visit to thiis place a cherished memory. |
 9. Earnest Vachel Pages creator, creator of "The Poet Speaks" (Vachel is the star.) and part time poet, folk singer and bus station baggage handler (just kidding!) pictured by Bud Bartlett afer my 2:00 performance. |
Hail Fellow Vachel Enthusiast Well Met
John Muchmore's Excellent Poetry In the Parlor Presentation August 16, 2008
 6. John is a retired professor of sp;eech at theater at William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, Illinois. He was comfortable behind a podium, and equally comfortable with the six poems by Vachel Lindsay he read to a rapt audience. The presentation was enthusiastic about the poem, whose work he has known and loved for years and gave one of the three most prepared presentation I have witnessed in the coulse of attending almost all Poetry In The Parlor events for the past six years or so. |
 7. His approach to Vachel's poems was a dynamic affirmation of the poet's own exhortation, "Come, let us be bold with our songs." He read Vachel's "The Kallyope Yell," "Bryan, Bryan Bryan, Bryan," "Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight," "On Porcupine Ridte," "The Eagle that is Forgotten" and "General William Booth Enters Into Heaven." BRAVO to John for sharing more Vachel poems than have been read or recited by almost anyone else gracing the parlor. John LIKES Vachel. He UNDERSTANDS Vachel, and he happily "infected the smiling audience with the same uncommon malady. |
 8. After the presentation, friends gathered for refreshments, including Jennie's trademark Constaant Comment iced tea. Ann Kramer was a convivial factor in engaging John and his wife to travel from northern Illinois for his most memorable presentation. |
 9. John poses for a picture in the reading room where the Lindsay family would gather to share Bible readings and more formal pursuits. |
Visitors to this page are welcome to copy and print pictures of
interest for personal use. Permission is granted by the photographer for publication of
images in higher definition. For more information: jobconger@eosinc.com
 1. This picture was taken early in 2008 so you could see the house unobscured by leafy branches encountered happily June 28. |
 2, The view from the front porch as the tour walked south from 603 South Fifth Street to learn about homes next to Vachel House now being restored to serve as modern apartments. The Lindsay home was located in the part of Springfield called Aristocracy Hill. For decades a creek bed ran through this part of town, north to south and the banks ascending up from it gave adjacent homes the appearance of being on a hill. The creek still flows, in modern times through a sewer pipe, with the sloping land filled in, almost level. |
 3. Jennie Battles leads the way, approaching First Christian Church where the Lindsay family worshipped. |
 4, |
 5. Larry Stevens talke about this history of the church and the architecture of moden Springfield. His precocious eight-year old daughter takes his picture. |
 |
 7. Folks gathered in the shade at Eighth at Cook before walking north to the Elijah Iles house on the left. This picture has been slightly retouched. |
 8. Elijah Iles was one of the founders of Springfield. Larry Stevens' grandfather was a major force in preventing the house from being demolished when a church bought the land on which it was built. The home was cut into two pices and relocated, pulled on flatbeds by mule teams, to the 1900 block of south Fifth Street on the southern outskirts of the city. |
 9. Larry is also involved with the Elijah Iles House Association which financed the relocation of the historic home to its third location. |
 10. Floyd Mansburger is an architect, and archaeologist and dedicated dynamo in the Aristocracy Hill area who has restored several homes and has several projects underway along Eighth Street. The sun and Floyd's stylish, attached coffee cup contributed to his enthusiastic description of the neighborhood, blessed with many structures Abe Lincoln would have passed by. |
 11, The distant building behind Floyd's head is the former Leland Hotel which Vachel know (in an earlier incarnation at the same site) when he was growing up. |
 12, Visitors were invited to tour this house now being restored by Mansberger. |
 13. |
 14. From the inside looking next door at another Mansburger restoration,. |
 15. This structure wasn't part of the tour, but the garden was particularly memorable. |
 16. It's hard to believe this picture was taken in the heart of near-southeast Springfield. |
 17, The Chuck Wagon at Springfield Carriage Company, 724 E. Edwards, Springfield is the best-kept secret in this drowsy town. The owner, a Springfield Police officer, and his family poured a fortune into restoring this historic building and began operating a small restaurant and coffee shop. The original wood floors, visible along with many other features and a fine luncheon menu Monday thru Friday, 11 am to 2 pm, make this a place WE ALL SHOULD SUPPORT! The meeting room upstairs is sunny, spacious, and has superb acoustics. They also offer horse-drawn carriage rides. |
 18. The back part of the structure was built in 1840, and the place did serve as a carriage house for a time. Today, it can be booked for meetings and special events. The family also does takeouts and catering. If you live in Springfield or nearby, you should eat there. Call 725-6564 for more information, and tell them Job Conger sent you. Email chuckwagonscc@aol.com |
 19, Looiking down at the intricately arranged brickwork and garden betweeen sidewalk and street at The Chuckwagon. |
 20. The open front deck at The Chuckwagon. |
Kudos to Dennis Camp, retired Sangamon State University professor
and author of The Poetry of Vachel Lindsay for his June 21, 2008 presentation at
Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site.
