Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois as well as the county seat and Sangamon County's largest city. The town population is over 116,000 inhabitants. Which makes it the sixth most populated town of the state, the second largest outside the metropolitan area of Chicago, and the largest in central Illinois. Present-day Springfield was settled in the late 1810s by European Americans, around the time Illinois became a state. Abraham Lincoln, who lived in Springfield from 1837 until 1861, was the most prominent historic resident when he went to the White House as President. The city lies near the Sangamon River, in a valley and plain. Lake Springfield, a large artificial lake owned by the company City Water, Light & Power, provides recreational and drinking water for the town. Springfield proper is primarily based on a grid street layout, with numerated streets beginning with the First Street leading to the Illinois State Capitol and leading to 32nd Street. The total area of Springfield is 66 miles.