Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site — a state park in Sangamon County, Illinois — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Lincoln Home National Historic Site, so park hours, fees and rules apply.
The Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site is a historic brick building built in 1841 in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located at 6th and Adams Streets in Springfield, Illinois. The law office has been restored and is operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency as a state historic site. The office building is a surviving portion of what was the Tinsley Block, a brick structure built by local developer Seth M. Tinsley in 1840–1841 to provide office space for professionals working in the newly chosen state capital city. The Illinois General Assembly had moved the capital from Vandalia, Illinois, to Springfield in late 1839, and local workers had begun to build a new limestone state house, now the Old State Capitol State Historic Site, on the parcel of land just north of the Tinsley Block.From the Wikipedia article “Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 58° ENE | 8:31 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 15h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 121° ESE | 4:38 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 4:58 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 22m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:14 AM – 4:44 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 3:47 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:21 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:03 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 11:58 PM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:01 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:01 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.55 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 67 | 71 | 79 | 85 | 91 | 106 | 109 | 103 | 101 | 92 | 80 | 71 |
| Low °F | -15 | -13 | 1 | 20 | 32 | 40 | 49 | 49 | 36 | 24 | 9 | -11 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
Ghost TownFAQ
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Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.