Visitors to this page are welcome to copy and print any pictures of interest for
personal use.
 1. Dennis gave the first presentation using PowerPoint I have seen at the site. This graphic was on the screen as a packed livinroom and adjoining library took their seats. |
 2. Color was added to this graphic by this site's webmaster. All used by Dennis were as shown in pictures to the left and right of this one,. |
 3. Here's the graphic on the left as it was intended to appear and DID appear Saturday. |
 4. Visible low in this picture are (RIGHT to
LEFT) are Dennis' good wife Barb and her father who was visiting the house for the first
time, and site guide Marge Defenbaugh. |
 5. Dennis Camp. |
 6.. Attendees were a diverse panoply of ladies,
guys and dolls. |
 7. The lecture included copies of actual articles and
pictures from 1908 Illinois State Journal and Illinois State Register
newspapers. |
 8. |
 9.After his excellent presentation, Dennis posed wtih Katherine Blair, daughter of Vachel's sister Joy Lindsay Blair. |
 10. Barb joined for an informal portrait. |
 11. Before Dennis began, he placed two dolls on the living room couch. Near the end of his talk, he explained why. The dolls here are from Marge Defenbaught's collection and loaned for Dennis' lecture. This was a unique moment in the history of the Vachel Lindsay home: the first time "guests" have sat upon the antique couch. A happy exception to the "house rule: DO NOT SIT on THE UPHOLSTERY" was made for these ladiies' polystyrene posteriors. |
 12. When Vachel stayed at Spokane, Washington's Davenport Hotel, he took his meals in the establishment's dining room. He usually dined by himself, and after feeling ehe need for compainionship, he purchased a doll from a Spokane store. When he dined after that, he would always ask the waiter for a glass of water for his "guest." Abvve and behind is Vachel's painting produced to harmonize with his poem The Potatotoes' Dance. It's a beautiful poem I will recite for darn near anyone at the drop of a hint. |
| Pictures on this page are 72 dpi resolution and
approximately 4 x 6 inches. For information about how to obtain larger, high-definition
copies, contact jobconger@eosninc.com |
 14. Dennis talks with former SSU English Department colleague and talented poet John Knoepfle. |
 15. Deb Huffman, her husband and daughter chat over
lemonade and baked delights in the back yard. The social time was very, well, a, tented. |
 16. Three ladies of the arts: Deb, Kate and Marge. |
 17. Catherine O'Connor is President, Vachel Lindsay Association. |
 18. A few blossoms in hte site's well-tended
back yard garden. |
 10.
As I wended my way to the front for and curbside ride home, I encounrered this
bushy-tailed visitor. |
 20. A view of the front porch. |
Dennis illumined parts of Vachel's life that I had not appreciated,
had not known to appreciate. For example, Vachel had already scheduled a series
of ten lectures to present in Springfield about the diversity and contributions of people
from other nations whose motherland citizens had contributed so much to world civilization
BEFORE the infamous "race riots" of the summer of 1908. He wrote his classic
poem On the Building of Springfield to be a part of his lecture series. The rioting and
deaths of that summer changed his approach to the Octoaber lectures, but his inclusive
view of humanity, not typical of Springfieldians or "old blood" Americans at the
time were a beacon of hope and optimiism to those who shared his views then . . . . and
those who share his ideals in 2008 as well.
. Kudos to Jim Ottery,
professor of English at University of Illinois at Springfield
for his May 10 Poetry in the Parlor presentation.
He read two Vachel poems, the last verse of a third and several of his own fine
poems as well. He has an excellent voice for the "conversational voiced" sharing
of good poetry and he used it well to the appreciation of the assembled audience. Below
are pictures taken during and following his appearance.
The pictures shared here are thumbnailed for faster
loading. Click on any for a larger image and "Back" to return to this page.
