Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park preserves two farm sites near Hodgenville, Kentucky, in LaRue County: the site where Abraham Lincoln was born and the site where he spent his early childhood years.
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For more than a decade, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has provided visitors with a unique insight into the nation’s 16th president. The museum is home to an incredible collection of artifacts, books and documents that help tell the story of the man who presided over the country during one of the most difficult times. The library is not part of the National Archives and Records Administration’s network of presidential libraries. It is administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
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The Abraham Lincoln statue in the public square in Hodgenville, Kentucky, was dedicated on May 31, 1909. Adolph Alexander Weinman sculpted the six-foot-tall statue, depicting Lincoln sitting in an Empire-style chair. The marble foundation features stars inlaid on a Greek fret band, and the statue’s eastern facade spells out “Lincoln” in bronze letters. Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln, attended the statue’s dedication, and Lincoln’s sister-in-law, Mrs. Ben Hardin Helm, unveiled the statue.
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Sculptor John McClarey of Decatur, Ill., created a statue depicting Lincoln in September 1858 when he arrived in Hillsboro, Ill., while running for Senate. The statue, located near the Montgomery County Courthouse, was unveiled in August 2009.
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Abraham Lincoln went to the Great Western Railroad depot on the morning of Feb. 11, 1861, to begin his inaugural journey to Washington D.C. Lincoln and his eldest son, Robert, planned to leave on the 8 a.m. train, while the rest of his family would follow later that day. Lincoln gave a short speech to the group of friends and family who came to see him off. Today, the privately owned depot features Lincoln-related exhibits.
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President Richard Nixon authorized the Lincoln Home National Historic Site Aug. 18, 1971. The park was formally established on Oct. 9, 1972, to preserve and protect the only home ever owned by President Abraham Lincoln. In total, the park’s buildings make up four-and-a-half square blocks on 12 acres. Among the buildings is the home where the 16th president of the United States lived from 1844 to 1861.
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Lincoln Homestead State Park features the original home of Abraham Lincoln’s mother and replicas of the 1782 cabin and blacksmith shop where his father was reared and learned his trade. It also features the home of Mordecai Lincoln, the favorite uncle of Lincoln.
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The Lincoln Memorial is Washington is perhaps the most recognizable of all American monuments. This shrine to the nation’s 16th president, situated on the western end of the National Mall, was built between 1914 and 1922; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Oct. 15, 1966. Demands for a tribute to the murdered president date to the years just after his assassination, and the first monument in Washington, D.C., to Lincoln was erected in 1868. Over the years, the Lincoln Memorial has been the site a number of major speeches, including Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on Aug. 28, 1963.
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The Mary Todd Lincoln House, located in Lexington, Kentucky, was the childhood home of Mary Todd, who later became the first lady and wife of the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. Today, it is a museum showcasing period furniture, portraits and artifacts from the Todd and Lincoln families. Visitors can learn about the multifaceted life of Mary Todd Lincoln, from her privileged upbringing in a wealthy family that owned slaves to her later years as a grieving widow. Originally built as an inn and tavern around 1803-1806, the property was known as “The Sign of the Green Tree.” Eventually, Mary’s father, Robert Smith Todd, purchased the property for their family, and they moved into the three-story house in 1832. Mary Todd resided there until 1839, when she relocated to Springfield, Illinois. Later, after their marriage, the Lincolns returned to visit Mary’s family at the house.
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Mount Rushmore National Memorial, located about 30 minutes southwest of Rapid City, features portraits of four presidents carved into granite — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Measuring 60-feet-tall, the portraits are perhaps the definitive American attraction. Crews completed Mount Rushmore between Oct. 4, 1927, and Oct. 31, 1941. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum selected the four presidents to memorialize on Mount Rushmore. More than two million people visit Mount Rushmore, sometimes called the “Shrine of Democracy.”
Recent news releases from Mount Rushmore National Memorial:
- New Outdoor Ethnobotanical Garden Expands Interpretive Storytelling at the Memorial
- Mount Rushmore Celebrates Independence Day with Variety of Events and Activities
- Over one hundred and fifty new citizens to be naturalized at Mount Rushmore
- Summer 2024 Activities and Hours Begin Memorial Day Weekend
- Avenue of Flags to Feature New Utah and Minnesota State Flags in 2024
Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois, is famous as the final resting place of President Abraham Lincoln, his wife and all but one of his children. Lincoln’s Tomb, Oak Ridge, the third and now only public cemetery in Springfield, is the second-most visited cemetery in the United States, after Arlington National Cemetery. William Saunders designed the cemetery as part of the Rural Cemetery Landscape Lawn Style. The location was selected, in part, because of the rolling hills.
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The Old State Capitol State Historic Site, in downtown Springfield, Illinois, sits where the state’s fifth Capitol building once stood. Built in the Greek Revival style between 1837 and 1840, the building served as the state house from 1840 to 1876. The building was extensively altered during its life as a courthouse. So, to restore and preserve the edifice, workers dismantled and rebuilt it between 1966 and 1969. The building today resembles how it looked in 1860 when Abraham Lincoln last saw the capitol before leaving for Washington.
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Springfield Mayor Timothy J. Davlin unveiled “Springfield’s Lincoln” on June 5, 2004. The life-size sculpture of Lincoln, his wife and two of his sons — “Willie” waves to older brother Robert, located a short distance from the statue. It will stand next to Lincoln’s law office across from the Old State Capitol.
The Vandalia State House is the fourth statehouse of Illinois and is the oldest surviving capitol building in the state. The structure served as the capital from 1836 until 1839, when it moved to Springfield. The two-story painted brick structure later served as a courthouse and was converted into a state monument in 1933.
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