SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Officials say attendance at historic sites in Illinois' capital city is up and one of the factors could be the new "Lincoln" movie directed by Steven Spielberg.

 

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that (http://bit.ly/TqWQmG) visits to Springfield area historic sites were up more than 3 percent in the first 11 months of 2012.

 

Illinois Historic Preservation Agency spokesman Chris Wills believes the movie contributed to the uptick in attendance at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.  The museum also offered reduced admission for people who brought in ticket stubs from the film.

 

The Lincoln Home National Historic Site also saw a spike in attendance

 

Other factors that could have affected attendance included the re-opening of the Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site, which was closed for much of 2011 for renovations.

 

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