 1. The poet presents. |
 2. The esteemed poet said he shares Vachel's "infinity" for storytelling, and proved it with several fine examples of his own fine poems. |
 3. Among those who shared his presentation was this statuesque figure who gazed silently behind fresh-cut pussy willows that decorated the eqsuisitely restared fireplace. Truly "home is where the hearth is." |
 4. After his presentation, Jim chatted at length with site director Jenny Battles. |
 5. This interesting vase (vazzzz, if you prefer) graced the top of the piano in hte parlor. |
 6. "And she nodded, just like a pansy there...." from Vachel's fine poem Nancy Hanks, Mother of Abraham Lincoln. Now we know from this fine array in the site's well-maintained back yard garden, how a pansy nods. Very nicely! |
 7. The address of Vachel's house is 603 S. Fifth Street. Does any viewer of this picture see an inconsistency here? That's a simple question; not an accusation. Sometimes good people mistake one for the other. |
 8. This picture has been slightly retouched. It shows the fine banner hung from the north side of the Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site. |
"Mark Twain" Visits Vachel House
On February 2, 2008, Mark Twain portrayer George Scott of
Hannibal., Missourri (no kidding) visited earnest Vachel Pages webmeister who took
the occasion to introduce him to Vachel Lindsay State Historic Site and site director
Jennie Battles.
The six pictures shared here are thumbnailed for
faster loading. Click on any for a larger image and "Back" to return to this
page.
 1. George was not familiar with Springfiield's most native son, and though we could have spent his first visit to Springfield since his presence at the dedication of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum a few years ago, tossing down coffee and talking aviation hiistory (also a mutual interest), I felt he would net more from a visit to 603 South Fifth Street. |
 2. Here he poses by the front door. The pipe is cosmetic only. He tells me it has never seen tobacco, and as long as he owns it, that prospect seems very unlikely. |
 3. We joined a tour already in progress, led by director Battles, but during their move to another room, we stayed behind for a picture. I successfully squelched an incredible urge to recite Vachel's poem The Potatoes' Dance depicted in this Vachel drawing. Jennie was busy with the other tourists, and my racket would have benefitted no one. |
 4. Here George poses in Vachel's childhood bedroom where he wrote many of his early poems. |
 5. In the "tour orientation room" or words to that effect, where a video about Vachel is played for many tourists and excerpts from Vachel poems adorn the walls, George expressed interest in several of the quotes. It was here, with my voice almost in a whisper to avoid disturbing the other visitors, I recited for George, On the Building of Springfield, the poem from which several lines visible in this picture were drawn. |
 6. Pictured left to right are Jennie Battles, a couple visiting from northern Illinois, and George Scott of Hannibal. A week later, George e-mailed me a note which said in part,"We had a dinner tonight in Quincy, our Encore club, and no one heard of Vachel Lindsay. Not even the lady from Germany. Oh well, I hadn't either (just over a week ago). But they did tonight! |
 |
Congratulations
to Jennie Battles, volunteers, presenters and visitors for a FAB 128th Vachel Birthday Party November 10, 2007! Pictures from the day's acivities have been posted at a new page where I have also posted the words of poems shared by Job Conger. View that page by clicking here |
Pictures from Poetry in the Parlor, October 13, 2007
The 10 pictures which follow immediately have been
thumbnailed for faster loading. Click on any for a larger view and "Back" to
return to this page. Visitors are welcome to copy any pictures for personal use for no
charge. Participants in this event and supporters of this Central Illinois Visual Artist
Galleries web site may obtain larger, higher-definition versions of any pictures of
interest for no charge by contacting webmaster Job Conger - jobconger@eosinc.com To learn how to become a
CIVAG supporter, click here
|
 2. Walter shared poems from a book he published when living in California 10 years ago. Many of them he recited from memory. |
 3. Bonnie is a regular participant at Lindsay home events. Her gentle humor and pugnacious attitude were delightful to the ears. |
 4. Fred Floreth read "Songs from the Edge" by Dr. Dr. Annette G. Pashayan, a cancer survivor from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The composition, four poems about aspects of breast cancer treatment and triumph, has been shared before in other parts of the USA, but seldom, if ever, so well as during the Lindsay Home event. |
 5. Marge Defenbaugh shared for Vachel poems and two of her own, all enthusiastically and smooth and mellow as chocolate milkshake. |
 6. Fred, regular suppoter/presenter Bud Bartlett and another regular supporter (whose name has taken temporary leave from my brain) pose for a picture after the fine presentation. |
 7. Jan Sorenson, a rising young watercolor artist chats with Bonnie after the reading. |
 8. Some of Jan's paintings have been displayed inside the Lindsay Home for the past month, among them this affable "cowboy" in the home's entry foyer. |
 9. Another Jan Sorenson painting. Three of her creations are part of the Sangamon Watercolor Society exhibition at Chase Bank downtown. The exhibit is open during normal banking hours. Don't miss it if you can. |
 Jan at easel, so to speak, posing for camera guy. |
NEW TO THE VACHEL PAGES -- Vachel Poems: poems about Vachel, the Lindsay family and the Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site. If you have written a poem about the afore-mentioned and care to share it, send it to webmaster Job Conger - writer@eosinc.com To visit the new page, click here Favorite Poems by Vachel Lindsay To read some of Job Conger's Vachel Lindsay poems accompanied by commentaries and information, click here Celebrating 125 birthdays at Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site November 6, 2004, several distinguished visitors were on hand, including Catherine Blair, daughter of Joy, Vachel's younger sister. Visit this page by clicking here |
Vachel Lindsay
Association (of which I am a dues paying member when they tell me it's time to renew) held
its annual meeting on November 7, 2004 . On hand were three generations of Nick Lindsay,
Catherine Blair and Roland Cross. View pictures a plenty from this event by clicking here Visit A Chronology of Books Written about Vachel Lindsay by
clicking here
|
NEWS and Chit-Chat
Vachel is not the only Lindsay poet.
Discovered at the Southeast High School library: Primate
Behavior by Sarah Lindsay, published by Grove Press 1997.. Another
Sarah Lindsay is the current women's speed skating champion of Great Britain. I
can't say much about this Sarah Lindsay's poetry, or even if she writes poetry, but if you
encounter a Sarah Lindsay wearing speed skates at your local ice rink, you would be wise
not to bet against her.
The American poet Sarah was born in 1958. According to the blurb
about her at the Fishhouse website, she lives in South Carolina. The book is
dedicated "to Mom and Dad who gave me books." On the back cover is a review
excerpt:: "As a poet, Sara Lindsay is fearless." She also published Mount
Clutter in 2002. I enjoyed reading several of her poems from Primate
Behavior while I monitored a group of freshman English students during the library
visit. She's a modern voice with a great imagination and sharp sense of humor. I would
love to know if Sarah knows about Sarah Teasdale, a talented St. Louis poet who was a
MAJOR heart throb of Vachel before he settled down with Elizabeth Connor. If you find her
name on the binding of a book at the bookstore of your choice, you will do yourself a
favor by reading a few of her poems, and taking her home with you.
GOOD NEWS about the doctor's office and apartments to the west of the Lindsay
home built by Dr. Vachel Thomas Lindsay in the early 1900s and the two apartment houses to
the south. The three properties have been purchased by an Illinois developer
and will be renovated as apartment buildings in the months ahead. This is sweet news!
Recently I was shown a microfische print of part of a page from the
March 19, 1904 issue of the Illinois State Register which contained the obituary
of Benjamin Ferguson. After reading the obit, I noticed in the lower left corner of the
page, under "Matrimonial," an auspicious engagement announcement. It read,
"Wakefield-Lindsay
"Dr. & Mrs. V. Lindsay announce the engagement of their
daughter, Olive Catherine Lindsay to Dr. Arthur Paul Wakefield of Uram, Ohio.
"Dr. Wakefield is the son of President Wakefield of Hiram College. He
has visited this city many times and is very favorably known to many Springfield people.
The marriage will take place in June."
VACHEL LINDSAY -- The Poet
Speaks
a one-man show in poetry and song.
Now booking appearances. For more information, call 217-544-6122
If you would like to be added to my mailing list of extraordinarily good
looking and erudite hummin' beans who are notified when changes have been added to
my web pages about Vachel Lindsay, e writer@eosinc.com
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
I will be writing an article for the Bookplate Society ( www.bookplate.org ) about the bookplates(exlibris)
drawn by Vachel Lindsay.
So far, one he did for Clark Walker Cumimings has been located..I would hope
he did others and perhaps had one for his own use.
Do you have any information which would help me in my quest.?
Cordially,
Lewis
Jaffe
JaffeMMS1@cs.com
(from Colleen Lavin) I am interested in trying to obtain a print/poster or other copy of his artwork "The Potato's Dance" which is pictured on your site. If there is anyone out there that can provide me with some information, please email me:
lavinc@aol.com or
olavin13@yahoo.com
A visitor to this page recently asked if I had a recording tape copy of the wire
recording (perhaps it was a 78 RPM record; I'm not sure) Vachel made in New York
City in 1930.
