of design and fabrication by Dubuque Boat & Boiler Works at Dubuque, Iowa, the new sternwheel steamboat Talisman made its way to New Salem by way of the Mississippi River, Illinois River, and the Sangamon River. The steamer, christened Talisman, was a scaled-down representation of the previous vessel, at 40 tons and 73 feet in length, with an upper cabin and powered by a 60 bhp diesel engine. The recreation boat was given a landing next to the Rutledge Camron Saw and Grist Mill site on the riverbank, and tourists had the opportunity to take short excursions on the river. Unfortunately, just like the original Talisman, the recreated steamer was plagued by low water levels on the river which gradually increased the difficulty of navigation over the years until in 1998 the river dam at Petersburg was abandoned and water levels became too low. The boat was finally grounded a few miles upriver from the historical site, and then served as a large lawn decoration about a hundred feet from the riverbank. On November 19, 2021, the boat was destroyed in a controlled burn. Visitors Lincoln's New Salem was visited by approximately 600,000 people in 2006. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, under the name, Lincoln's New Salem Village. The historic site includes a visitor's center with an exhibit and theater. Active recreational infrastructure centers on the Mentor Graham Trail, long, and the Volksmarch Trail'', long. The state park contains 200 campsites, including 100 electrical hookups. See also List of Illinois State Historic Sites Presidential memorials in the United States Blab school References External links National Park Service - Lincoln's New Salem New Salem Lincoln League support organization website for programming Theatre in the Park presenter of productions in summer at an on-site outdoor amphitheater 1829 establishments in Illinois 1840 disestablishments in Illinois Populated places established in 1829 Populated places disestablished in 1840 National Register of Historic Places in Illinois State parks of Illinois Former populated places in Illinois Illinois State Historic Sites Living museums in Illinois Museums in Menard County, Illinois Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Protected areas of Menard County, Illinois Monuments and memorials to Abraham Lincoln in the United States National Register of Historic Places in Menard County, Illinois Populated places on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois