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Quality of Life:
Every township, village, municipality and metro area across the nation touts their superiority when it comes to quality of life. So, how is Springfield and Sangamon County any different? Simple, once someone is here, they don’t want to leave. Local employers often note that employees are difficult to attract to a small Midwestern metro area, but once they arrive, they are nearly impossible to get to leave. No one wants to transfer out of Springfield. The history, culture and recreational activities that are found in the greater Springfield area, give residents all the advantages of living in a larger city but without all the hassle of long commutes, endless traffic and higher living costs.
Recreation: A multitude of quality neighborhood, community, and regional recreational resources are available for Springfield area residents. The City maintains over 30 public parks, providing a range of recreation opportunities from tennis courts to ice rinks, swimming pools to Frisbee golf courses. Additionally, there are wildlife sanctuaries, a zoo, numerous hiking, equestrian and bike trails, 9 public golf courses, several country club golf courses, and a water park
Lake Springfield, located on the southern edge of
the community, provides 4,235 acres of water for recreation
opportunities, surrounded by 57 miles of shoreline. Around the lake
are eight public parks complete with picnic tables and shelters,
playgrounds, a sand beach, softball diamonds, restrooms, hiking
trails and lake access. Lake Springfield Marina offers boat, water
ski and jet ski rentals and services; boat storage; and plans for
additional development to include lake-front restaurants and other
tourist amenities.
Culture: Cultural programs, events, exhibits, concerts, classes and
performances are available across the spectrum of arts. The local
arts council is very active in its support for a sponsorship of
programs that meet the diverse tastes of Springfield art, music, and
theater patrons. A variety of venues, from the Hoogland Center for
the Arts to the Sangamon Auditorium to the Muni to a host of small,
local theatres, are available for shows of all shapes and sizes.
Historic Sites: If you are an Elvis fan, you go to Graceland. If you
are a Lincoln fan, you come to Springfield. Maybe that isn’t the
best comparison in the world. After all, Elvis doesn’t have a
world-class library and museum dedicated to his life and work. If
you are interested in one of the most fascinating and controversial
figures of our nation’s history, there is nowhere more exciting than
Springfield, where you will find his home, law office, tomb and
much, much more.
Still, Lincoln isn’t the only game in town. Architectural
aficionados delight in the treasure of the Dana-Thomas House,
located in downtown Springfield. One of Frank Lloyd Wright's finest
Prairie-style homes, the Dana-Thomas House is authentically complete
with original furniture, art glass doors, windows and light
fixtures.