Even though I explained I didn't, the truth is that I do. It was
given to me several years ago, and I have never listened to it. For some nutty reason,
because I have positive but mostly general memories of his son Nicholas Cave Lindsay
reading his father's poems at a school assembly when I was in high school, I don't want to
hear Vachel at this time. So the point of this digression is that I couldn't help the
inquirer.
I did check with the Sangamon Valley Collection, on the third floor of
Lincoln Library. I was told by City Historian Ed Russo that they have a 33 1/3 RPM
record album of Vachel, produced from the earlier recording. This album may be heard by
visiting the collection -- 3rd floor of Lincoln Library, 326 S. 7th St., Springfield, IL
-- but it is not available on inter-library loan and may not be copied.
I was told that the Vachel Lindsay Society had the album made in the
60s, but none were available for sale. If YOU have the album, and you will sell it for a
fair price, please email writer@eosinc.com
 Picture 1 - Dr. Vachel Thomas and Catharine Frazee Lindsay, Vachel's parents. They appear the quintessence of Victorian decorum and success, posed in separate chairs, nothing ostentatious. Note the reading matter in their hands. Is this a statement for their time? It's significant that READING was as much a part of family life as food. What a wonderful statement, a wonderful way to live! This picture was taken about 1915, the second full year after Lindsay hit the bigtime. Could it be that the newly "arrived" poet, purchased the photo session as a gift to his parents? |
 2 - Vachel with sisters Olive, Eudora and Esther. The latter two of whom died in early childhood. |
 3 - This picture shows VL in the element most people associate with him, the countryside, circa 1912. Notice the walking stick -- great for keeping angry dogs at bay. |
 4. Vachel's high school graduation picture. Not a bad-looking chap for someone born in Springfield. |
5 - Vachel, circa 1914. |
 6 - Here the poet's face shows some evidence of age. It appears to have been taken by a family member or amateur photographer. I say this because while the back of his head is facing the light source, his face in away from the light. Note too the shadow on the wall to his right. Still, it's an interesting picture.This picture was used in many articles and books published during his life. |
 7 - Home where Nicholas Vachel Lindsay and his sisters were born, 603 S. Fifth Street, circa 1929, perhaps within days of his family portrait below right. Notice the people standing in the yard by the corner of the house. Could they be VL and family? Born Nicholas Vachel Lindsay, the poet's first books were published under that name. He later changed his authoring name to Vachel, a move which brought no end of trouble from well intentioned people who mis-pronounced it. This led to the poet writing a poem about the name Vachel, a guide to how to pronounce it and a contemporary (as in the year 2003) play by Jacksonville teacher/playwright Ken Bradbury entitled Vachel With a "V". |
 8 - Vachel seems to be sending the world a message here. Note that while this is a serious setting, the poet appears almost giddy, very out of context with the tone of the occasion. His wife, Elizabeth Connor Lindsay, seems to be forcing a smile as though trying to keep up appearances and not to appear grimly out of synch with Vachel. Their children Susan Doniphan and Nicholas Cave appear to be focused on the photographer, and probably best reveal the mood of the moment. The photograph was taken about 1929. It would be interesting to know whether or not they were posing in the Lindsay home sitting room. |
VISIT VACHEL
LINDSAY HOME STATE HISTORIC SITE
603 S. Fifth Street, Springfield, Illinois!
Since its renovation by the State of
Illinois, the home has focused on the history of the Lindsay family with less focus on
Vachel the poet. This re-direction has come at the suggestions of surviving Lindsay family
members. The "look" of the place resembles its appearance when Vachel was
growing up, but there are exceptions to that approach throughout the house.
Visitors successfully completing the ascent up the stone stairs to the front door should
ring the amazing, mechanical door bell to alert site director Jennie Battles and her crack
team of volunteer guides that you have "arrived." You will be invited to visit a
former boarders' room, now brightly decorated in Vachel motif, to watch a video about the
life of Vachel, narrated by his son Nicholas Cave Lindsay. It's an excellent presentation,
well worth your time. Then, your guide will escort you through the house. All guides know
their Lindsay history and will amaze and delight you with their enthnusiasm for the
family. They will even talk about Vachel's poetry.
To learn how you and your organization may hear his poetry, visit Vachel Lindsay: The Poet Speaks. To read some of webmaster Job Conger's favorite Vachel poems, visit Favorite Poems by Vachel Lindsay. Both sites included in the listing of the Vachel Pages above.
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