Lincoln Colored Home

The Lincoln Colored Home, also known as the Lincoln Colored Old Folks and Orphans Home, was opened March 8, 1898 and remained in operation in Springfield, Illinois until 1933. It was one of the first orphanages for African American children in the United States. The actual building is still standing and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The home, located at 427 South 12th Street in Springfield, IL, was built in 1904 after the original home at the same site was razed. Currently, the home stands empty in a state of disrepair, although the last two owners of the property have made efforts to restore it.